Boat or Bateaux Tour on the Seine

Pictures on this blog post are cloudy and rainy because it was, but I'm including them anyway, there were fifty one of them, serious editing done, almost half of the Eiffel Tower and you'll see what remains, not much!

Tour day is Monday September 5th and the taxi for Bruce’s chair comes, takes half an hour to get to the dock through downtown, the heart of Paris. Raining so wasn’t shown at it’s best, but passed Notre-Dame, L’Assemblée Nationale and Musée D’Orsay and probably others I didn’t recognize. Get out of the cab and know we are close to the Eiffel Tower, turn around and there she is! Wow! What a feat of architecture! It’s looks lacy and beautiful! 

I'm just calling this romantic, no other word...

Aside, we were in Sydney, and I was there to see the Opera House, turned the corner and unexpectedly there it was! Same feeling I had today to see the Eiffel Tower, surprise, wonder and complete stomach dropping awe!

On the boat, lunch was four course, starter, main, cheese, dessert with white and red wine, water and coffee, I’m so full! Delicious every bit of it, all cooked on board they say, and service was exceptional. This is Bateaux Parisians www.bateauxparisiens.com and we highly recommend this tour. It is two hours, non-stop, others are like a hop-on-off which would be good as well but with Bruce’s chair the only ramp available is at the Eiffel Tower stop, so no hopping for him, (not much of a rabbit this gent) This option fit the best. Did I say I’m so full! Know I did, for me to eat dessert is almost unheard of but I did and enjoyed it.

See link below for a write up of many of the bridges.

We paid for a window seat on the side of the boat, going under all the bridges (there are thirty seven) was very interesting to see the many different styles, built in different ages. http://frenchmoments.eu/top-10-most-beautiful-bridges-of-paris/ One was built using the bricks from the Bastille, that’s recycling! 

Many boats docked along the piers from sleek to almost sinking, even a lighthouse boat!

There was a singer aboard who serenaded us throughout lunch. She sang Ava Maria so beautifully it brought tears to my eyes, my mother’s favourite. 

She sang New York, New York next to the Statue of Liberty, okay a bit corny, but really well done. I'd guess you didn’t know there was one (smaller mind) on the Seine, certainly I didn’t.

She sang Édith Piaf’s, La Vie En Rose, which we both cringed at, hearing it so often badly mangled by accordion players in Sevilla, a treat to hear it done well and in Paris.

Dome of Les Invalides, military hospital, tomb of Napoleon, built 1671

It drizzled the whole day so actually it was a good day to be dry on the boat instead of dodging the rain while walking around, just not the best for pictures. 

See what I mean, cool effect though

Well, I’ve seen the monuments I wanted to in Paris and can now leave satisfied. Yes, just a peek, nothing extensive, but enough for me. 

We've got a week left here and more to do before going to Freiburg. "Chat" soon.

Cheers, Bx2 & Lexi Cat