The first words of French I see once off the plane - could you say it any better. Three glorious days of peace and quiet: no kids! John and I have arrived in Paris and while you might argue it is not the most tranquil ;-) of cities, to us it is a haven. The steady humming of traffic, the bubbly flow of French from the cafés and terraces, even the drilling from the building next door are all 'noises' we can live with. Compared to the decibels at home the sounds of Paris are just background music.

We have rented an apartment in Marais, again from Absolu Living and our home away from home is right next to the Pompidou Center. Downstairs, there is a small boulangerie where we can pick up breakfast. Three metro stations close by and a plethora of gourmet restaurants within a few blocks to choose from. A culinary report will follow.