After a lazy morning for me (Kathy went to the Aquarium, which for me is like selling ice to the Eskimos!), we commenced our assault on the most iconic of all Paris sites - the Eiffel Tower, or as the locals say, la Tour Eiffel.

It is hard to imagine that when it was constructed in 1889 it was only supposed to be a temporary structure for the World Fair.  It was also the world's tallest structure until 1931 when the Empire State Building was erected.  Another side story - the next world fair in Chicago in 1893 resulted in the Americans trying to "out-Eiffel Eiffel" which in turn led to another wonderful creation, a wheel of unimaginable proportions to carry people, engineered by Mr. Ferris!

Anyway, I digress ....   The Tower did not disappoint.  It is a thing of beauty - the steel structure, for all its strength, seems light and airy - and even elegant.  After dinner, we wandered back for some night scenes, which were beautiful.

To top it off, it seems that every hour, the lights on the Tower flicker - which is very Vegas style - but seemed to delight the crowds.  Below is a shot from the Trocadero, across the Seine on the west side.

We topped the night off with a drink at a Scottish pub that is only one block from my apartment - The Auld Alliance Scottish Pub - which seems to be very authentic given the haggis on the menu, the inebriated rugby players and the very extensive scotch available (around 100 types by my count!).  I can only guess that this is the type of pub which Alan, Conor and Ben encountered in Dublin and perhaps London.