River Cruise on the Seine River and Mini-Statue of Liberty

Found an Apartment! This week I found an apartment and signed the lease. It’s a two-bedroom, one-bath flat on the second floor (called the first floor in Europe). Move in date is November 5th. I’m very excited to have a long-term place to live which allows a lot of other tasks to start like registering for the French health system. The flat is in an older building (Haussmann style). It also comes with a “cave” or basement. I look forward to hosting my visiting friends in my place when you visit Paris. The flat is located in the eighth arrondissement, about a 5 minute walk to Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe.

In order to be selected for the apartment, I had to prove my financial worthiness through my income, savings statement, last three months of apartment statements, letters of recommendation, and a guarantee insurance. Renters insurance is required, of course, but it had to be with a French insurance company. I went with ECA Assurances (https://eca-assurances.com/) because it was recommended by a number of expatriates in Paris and one of the least expensive renters insurance. I also needed to be able to pay in Euros. I am using Wise bank (https://wise.com) where I can transfer funds from US Dollars to Euros and then pay in Euros. The fees and exchange rates are about the best I’ve seen so far. Many companies in France really want you to be using French businesses and French bank accounts. So, I’ll probably need to get a French bank account one of these days, too. I’m looking into Hello Bank (https://www.hellobank.fr) since it’s an online French bank and inexpensive.

Eiffel Tower and Seine River Cruise: This past week, I spent a day visiting the Eiffel Tower and taking a boat ride on the Seine River. The Eiffel Tower is one of the more recognized sights of Paris. It can be seen from most rooftops throughout the city giving a good help for direction around the city. I took a boat cruise (Bateaux Parisiens) along the Seine River that gives a guided tour of the sights with a little bit of history for each. I listened to some of the commentary, but ended up spending most of the time just looking at the sights. The guided tour works through either your phone (Wi-Fi onboard) or via handsets inside the boat in about 14 different languages. I always enjoy a leisurely boat ride along the Seine to calm my nerves and take in the larger view of the city.

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Mini-Statue of Liberty: In 1986, the United States gifted a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty to the city of Paris to commemorate the centennial of the statue in New York City harbor. The statue is on a long skinny island in the Seine River with a beautiful promenade along the island. The leaves have started to change colors, becoming shades of yellow at this time.

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Another Mouse: I see mice everywhere! Well, at least two real mice so far and the Disney ones at Disneyland. On the island to see the Statue of Liberty, I saw my second real-life mouse. He was hanging out where I rested for a few minutes searching for food around the benches. He spent about 10 minutes with me, enjoying the sunshine and 60-degree weather. I was able to get a few pictures and videos of this little guy. He was so cute.

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Bastille: I also spent some time at the Place de la Bastille where the infamous Bastille prison used to stand. Now it’s a large square with a tall statue in the middle. There also happens to be a canal that runs under the street and plaza. In the open areas, there where lots of boats anchored to the shore. A very peaceful place in the late evening.

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My life is filled here with meeting new people, swing dancing, sightseeing, and setting up all the things needed to live in Paris. More adventures await!

Until we meet in Paris…