Our last day on tour.

Yesterday was our last official tour day with our group. Another early morning start, but all for good reason. We were visiting the Eiffel Tower and wanted to be early to avoid the crowds of tourists.  We were warned again about pick pockets and our tour guide pointed out two ladies with clip boards or papers on them.  They come up to you looking for help or directions, then while you are distracted they take your valuables. 

One fellow in our group was talking inside a store when the shop keeper warned him to be careful. This was in Rome or Florence and while he was discussing pick pockets in the store he was used in a nice but very interesting way.  He and the shop keeper were talking while another lady who worked at this shop took his wallet.  He had no idea until he was about to leave when they called him back to give him back his wallet.  An interesting demonstration as to how good these people are and they collect inside churches, palaces or anywhere that tourists gather.

We have been safe and very careful. We both have money belts and are very aware of where we are and who is around us.

So we went up the Eiffel Tower only to the 2nd level which is where our guide said we could take the best pictures.  I wasn't really comfortable up there which was interesting after mountain climbing in Switzerland.

Next we took a tour of the Palace at Versailles where the French Kings resided back before the French Revolution.  It was massive and so over the top it makes you wonder how much better it would have been for the French people if they had received the money it took to build this place.

 

 

After the tour we had some free time to spend in Paris, so Barb, I and a travelling companion named Peter decided to do the French thing and have a drink outside a café on the Champs Elysees. We were just near the Arc de Triomphe.

Then it was back to our hotel to get showered and dressed for our farewell dinner followed with a cruise on the Seine River to see Paris by night. Once again we were wowed with the beauty of the buildings and the Eiffel Tower all lite up.  Every hour for about 5 minutes from 9:00 pm until 1:00 am it sparkles.

We said our goodbyes to all our out travelling companions, most of them were up early again this morning to get back on the bus for their final trip to London, but we will remain here in Paris for a couple of days to rest before returning home,

We are happy and very grateful that we had such a great group to travel with and our Tour Guide Sophia and Driver Marcello were such a big part of our Trip of a Lifetime on this tour.

We are happy not to be on a schedule now but we would never have experienced everything without this tour. God willing and good health, there will be other trips like this for us, but not as long. This was a big one, the longest trip that Trafalgar offers and was just right to see the key parts of Western Europe and a little of Eastern Europe too!