Europe day 12: Paris encore

We started our day late. We've been catching up on a lot of sleep or at least trying to lately. We're thankful for a very comfortable hotel room that is quiet in this party life city. 

Our first stop was Starbucks. Then we walked to the Louvre. I haven't been there in 6 years and they've turned the underground "carousel" part into a complete shopping mall. It made me a bit sad to see how commercialized this city has become. Some of my favorite spots in Paris have been turned into mall kiosks and shops like marriage frères, pylone, and amorino. 

Then we went into the museum. It was not what we anticipated. It was extremely crowded and everyone is trying to take home a digital piece of the Louvre. There were flashes everywhere and cameras held in front of all the masterpieces. Our stay was, unfortunately, an abbreviated one. Afterwards we got McDonald's and enjoyed it in the peace of the Tuileries garden. (Starbucks and McDonald's, can you tell we're homesick?)  

Later that night we went to isle saint Louis (brandon's favorite Paris spot) for some amorino gelato. It was perfect! Then we took a sightseeing cruise on the seine. It was beautiful at dusk. Afterward we slowly walked back to the metro but took time to appreciate some of the musicians, fire-eaters, and other performers in front of notre dame. 

A beautiful final night in Europe. We have loved it all, but are looking forward to returning home tomorrow. There are so many U.S. comforts that you begin to miss when you're out of the country. The simplest of which are free water and bathrooms.