Ali and Maddie in France: A Slight Change of Plans

July 1st, Day 4: In France there's this very convenient event, where on the 1st of each month certain museums have free entrance. So, we had planned to take advantage of this special circumstance. That is until we woke up at 2:30pm and all plans changed, thank you jet lag! -.- So instead we spent the day with Maddie's amazing uncle, Robert (Peter is in Geneva) touring the city of Paris by bike. While this may sound like a beautiful and pleasant experience, you are mistaken. Biking through Paris involves dodging cars, motorcycles, people, and other bikes. We almost crashed multiple times, including Maddie losing the light on her bike, but thankfully we had Robert who is accustomed to the insanity that is Paris traffic. On our bike tour we biked to the right bank where we got get off our death traps and peacefully tour covered alley strip malls and make our way over to an auction house which was selling items anywhere from 5 euro chairs to a 3,000 euro vase. From there, we walked and got our first pain aux chocolats from a boulangerie and got drinks at a café where across the street we could see the gold plated, art deco, Folies Bergere. Then we hopped back onto the death traps and rode to dinner where Robert treated us to delicious Chinese dumplings and such. Then we walked through le Marais (the gay neighborhood), which was live with activity on the night before gay pride. Interestingly this path took us straight into the Jewish neighborhood, where we hope to return for some falafel. Also on our tour we saw the exterior of the Centre Pompidou, Saint Chappelle, and the Saint Vincent de Paul Church. We were on our way back to the apartments, when all of the sudden it started to downpour so we took cover under an awning until the rain became manageable. Once the rain subsided, all three of us made our way back to the apartments and enjoyed the comforts of our couch after the adrenaline pumping biking adventures.