The end of the bus ride was our hotel in Paris. The Viking package included two post-cruise days which we opted to extend to four. Check-in at the hotel was like anything Viking does – smooth and easy. We signed up for a couple of the Viking tours and decided to do other stuff on our own. We didn’t regret either choice.

Paris is unarguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the capital of France, of art and of fashion.

There are a thousand things to do and see in Paris and however much time you have here, it won’t be enough. We climbed the Eiffel Tower, strolled down the Champs Elysées, visited the Louvre, wandered along the banks of the Seine. There were sidewalk cafés to explore, restaurants beckoned and shops everywhere. And we took some time to experience the Parisian way of life!

One thing I must note – you often hear that the French people are “stuck-up” and rude. I had visited Marseille and Toulon back in the early ‘80s and had found that not true.  Now, in Paris, we also found it not true. Everyone we interacted with were warm and friendly and helpful. Oh, there were two taxi drivers that wanted to fight each other but other than that!

And I have to tell you this also —  I think it was the second day but possibly the third, we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. When we were seated, Liz was presented with a flower. We had no idea of the reason. One of the nearby locals leaned over and told us that today was Mother’s Day in France!