Paris

The beautiful weather we had while in Paris seems to reflect our impression of the city. The romantic architecture, golden foliage, and sweeping views of the city we were afforded from our hotel in Montemarte more than made up for the congestion, occasional rude local, and the $5 soda we inadvertently bought. We visited several museums including the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Crypte Archeologie, and Musee Picasso all of which were impressive (the Louvre bordered on overwhelming). We also explored the Sacre-Coeur basilica and, of course, Notre-Dame (the Gallo-Roman ruins underneath the foundation were perhaps more fascinating than the cathedral itself). We walked around the Arc de Triomphe then wandered down the famed Champs-Elysees Boulevard. Our favorite part about Paris, however, was walking along the Seine River in the afternoon (where we bought a painting from a local artist) it was absolutely beautiful.