I didn’t need an alarm clock my first morning. Although jet lag woke me up at four a.m., it was excitement that kept me awake. I walked to Place de la Contrescarpe from my hotel in the Latin Quartier. A café creme and croissant were perfect breakfast companions as I sat on the terrace watching the neighborhood wake 
up. I looked at my map, planning my day and losing the fight to keep the crispy bits of croissant from settling into the gutter of my book. I had been to Paris five times previously, and had seen most of the major sites. My plan for the next few days on my own was to walk all over Paris, wandering through some of my favorite quartiers, hoping to get lost on newly discovered charming side streets, finding opportunities to practice my novice french, and just soaking in the vibe of this stunning city. Two things made it on my “must do” list....buying picnic supplies from an outdoor market and climbing to the top of Notre Dame. The rest was up to fate.
