RETURN TO PARIS BY TRAIN: March 25, 2011

Sadly, our last day in France has arrived. We depart Gare Lille Flandres at 1:00 p.m., via high-speed (180 mph) train, arriving at Paris Gare Nord less than one hour later. We spend the afternoon strolling along the Champs-Élysées, taking in the sights between the Renaissance Vendome and the Arc de Triomphe.

This is the most beautiful spring day. Temperatures are in the 60's and Paris is alive with tourists. We notice an especially strong military presence in public areas following recent NATO action in Libya, particularly around the American Embassy and the Élysée Palace.

As we walk back to the Renaissance hotel later that evening, the city lights are ablaze, creating their unique magic. From the Place de la Concorde, we pause to watch the distant light show from the Eiffel Tower, where twinkling lights shimmer every hour on the hour for five minutes.

Early the next morning we splurge by taking a cab from downtown Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport. We encounter no surprises at the terminal (which is a surprise in itself). Voilà! A patisserie is adjacent to our gate, so Rhonda enjoys one last caramel-flavored Parisian macaroon. Then it's au revoir, beautiful France!