16Aug2008: Day 83: Eiffel Tower

We woke up way to early to get going but had to get to the Euro tunnel on time. Chris drove and we got to the tunnel and you get herded onto a very big box-car train, in your car. Then it takes about 25 minutes for it to take you into France. Then you drive out and you're on your way. It's really quite interesting that within an hour and a half (including the time to drive to the Euro tunnel,) we're now in a different country that drives on the right again! BUT....we still have a car that you sit on the right to drive...no biggie.

Chris then drove about another 3 hours to our hotel in Paris. They let us check in early and then we went down the street to find a place to eat. We found a small cafe and looked at the menu and said hmmm....we have no idea what it says. The waiter came over and asked if we wanted two chickens and we said okay. Good choice, as it was two BBQ chickens with fries and a salad and Makenna was agreeable to eating all but the salad. We were then off to the Eiffel tower and we were debating whether to walk or not, but we figured we'd drive and see if we could find any parking. Good thing as it was much farther away then we realized.

It was very crowded and very long lines to be able to get up the tower. We had the option of going up by using stairs or by elevator. We obviously did NOT take the stairs. We had to wait then for over an hour in order to get on the elevator. Makenna was very patient, at this point and there was actually another couple behind us that were very talkative with her, who had a small baby, not yet one.

Plus, there were entertainers, mostly break-dancers, while we waited. There was this one guy who had on a long rubber nose and a rubber head piece who was going up behind people and copying their movements or sneaking up behind them and grabbing their arms and scaring them half to death. It was quite entertaining for the rest of us but I was glad I was in line and not one of the people being mimicked or scared. Although, on the way back from our lunch, before going to the Eiffel Tower, a woman came up to us with a small baby and was saying something, to which we understood, she was begging. Chris didn't notice that she was with her husband (we assume her husband,) and another child, as they kept walking on, but all we could give her was a bottle of our water. What really bothered me later, was that while we were in line for the tower, another woman came up to me specifically, and asked if I speak English. I replied that I did and she shoved a postcard in my face to read which basically said she's from Bosnia and has a father in a hospital back in Bosnia that needs care and she needs money. I replied I had no Euros only plastic and she "demanded" that I give her dollars then. I said again how I had no money only plastic and that I was sorry. But after I was really upset and mad that she was very demanding like I was expected to give it to her. Plus, I don't know how she picked me out of a crowd of people as being English speaking. I kept asking Chris if it was something about how I looked. He said he didn't like how she had a bunch of "gold teeth", like how much did she really need the money to begin with?

Anyways, the good thing about the wait was that it gave time for the top-most part of the tower to open back up. While we were in line we noticed that it was closed due to inclement weather but as time went on, it opened back up.

The views were obviously spectacular. To see so far into the distance and to see such interesting buildings that we have no idea what are but that look grand and spectacular. They had telescopes that you could look through, which Makenna liked playing with, but it cost Euros, of which we had none at this point. She was very upset every time we left the telescopes and this was the start of her showing that she was getting tired. To go up different levels, (of which there are 3,) you had to stand in another line for another elevator. So at one point, we gave her an apple which she ate and people seemed to enjoy watching her eat it. I think that's because she was trying to eat the bottom and stem on occasion.

While trying to decide whether to do the Eiffel Tower today or tomorrow, when we first got to the there, we were walking around the area of the tower and found a carousel. Makenna is enthralled with "horsies" lately and I figured this would be a great opportunity to get her on one. So we hopped on the carousel and picked a horse, which of course she wanted to go on a different one before the ride started but I convinced her to stay on this one so we were on the outside and Chris could get pictures. She loved it! She again was upset when it was time to go, but as we were riding it, they came around asking for a ticket, which I didn't have. I said I'd get one after, but again, we had no Euros and they didn't accept debit. So I felt very bad that we didn't pay for the ride and we walked away.

We figured we'd come back tomorrow as we were initially planning on doing the tower tomorrow, but then we figured we were here and it would give us more time at the Louvre tomorrow if we just did the tower today.

After the tower we went back to the hotel room and Chris went out and found us food, and found a bank to get some Euros. We ate and then it was a bit of a battle to get Makenna to stay in bed as it was a cot. We had to push one side against the window (which gave you a view of the Eiffel Tower), and put a blanket on the floor in case she rolled off in the middle of the night. I had to lay down with her until she fell asleep as she was to tempted to get out of it repeatedly as our bed was right their too. She finally settled down a good half-hour after Chris had already fallen asleep. Another big day tomorrow is ahead of us and we need all the sleep we can get.