After touring Versailles we were all a little tired and decided to take Sunday morning as a day of rest… after all, this is a very Catholic country and that’s what the good Lord intended.  On line we learned that Mass in English is offered at St. Joseph’s Church, near the Arc de Triomphe. And even better – they offer a Mass at 12:30pm, we can sleep in a bit!  St. Joseph’s is located in what looks like an office building – interesting in this land of Cathedrals. The Mass was very similar to what we’re used to and it was nice to hear so much English spoken all at once!!

Since we were right there, and it was a beautiful morning, another trip up the Arc was in order.  Some photos down the Champs Elysees and of the local surrounding were much better today!

This coming week is a real Holiday week.  Wednesday, May 8 is WWII Victory Day (la fête de la victoire, le jour de la libération) and is a holiday to celebrate the end of World War II and the French people’s freedom. It is the anniversary of when Charles de Gaulle announced the end of World War II in France on May 8, 1945.  Here you can see that they were getting ready for the celebrations.

Since the weather was so nice we decided to stroll down the Champs Elysee (with thousands of our closest friends) and then visit the Tuilerie Gardens…

After making our way home and doing some school work.  Kathleen, Caroline and Erin headed out for some pizza and Bob and Caitlin hopped on the Metro for Parc des Princes – the home stadium of Paris Saint Germain, the best soccer team in France.  After arriving at the stadium we stopped for a Coke to assess our dilemma.  We didn’t have tickets – and buying them on the street is illegal.  Now, it’s one thing to do that when you speak the language – it’s entirely something else when you don’t.  But after a few minutes of watching folks at the cafe, our plan took shape,  The gentleman below was seating people at the Cafe – and it became very clear that he knew everybody, and everybody knew him.  I asked him in my best broken French where I could buy “billets sur la rue.”

He brought me to a man, and said,  “Thees man – nobody else!”  It became immediately clear that we had been connected with the Godfather of scalping… the man – about 65 years old – was working two phones, both voice and text, at the same time. I explained that needed two seats together – that my petite fille must sit with me.  He’s said “C’est normale… bien.” And we walked the streets with him – following close as he said “Vite, vite!”  He met up with maybe six or seven different guys, and then magically, one appeared with two tickets. “Good seats, bon, bon, seats,” he said.  The deal was done. We were in…. and yes, they were “bon, bon, seats,” in the fifth row!!

It was a good game – although PSG did not win and thus clinch the league title.  We saw the best team in France come from behind to earn a draw with under seven minutes to play.

A night that neither Caitlin nor her dad will soon forget!