Travel day (7): Auf Wiedersehen, Germany! Bonjour, France

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood in Boppard, but alas, it is an early morning because we have a seven hour drive ahead of us to Paris, France. My fear is that Paris will not measure up to everything I dreamed it to be, or as wonderful as all the people, places and memories from Germany. We shall see.

Auf Wiedersehen, Hotel Rheinlust!

Our bus was out front bright and early, ready to go.

The Rhein is just beautiful this morning. I wish we didn't have to leave.

My new typical European breakfast.

I really didn't take a lot of pictures today, partially because I was so tired, partially because there wasn't much of a view from the window. I'll post what good ones I took below:

The best and only two pictures I could get of Luxembourg as we drove through it, which took only about a half hour.

Luxembourg

Random cathedral off of the highway that I saw while we drove through France.

Looks like Missouri without the hills.

Germany's sister bank to Bank of America (should you ever need to know)

Paris is coming into view!

I know I love a great elephant wash!

These are apartments. No big deal.

And really, that's about it. Once parked, I did go for a bite to eat, and I was struck by how dirty this whole city is; not just the view but every street and sidewalk just seems to reek of cigarette smoke, like those of people who smoke in their houses. Only it's outside. So weird, and it gives me an almost automatic headache as soon as I walk out the hotel door.

Had dinner at a dingy looking we-sell-everything cafe, where I got a four cheese panini and a nutella panini as well, even though I tried to ask for it as a crepe instead. Delicious all around, but ready to unload and unwind on a bed instead of a bus.

The 'French' fries are actually pretty tasty here. And less salty than McDonald's.

I'm a secret agent with a Nutella panini.

Susan had me come visit their room, and I listened to some Mumford and Son's for the first time. Good stuff.

Thoughts of the day: Luxembourg is a much cheaper place to buy food, even at a gas station, compared to most of Germany and France (so far). And Coldplay's album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends is a great album to listen to while driving through France's countryside.