LE DERNIER JOUR DU VOYAGE

This morning got off to a late start as we all slept in. Eventually, Dad and Joey got up and went for a run. While they were running, Mom and I went to pick up lunch for everyone. We returned to the Lebanese place we went to our first afternoon it Paris. Arriving at 11:30 am, we were informed that they don't open until 12:00 pm. Needing to kill a little time, Mom and I walked around to find a creperie. Of course, when you're actually looking for one, you can't find one, but, when you're not looking for one, they are everywhere. Eventually, we found one and each had a Pineapple crepe. They were, again, delicious. I love crepes.

Returning to the Lebanese restaurant, we ordered some falafels, hummus, and bread. Getting our order placed and filled ended up being slightly more difficult than anticipated, but we got some good food.

Mom and I didn't entirely know our way back to the apartment, but we ended up running into some familiar areas, which got us back. Dad and Joey had already gotten back from their run, so we heated up lunch for them. It was very good, and I finally got some carrots and hummus, which I've been craving. We bought carrots at the market yesterday, intending to pick up more hummus before we left.

After lunch in the apartment, we had a low key afternoon of blogging, laundry, packing, and planning the evening. It is a hot day, so taking some down time to get organized was just fine.

After packing and some reading, the four of us left to find some crepes. Dad found another creperie near the apartment that we went to. I got a berry and maple syrup crepe, which has been the best one of the trip. I found a winner. We hung out at the restaurant for a little bit before heading back to the apartment to get ready for dinner.

The four of us met Cathy, Mika, Cathy's parents, Cathy's sister-in-law, and Cathy's sister-in-law's husband for dinner. There were ten of us total, and we went to a restaurant called Noglu, no gluten. It was delicious. I had a veggie burger, but it wasn't a typical veggie burger. It was literally sliced vegetables on a gluten-free bun with a sauce. It was nice to catch up with Cathy and her family as well. I feel like I have met up with many people throughout the trip, and I only joined in two weeks ago.

After dinner, Dad, Mom, Joey, and I decided to walk around Paris to see the city lit up. We went to the Louvre, the lock bridge, Notre Dame, The Eiffel Tower, and The Arc de Triumph. It was a lot of walking, but the city is beautiful and lively on a Friday night. The Seine River was lined with people out having a good time as well. We may not have done much during the day today, but we sure made up for it in the evening.

Between our tourist attraction stops, we went down an ally lined with little restaurants and stores. There, we found several crepe stands. We thought they would all be closed, but, since they were open, we couldn't resist. One last French crepe for the trip. It was impressive how well and quickly the guy made each crepe. While he was making ours, he joked around with us a lot. I had a strawberry and honey crepe, which he told me would be much better with cinnamon. Joey had an almond and honey crepe, and Mom had a banana and strawberry crepe. Although not better than this afternoon, they were pretty good.

Having walked several miles to see the city by night, we hopped on a metro back to the apartment. The metro supposedly closes at 1:30 am on Friday's, and we were cutting it close. We made it back to the metro station near our apartment by about 1:35 am. I'm glad we made it in time because I really didn't want to walk. It was a late night, and Joey and I were drifting to sleep on the metro. Although exhausting, it was a wonderful last night, getting to see the city lit up.

Tomorrow we leave for the airport at 8:00 am and travel for the day's entirety. After being gone for thirty-six days, I will finally get to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night. This trip has been amazing in so many different ways, and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to experience it. From Spain to Italy to France, I have learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed my experiences. Thank you to everyone who followed me along on my trip. It means a lot to me that I'm able to share my experiences with you.

Adios, Addio, Au Revoir

Paris by night

Afternoon crepes

Dinner with Cathy and Mika

Mom and Cathy in Paris

Paris at night

The Louvre at night

The Lock Bridge

Notre Dame at night

Crepe stand

Evening crepes

Eiffel Tower at night

Joey

Momma

Arc de Triomphe at night

Sleepy