Paris - and hard for us to believe too.

We keep saying to ourselves, "yes, we are here -in Paris."  It is spring — and someone spent time planting flowers in the Jardin de Luxembourg.  This is close to our Excelsior Hotel, 20 Rue Cujas, google the address.  A terrific location, next to the Sorbonne, just two blocks down the street from the Pantheon - and—  and ...

And in the Jardin des Tuileries — between the Louvre Museum and the Palace de la Concorde -  there is a virtual garden of statutes. This is Hannibal and me. Some are of Roman or Greek personages, others depictions of Greco-Roman Gods.

Yes, on a bridge over the Seine River, and the cloudy backdrop portends the type of day it was - got colder and darker, but no rain. Weather has been colder than normal and the blue sky very infrequent - just broken portions most of the time.

In the Jardins or gardens there is a great deal of art. Stuck off in corners or right slap in the middle.  For the Jardins, think the Mall in Washington. The  Tuileries is about the same size as the Mall in Washington DC (guess), the Luxembourg not quite (guess).

And guess who continues to enjoy eating. We have walked a lot so I think I am OK on the poundage issue. That was one good bowl of soup.

On this trip we have heard of Clovis, various Kings Charles, seemingly dozens of Louis's, a couple of Napoleons and no one has mentioned Charlemagne yet. Ta Da! There he is — gotta get a day time photo but he looks fierce and the guys holding his horse would scare a Visigoth.

and he is right beside Notre Dame Cathedral, yes Paris has one too. It is but a short walk from our hotel and so nice looking.