Things I Learned in Paris

1. The Louvre is huge. If you gazed at each piece of artwork for 30 seconds, it would take you several years to walk completely through. The entrance is also shocking. It seems rather out of place and modern for such a well known and respected museum. There are maps readily available so you can guarantee seeing the works that are of interest to you. The most popular pieces have arrows pointing you in the right direction.

2. The Mona Lisa is actually very small. Most of us think of this famous painting by Leonardo De Vinci as being a large piece that would hang stately in a foyer. The fact is that she is a mere 30 X 20 7/8 inches. It is also very surprising that this masterpiece is not protected as securely as one would think. It hangs at the end of a large room, where people wander past, separated only by several feet and cordoned off with a rope.

3. The Eiffel Tower is larger than I expected. It has three levels which you can reach by elevator or stairs. The price of admission is determined by the level and desired access. Last year there were over six million visitors. Don't let that scare you, the line moves fairly quickly, and vendors stroll around selling their wares.

4. You have to walk up 284 stairs to get to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Whew! Although it is quite stressful on yours legs, it is well worth the effort.

5. Roundabouts are interesting. I'm from a small rural area in the United States, and have never seen such a vehicular wonder. A roundabout is a multi-lane circle with several streets careening off. The secret to this is to go with the flow and know when to get off. If you're going to rent a car in Paris, be sure to familiarize yourself with roundabouts before you enter one, or you just might find yourself driving around in circles for hours.

6. Hold onto your purse. My husband and son stopped into a theater to check the show times, while I stood out on the sidewalk waiting for them. A man raced past me at full speed, carrying a woman's purse, with several others following. Unfortunately, the others were not quite as fast. I was literally almost run over, and felt like I was in the middle of a television chase scene.

7. A walk down the Champs Elysées (on the right bank of the Seine) is an absolute must. What we call window shopping, the French call "licking the window".

8. You can take bus tours, the metro, or hire a taxi to take you from place to place. We found that our feet could take us just about anywhere. Sure, we were dog tired at the end of the day, but we got a chance to explore and see the sights of the city.

9. The pastries really are as good as they look. Indulge a little.

10. Before leaving for Paris, it pays to do some research. There is so much to see and do, you have to plan and prioritize. You can see and do a lot in a few days, if you have a plan of attack before you get there.