After our Eiffel Tower experience and a cozy lunch, we boarded the 42 bus and got off at Opera (right near the huge Opera building) so we could change to the 66 bus to take us back home. While trying to figure out where the 66 bus stop was, we walked behind the Opera so we could see the Christmas lights on the department stores. Printemps department store (in the video above) was my personal favorite. Even during the day when the lights were off, these giant flowers made me happy. As I stood taking pictures, Lisa was reading the map to see where we had to go to catch our bus. The streets were packed with people so we didn't mind getting a little exercise while searching for the bus stop, but preferably away from the crowds.

We also wanted to see the Galeries Lafayette display windows and the tree inside. Galeries Lafayette is a large, mall-sized department store. The crowds, inside and out, were insane. I have never done black Friday at Walmart but I bet these crowds can rival those. We made our way inside to see the tree and it was a beautiful tree - ten stories high with giant gifts flying about the top. The store was very high-end and we only saw the handbag and perfume departments. After some photos of the tree we went back outside (fighting the crowds every inch of the way).






Outside, the display windows were 15 people deep. Kids were on parents' shoulders and people were pushing and shoving just to see some animated stuffed bears and Hello Kitties. I jumped up and saw bits and pieces of a couple of the windows but we decided it was too hectic and we will try again after Christmas. Around the corner, there were beautiful, high-fashion windows that people weren't as interested in, so we got a couple of great shots. This one was so beautiful and both Lisa and I lusted for the shoes.

For those of you who share our shoe fetish, a detailed shot is required.












Lisa told me it was so hectic not just because of the number of people who live in Paris (There are approximately 3 million people in a 34 square-mile radius. To put that in perspective, the total population of America is about 300 million and the population of New York City exceeds 8.3 million people, with a land area of 305 square miles), but also because all the people who live outside of Paris come into the city to do last-minute shopping and to see the lights. And that doesn't include all the tourists who are here for the holidays! Everyone is in Paris to shop. Our land yacht stroller again came in handy to push our way through the masses and to protect my kid from the dazed people who do not watch where they are walking, with their shopping bags flopping about. I have never felt so aggressive. I not only had to fight the masses, I had to watch for motor scooters, people on bikes, busses and smart cars all running red lights. IT'S MADNESS!

We finally got ourselves safely away from the herd and headed back to St. Lazare to catch the 66 back to home base. We found out it was the LAST bus so we had to get on. Normally they come every 7-8 minutes so you can, like with an elevator that's too full, say ahh, I'll get the next one. But we HAD to get this bus. Guess what? It pulls up and it's packed and nobody got off. Crap. So we just put the yacht on and pushed. A lady with ANOTHER stroller got on the bus and we helped her shove hers behind ours. I don't know how we did it and I didn't ask. At every stop we hoped and prayed that 20 people would get off so we could breathe. No luck. One off two on, etc.

When we got to our stop, 10 people had to get off, then let us depart and then get back on the bus. I was sitting on a guy's lap and had another tall man holding the rail above me so my face was in his arm pit. Smelled like French cheese. I relaxed my arm and accidentally groped the guy I was sitting on and could have easily made out with the guy above me. I am a little claustrophobic, so I was talking myself down off the cliff the whole time. I was so happy to be off that bus.

Our bus stop is right across the street from the "local" - L'Insolent - and Tomas saw us and tried to get us to come in for a hot drink, but we just wanted to get home!