London is a riddle, Paris is an explanation. GK Chesterson

One might ask when in London, what is life all about? What is the meaning of my existence? Why am I so happy?  Then one arrives in Paris, and all becomes clear.  There are dozens of people queueing up to buy their daily baguette, the bells of Notre Dame are peeling, a bottle of red is sitting on the table and out your window is the Eiffel Tower.

We took the Eurostar train from London to Paris, a 3.5 hour trip in a very pleasant car.  The train beats flying any day.  In Paris it was a bit confusing finding our local train.  But with lots of help from friendly Parisians (yes, friendly) we we got on the correct train and walked out of the underground to be face to face with Notre Dame.  We are on Boulevard St Germaine in the Latin Quarter only a block from the hotel where we stayed in 1999.  We were met by a representative of the apartment who took us up the 6 floors and explained how to get along in our Parisian neighborhood.  And what a fabulous neighborhood it is. Out our front window we can see the Eiffel Tower and the Pantheon; out the back we see Notre Dame. We are surrounded by patisseries, boulangeries, charcuteries.  The metro is steps from our door.  I think I'm in heaven.  Pictures of the neighborhood can be seen on flickr.