Chris’s Blog:

Who knew that Paris was so hilly.  I assumed that Montmartre would be, but I didn’t realize that the surrounding areas are too.  Google Maps didn’t prepare me for the inclines and declines we would be facing.

After visiting the Tour de France Fan Park we took the Metro to ‘Le Concorde’, then on to Montmartre (the bohemian centre of Paris during the 1900’s).  Mo and I had a great travel book that outlined a cool walking tour.  It turns out that the great tour book wasn’t so great, and left out a lot of the streets…but we soon found out that getting lost in this area can be pretty awesome.  Some highlights:

1. Brianna walking around a corner to see a regular ‘guy’ peeing in the street.  She didn’t even blink an eye – kept her cool.
2. Greg being asked directly by a lady to refrain from using his iPhone in the Sacre-Coeur Cathedral while a crowd beside him was doing the same.
3. The stunning views from the top of the Mont, and seeing apartments/studios used by Picasso and Van Gogh.
4. Walking through the streets with our 1664, Orangina, Frites with Mayo, and baguettes.
5. Strolling past Moulin Rouge and a stretch of seedy looking sex shops.  The kids counted over 25 strip clubs in this area.

It was a very educational walking tour…lol.  There is certainly an interesting mixture of culture, tradition and charm in this area.