Today for Pat and Barb's last full day in Paris they requested that we go up on the mountain, Montmartre. So we headed out in the sunshine to the bus that would take us there, I worked out a plan that would almost assure us of getting a seat on the bus that follows that line, we take the first bus out to an earlier stop on the second line where fewer people have gotten on.
It worked a treat and we got four seats together for our trip over to the base of Montmartre. When we got there, for whatever reason the bus driver didn't stop at our stop and we had to get off at the next one, irritating but not a big problem, however there was a blind gentleman who also wanted to get off at the first stop and was now out of his comfort zone. I helped him get to the sidewalk and got him headed in the proper direction for the previous stop. As we walked back towards where we would have gotten off Deb and Barb stopped at each souvenir shop to look at trinkets and I watched as the man made his way back successfully. Finally we got to the street where we turned to go up to Sacre Coeur and somehow Pat and I lost contact with Deb and Barb so we went to the top of the street and waited until they surfaced out of one of the shops.
They wanted to do a bit more shopping so Pat and I went up on the cable car to the church to wait up on top. As we waited I saw a street performer that is now tops of anything I've seen so far. He was obviously an accomplished soccer player but he was also a gymnast. We watched him control a soccer ball with his feet, head, back, knees, elbows, etc. while doing various gymnastic exercises. But he did them on a fence, and while suspended from a light pole, phenomenal!! I was so impressed I had to give him 5 euros after he finished, and so did about 30 other people.
Once we got together with Deb and Barb again we wandered up to Place du Tertre, where artists are displaying their work while others specialize in quick portraiture and caricatures. Still very many tourists and quite busy. We walked down to where our favorite lunch restaurant is located only to find that they are undergoing a full renovation and was therefore closed. So a quick plan B was instituted and we caught a couple buses down to another favorite place, Chartier for a late lunch.
We had a very good lunch after which we took yet a fourth bus over to the Roman arena and the botanical gardens, before heading home on the Metro.
Today for Pat and Barb's last full day in Paris they requested that we go up on the mountain, Montmartre. So we headed out in the sunshine to the bus that would take us there, I worked out a plan that would almost assure us of getting a seat on the bus that follows that line, we take the first bus out to an earlier stop on the second line where fewer people have gotten on. 
It worked a treat and we got four seats together for our trip over to the base of Montmartre. When we got there, for whatever reason the bus driver didn't stop at our stop and we had to get off at the next one, irritating but not a big problem, however there was a blind gentleman who also wanted to get off at the first stop and was now out of his comfort zone. I helped him get to the sidewalk and got him headed in the proper direction for the previous stop. As we walked back towards where we would have gotten off Deb and Barb stopped at each souvenir shop to look at trinkets and I watched as the man made his way back successfully. Finally we got to the street where we turned to go up to Sacre Coeur and somehow Pat and I lost contact with Deb and Barb so we went to the top of the street and waited until they surfaced out of one of the shops. 
They wanted to do a bit more shopping so Pat and I went up on the cable car to the church to wait up on top. As we waited I saw a street performer that is now tops of anything I've seen so far. He was obviously an accomplished soccer player but he was also a gymnast. We watched him control a soccer ball with his feet, head, back, knees, elbows, etc. while doing various gymnastic exercises. But he did them on a fence, and while suspended from a light pole, phenomenal!! I was so impressed I had to give him 5 euros after he finished, and so did about 30 other people.
Once we got together with Deb and Barb again we wandered up to Place du Tertre, where artists are displaying their work while others specialize in quick portraiture and caricatures. Still very many tourists and quite busy. We walked down to where our favorite lunch restaurant is located only to find that they are undergoing a full renovation and was therefore closed. So a quick plan B was instituted and we caught a couple buses down to another favorite place, Chartier for a late lunch. 
We had a very good lunch after which we took yet a fourth bus over to the Roman arena and the botanical gardens, before heading home on the Metro.
A really full day.
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