New Year 2020 in Paris

I can't believe we are so lucky to return to Paris after only two years. We are back until the end of April in the old neighborhood at the BYU apartment with the view of La Tour Eiffel.

Familiar View from the Apartment Window
Sparkling Tour Eiffel 

Kelly and La Tour Eiffel on the way home
from grocery shopping

Unfortunately, there have been strikes in Paris since December 5th. President Macron wants to reform the crazy pension system in France and everyone wants to protect their turf. So no métros are running. The buses do run, but they are packed! So although we have been here now for 3 days, and renewed our Navigos at the Tabac because the métro is gated shut, we have only been out within walking distance of the apartment.

Christmas Lights over the Streets and on the Cafés

Dome of Les Invalides

Cinderella's Coach at the Champ de Mars

We spent our first two days cleaning and washing and shopping and getting ready for Kate's arrival today. We wanted to take the train to the airport to meet her but that was not an option with the strike. Kate took a taxi and she said there were no cars going around the Arc de Triomphe at 9:00 am on New Year's Day-amazing!
Our first priority was picking up a pain au chocolat for each of us at our favorite neighborhood bakery, the Boulangerie Bretteau, or, as we call it, the White Bakery, a few doors down from our apartment.

Kate Checking out les Bûches de Noel
at the White Bakery

Then I needed to keep Kate moving so she wouldn't succumb to jet lag.  We wandered up the rue Cler towards the Seine and then over to La Tour Eiffel.

Rue Cler

Passage off Rue Saint Dominque

Foggy Day at La Tour Eiffel

Christmas Decorations at the Café on our Corner

We picked up Kelly back at the apartment and headed to one of our favorite cafés, Café Central on the rue Cler, for a late lunch/early dinner. Fortunately (and unfortunately), a small Ladurée opened on the rue Cler in 2018. We had to stop for a couple of our favorite macarons-rose and orange blossom. It's going to be too easy to get our macaron fix now that Ladurée is so close to us.

We ended the afternoon with a walk to Les Invalides (Napoleon's Tomb) and back home down avenue de la Motte Picquet. Kate and Kelly were very patient today putting up with my picture taking.

Kelly and Kate at Les Invalides

We had success in keeping Kate awake until almost 9 pm tonight. Tomorrow Kate and I plan to go to our favorite big department stores--if we can squeeze onto a bus with the rest of Paris!