We woke up at some natural time. I was up a bit before Chrl and I went out to get some coffee from the local conglomerate chain. Nice fresh coffee in the morning does us well. Chrl has a few hours of work to do before we can get out to the Eiffel Tower. When she finishes today she will have handed in the projects that are due and is slowly coming to the end of what she needs to have done this term. We will be able to have some free time without having to worry about anything. 

As she worked on her projects I began to pack again. Clothes go from the clean to the dirty pile. It will be time to bathe these clothes soon as the clean pile is quickly dissipating. The packing was soon finished and I mentioned that I was going to go to the coffee shop to sit and write about our previous day. Chrl offered to join me if I wanted. With her cute expression I couldn’t resist allowing her to come with me. 

At nine something in the morning it still seemed early judging by the lack of commotion out on the street. We found a table outside and set in to complete our tasks. Chrl works so diligently on her projects. Her passion for social justice motivates her to do her best and she is accomplishing good grades. I really admire her dedication. 

We needed a third round of coffees. Chrl underestimated the time that she needed for her task and we seemed to be sipping unconsciously through the volume of this dark elixir that helps us keep going. The seats outside were full now. Others having taken residence with their cups smoking and chatting away, some staring into their phones tapping away obsessively. We glanced at each other periodically always with a smile sometimes with a quip. There is no anxiety with respect to sitting here and doing what we are doing. 

Once the projects were submitted we returned to our room and got ready to go out. We had looked up how to get to and up the Eiffel Tower the previous day. I tried to get us a ticket but they were sold out until the end of August. This was a bit worrying as there was talk of how massive the queues are to get up there. I found a website that sold priority tickets but the price was two and a half times the normal ticket cost. As we discussed our strategy Chrl mentioned that she was on a roll and that if she finishes everything in the morning we could be free to wait in the line. There are two of us so that one can stay and wait in line while the other goes to the toilet if necessary. This is the beauty of a partnership one has the other to help out. 

After dressing we stepped out into the street in search of a place to eat. The Latin Quarter in Paris has a lot of different places to choose from. We picked a spot close to a Metro station and ate brunch. At this point there were many people out and about providing us with a distraction from our conversation and sometimes inspiration for a topic to discuss. Sometimes we rehash some things that we talks about before. This maybe helps us gain a better understanding of the importance of the topic under discussion. Some events in our lives have had a profound effect on the subsequent years following its occurrence. By overcoming those difficulties we developed character and discovered a resilience within ourselves that has carried us to this present day. 

“Ahh Paris!” With its opulent architecture and quirky transportation lines. We were on our way through the elaborate labyrinth of lines to reach the tower. This iconic building has stood for over a hundred and twenty-five years. It was built for a worlds fair that was happening in Paris in the late 1880’s. At the time it’s construction was revolutionary. This building was the first of its kind. It used steel beams and rivets as building blocks.  After its successful completion the use of steel beams vastly increased and buildings began to rise higher and higher. This tower still stands after all those years. The elaborate design and finish still a marvel to see and experience. We were both getting more and more excited the closer we got to it. 

As is to be expected there is a security gate that screens the public as they go into the area under the tower. The approach to the tower. Was lined with stalls selling all manner of souvenirs. This is one of the most visted monuments on the planet and these stalls are actually important for the economy. Many people rely on this work in order to feed their families. Once inside we found an appropriate lineup in order to gain entry up the tower. 

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I am waiting in line while Chrl went to find a toilet. She has been gone for a while and I am slowly inching toward the front. I still probably have another 15 to 30 minutes before I hit the front of the line. I keep glancing upwards hoping to spot her to no avail. 

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She found me just before I was about to buy the tickets. We made it past the security check and are now waiting for the elevator to take us up to the first level. 

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We are approaching the end of the queue to get to the Sommet. It’s been a long wait made easier by having someone wait with me. I hope there is a toilet up there that I could use. Preferably one that faces outward so that I have a great view while peeing. 

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We have descended from the tower. Having walked around the top and then taken the elevator down to the second and then to the first level. We have seen Paris how it should be seen. 

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After exiting the area under the tower we walked a distance so that I could get a shot with the whole tower in view. We were both a bit high from the experience and also a bit hungry and in need of a toilet. Toilets are surprisingly rare. Chrl reported that a number of them have been down for cleaning while others were closed. Having been thwarted in her attempt to relieve herself we bought a Parisian style hot dog to share to tie us over until we have dinner later on tonight. As we walked out of the area I spotted the tell tale sign of a water closet.  The line up was long with what looked like only one stall working. Each person that came out looked like they were traumatized by what they had to endure inside. Chrl made a check to see if any other stalls were working. Their door handles were removed so there was no way to open the door. 

We chatted with some women behind us from Detroit. They were going to go up the Eiffel Tower. We told them about our experience up there and told them that they had to go to the first level in order to walk on the glass floor. They said that it sounded scary and we told them about the couple up there. The guy was afraid of heights and his wife wasn’t. We had a laugh as he overcame his fear and stepped over the edge into the glass. Well he was still afraid but he did it. 

After this lineup we found a Metro Station and went back to our hotel room to shower and get ready for our date. We haven’t had a nice dinner in a restaurant here in Paris yet. Today seemed like the right time to do that. There are lots of little restaurants here for us to choose from. All of them cater to a positive experience for their customers. 

We found a spot where we could sit outside and enjoy our meal. We sat on the edge and picked out meals. As we sat there holding hands starring into each others eyes one of the waiters brought my appetizer he said that we look like we are in love and offered to take a picture of us. This is the first picture that someone has taken for us of us. It seems appropriate that it would be done here and now. 

We have been talking a lot about how we feel and how we see our life developing together. We are both in agreement that we are going to take our time and set our own schedule together regarding matrimony and the like. We know how we feel when we are together. We are comfortable with each other and are able to communicate well. We are compatible in a lot of ways both mentally and physically. Our discussion at the dinner table and the silences in between were pleasant. We enjoyed the wine and after finishing we bought another from the supermarket to go and enjoy by the river. 

As we walked to the river I suggested that we go and look at the Notre Dame. It is nicely lit up contrasting nicely with the dark sky behind. I wanted to take a night shot of it. Security was present for some reason maybe it was due to the performance happening somewhere around here. We could hear some music and singing but didn’t pursue it further. I experimented with some settings and got one shot that I was happy with. 

Down by the river there were quite a few people drinking and hanging out. So much for having an original idea 😉. It’s actually a Parisian thing to sit and watch the boats float by while consuming alcohol sitting there along the river. We found a spot where we could sit and consume out bottle as we continued to open up about our feelings. The wine may have been a catalyst for this or at least a bit of a help to nudge us further into the deapths of each other’s persona. We are both simple and complicated but that’s alright. We both need each other to be this way in order for us to be continually fascinated with each other. The night sky and the setting were quite romantic. After we finished the bottle we found a spot to lock the lock and throw away the keys.