May 6 - A Last Day in Paris

Our last day in Paris was perfect with blue sky and sunshine.  We made an early start of it and joined the crowds already milling around the base of the Eiffel Tower.  I was pleased to get a discounted ticket price because of my white cane.  I am always pleased with this kind of compensation when it comes to things that need to be seen.  When I don't have the full view perhaps it is fair that I don't pay the full price.  However, Lyle and I both enjoyed the elevator rides to the top of the tower.  Lyle was taken with the 360 degree view and I was aware of the height when I felt the sway of the platform under my feet.  I am not sure if it was the wind or perhaps the number of people at the top that caused the motion.

Following our time at the tower we meandered down to the Seine for an hour-long boat cruise. It was all very pleasant.  Afterwards we crossed the bridge to the north and sat for some time on a bench by the park.  It was a good time to reflect on our experiences here.  One thought that crossed my mind was that we had seen very few other white cane users.  In fact, in Paris we had seen only one - a determined young woman who seemed to be on her way to work.  In Nice, there were three - two younger girls who seemed to be local residents and a female tourist with her husband.  This was a small number considering the many thousands of people we encountered during our two-week stay in France.

Tomorrow we leave this lovely city and head back to our home in Alberta.