L'Arc de Triomphe and the kind people who work there

Friday was the last official day of the girls' April break. The two weeks that loomed endlessly in front of me has now come to and end.  It is the weekend and the girls and I get to hang out with Pierre!

Every time we leave the house the girls want to bring a stuffed animal or some other treasure to share in our adventure.  Lately, they have been bringing a small stuffed animal (Sylvia) and a rubber dog given to her by school friends (Lil) in socks taped shut with painter's tape.  Yes, weird.  Each time, I say something smart and motherly like, "I wish you wouldn't bring them because if you lose them you will be very sad."  Usually, the friends stuffed in socks come anyway.  Yes, this is foreshadowing.

Yesterday we went to the l'Arc de Triomphe.  The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz.  Construction began in 1806.  When Napoleon was married in 1810 only the foundation was in place and a wood and canvas mock arch was erected for the celebration.  After Waterloo, construction was put on hold and the Arc was finally finished in 1836.  Napoleon died in 1821, but there was a big procession to bring his coffin through the arc in 1840.  It is now the sight for France's tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the eternal flame. 



L'Arc de Triomphe l'Etoile is in the middle of the world's largest roundabout (at least I read it was the largest).  12 streets radiate out from l'Arc.




If I had my minions build me a victory arch, would I want a laurel wreath and an angel?



Of course, for us the real reason for going to the L'Arc was not to learn history but to climb to the top!  The girls were very fast up the 284 stairs.

So fast I almost couldn't capture them on film

Crazy girls reach the top. 
Notice that Lillian has something zipped in her pocket.  Notice that Sylvia does not have zippers on her pockets (foreshadowing alert!)



If you look to the left of the tall skyscraper (montparnasse) you will see the gold dome of Les Invalides.  This is  where Napoleon's coffin is today.



The Champes Elysees
The view from the top is amazing.  You can watch the crazy traffic swirl beneath you and walk around the top for a 360 degree view of Paris.

When we reached the ground, we strolled down the Champs Elysees and looked in the shop windows.  The girls thought the prices were hilarious and we were joking about what they would buy me for Mother's Day.  There was a 60,000 Euro watch in the Cartier window.  After the second or third window, Sylvia let out a cry and began sobbing as if she had been seriously hurt.  Yes, you guessed it, her stuffed animal was gone.

We retraced our steps and I attempted to comfort her, while at the same time letting her know that it was doubtful we would ever find her friend again.  She was sobbing and people were wondering what in the world I had done to the poor child.  After what seemed like an interminable walk, we finally reached the window at the bottom of the steps and I explained my dilemma as the people behind me got impatient.  "In a what?"  "Yes, she lost a stuffed animal in an orange sock."  They radioed the news up to everyone on top of the arch.  Then, the nice young man walked us over to the elevator and explained our situation.  We zoomed up to the top, and there was an angel holding an orange sock!  A woman working at the gift shop was on her way down with it.  "What is it anyway?"  "A stuffed animal."  I was beside myself with relief and thanked her and told her she had saved my day.  We thanked the elevator operator, the ticket collector, and the man with walky-talky and headed home.  A miracle.

The animal in the sock was a very nice little white polar bear given to Lil years ago by Susi Merk.  She is now washed and good as new.  This girl loves her stuffies.  Here is Etoile in her new crown and cape.