Kiev Day 1

We arrived in Kiev around 5 p.m. local time yesterday and were surprised at how dark it already was.  We had hoped to get a glimpse of the city while descending but other than the lights, there wasn't much else we could see.  Before getting here we walked our legs off (almost literally) at Paris' Charles de Gaul Airport since the taxi let us off at the totally wrong end of the building where we needed to be.  This airport, as you might imagine, is not on the small side either.  It's a good thing John and I had been walking all over the Latin Quarter in Paris so our legs were used to walking!  In the Latin Quarter we were able to walk from our hotel to Notre Dame Cathedral which is gorgeous beyond belief.  John just kept taking pictures; it was so phenomenal.  Even the ceilings were so pretty that we just had to take pictures of them as well.  We also did the touristy visits to the Eiffel Tower and L'arc de Triomphe.  Those of you who know me well know that I just had to try out my French, and though I hadn't really spoken it in years, I am happy to relate that I was able to communicate after all, though reading French is much easier for me than speaking.  It was fun times.  Everyone there was very cordial as well, except for one waitress who John ended up leaving a smaller tip because of it.