Day 16

Wow, our last day! It is hard to believe all we have done and it is soon ending. It has gone so fast. We can't waste a minute on our last day in Paris and so we head out by 9am and go down to the catacombs of Paris. In 1786 Paris had a typhoid epidemic and they realized people were being buried too close to the water supply and were leaching into the water causing disease. So they started to dig up all the bodies and put them in the caves of rock under the city. It took 30 years working every night to dig up all the graves and transplant them. Millions of bones and skulls are there stalked neatly in patterns and organized. Outside the entrance is a sign: "Weak people beware. Those with cardiac and lung disease beware. This is a 1.7 km walk, down 130 steps and up 84 steps of a windy small staircase." "Beware things to see might be disturbing for children and those with nervous disorder."

The walk is blocks long after going down a windy, narrow staircase. The tunnels are low and narrow and then we enter room after room of millions of bones. Skulls are put in patterns and there are plaques that tell dates of when the bones where placed there. At the end we climb up 84 stairs to the top - I have to stop and sit half way up - wondered if I'd make it but then I had no choice but to keep going...up and up and around and around. Before leaving, they search you for bones. Then we go outside to an alley and have to find our way back to the beginning - about 8 blocks away. On the way back we find a suitcase and buy it since we have bought so many presents we need another suitcase to carry all of them home!

We finally get to our car and go through the Jewish section of Paris. We suddenly feel like we are in Israel! We stop for a fallafel for lunch. Fabulous!

Then we head for the Louvre. Bill knows about the underground parking and we come up right in the middle of the Louvre and can buy tickets to enter very quickly. It is also very near the Mona Lisa painting and so we head there first. This museum is amazing. To see all of these paintings and sculptures that have lasted so many hundreds of years. Really beautiful.

Next we head over to Notre Dame. This church is so incredible. Again Bill knows where to park underground below the open yard of Notre Dame and so when we come up we are at the front door of the church and walk right in line to go through it. Inside it is unbelievably massive.

We end the night with dinner at another fancy french restaurant in Neulliy. They don't speak English and so we are guessing on the menu. Wow, it is so good though! Chicken and Lamb on sticks over thin fried potatoes. The creme brelle is wonderful.

Back home to pack and get ready to leave in the morning. Very sad but grateful for such a wonderful trip. We could not have imagined it to be so good. Everything was perfect and nothing went wrong. A beautiful gift!