Fair at the Jardin des Tuileries

This jet lag is really a pain.  Kate was awake at 6 am to talk to Carter but couldn't get up until noon to shower.  By then, Kelly and I were each napping.  We finally made it out of the apartment in the afternoon.  What a gorgeous day--high 70s and not humid.  Tomorrow it should be in the 80s but we hear rain is coming after that.  Kate says we can take advantage of the inevitable cool rainy days and get hot chocolate at Angelina's on the rue de Rivoli.

We took the métro to Place de la Concorde to do a little shopping at Zara on rue St. Honoré behind rue de Rivoli.  Les Soldes started last week and go to the end of July.  Twice a year, in January and July, stores have big sales.  The government regulates what they can put on sale (for example, the item must have been for sale in the store a certain amount of time before it can be put on sale) and the dates of the sale.  The stores can have sales other times during the year, but they can't be called "Soldes".  The stores use the word "Promotion" or something else to indicate a sale.  So Kate wanted to get shopping before things are picked over.  Zara did not disappoint.
When we came out of the métro, we spied a Ferris wheel.  So we decided to cross over to the Jardin des Tuileries to investigate.


Ferris Wheel from rue de Rivoli

It turned out it was a carnival with rides and games and food, right in the middle of Paris in le Jardin des Tuileries.

Kate and Kelly on the Midway

A middle-aged woman in the red jacket looked
quite terrified on this ride



And who doesn't like churros?  We liked the churros coming out of the top of this stand. 

Churro Stand

There was even a game where you try to kick a soccer ball past a swinging wooden goalie in the back.  I'm not sure why the whole thing is in English.





"Penalty" Soccer Game



The Ferris Wheel

We wandered over to les Tuileries and saw the boys sailing boats around the fountain.  They have fun pushing the sailboats with the sticks.

Sailboats in the Tuileries Fountain

We walked back up through the Tuileries towards Place de la Concorde.  It was a bit warm in the sun but perfect in the shade.


Kate with the Louvre in the Background

Kelly and Jeanene

We saw kids playing soccer along the path, trying to avoid hitting the old ladies sitting in the chairs.  The little blond boy in the white shirt and blue shorts kept calling to the others "Allez!  Allez!"  He wanted that ball to keep moving.

 

Chasing down the ball while
 trying to avoid the spectators

Running for the ball

 

Kelly and Kate leaving the gardens

We walked through Place de la Concorde and up the Champs-Elysées to Pizza Pino for an early dinner.  Pizza Pino has the thin crust pizza baked in a wood burning oven.  Kate ordered her favorite with goat cheese and sliced tomatoes drizzled with honey.  Kate often went to Pizza Pino with the Varvels and Hettingers on our 2012 study abroad but it was the first time Kelly and I had been.  It did not disappoint.  Kelly asked the waiter in French if France would win against Germany in World Cup Soccer on Friday.  The waiter wasn't so sure but sympathized with us about the U.S. losing its match against Belgium.  Kelly asked him if he liked American football.  The waiter said he liked basketball--specifically the New York Knicks because he liked Carmelo Anthony.  Kelly couldn't figure that one out. Why Carmelo Anthony?

Fountain in the middle of Place de la Concorde

Who could ask for a more beautiful sunny day in Paris?