Sacre Coeur

 We woke up a bit late Tuesday after our late night Monday, and had breakfast in the hotel lobby (which was lovely, but took a while). We learned that everything starts late and ends late in Paris - Stace wanted to buy a jug of water for our room, but the corner store wasn't open until 10!

After breakfast, we headed to the Metro and took the train up to the Sacre Coeur area. It was very different than where we were staying - much more ethnically diverse, as we walked up a street wall to wall with hairdressers specializing in black hair.

  The beautiful Sacre Coeur Basilica, or Sacred Heart, was built between 1875 and 1914.

 We were able to take in part of a Mass, all in French, of course. The priest is getting the elements ready for the Eucharist.

Violet took this one!

 After our tour, we walked down the shopping district just across the street to join the other tourists hunting for treasures.

 Then, we stopped for a snack of crepes and alcohol (when in Paris!) at the same restaurant Stace and I went to when we visited in 2002.

Some view!
Our waiter was classically French - not rude, but not overly friendly, lighting up for his smoke break as he passed inches from our table. Yep, he was smoking just a few feet away, still in his apron.
Cora couldn't get over the number of people smoking. It's so different than California!