Paris Day 5 - Montmartre 12.12.2021

Our day started off with Danny and I walking to the Apple store ( luckily the Apple store was directly across the street from the Opera House) to see about replacing my phone that was stolen from my coat by a pickpocket on Rue Auber last night. Totally my fault for not being more aware of my surrounding, as I was watching for four of our group to get to the HOHO and talking to Wendy who was at the HOHO making sure the bus did not leave us. Big lesson here, as over half a million phones are stolen yearly in Paris, big money trafficking stolen phones.

After a frustrating hour plus call Saturday night to the Assurance Insurance company with no results, decided to purchase a phone at Apple store , restore my backup so I could get to stored QR codes and travel documents that we needed to to get home on Delta.

Let me say gender discrimination is alive and well in Paris. We were waiting outside the store when it opened at 10, got in the queue to be assisted. I arrived at the 30’ish tall thin black man and ask “parles-tu anglais” which he responded in a “yes Madame” with an bow, dripping with sarcasm, he entered my clothing description and ask me to wait at the iPhone table.

I stood there for 30 minutes when the floor manager, a middle-aged Frenchman approached me and as if I had been helped. Told him no, he looked up my name and told me my appointment was for 11:30, in which I replied i was told to wait and had not made an appointment, just requested a walk-in appointment.

He quickly got a salesperson to help me get a phone. By 11:15 I had a new 13 max pro, paid for and backup restored. So we had our needed information and I was assured all I need once in US was a sim card & carrier activation.

This was actually not true, after a full day at home at Verizon and the local Apple store, it cannot be activated in the US, as the US has a proprietary 5G network and French iPhones are not compatible. I have tweeted @Apple , @tim_cook Apple CEO without any response to attempt to get the French iPhone swapped to a US iPhone with no success. So beware iPhones purchased outside the US will not activate!

On to more pleasant topics, off to Montmartre for brunch, grabbed an Uber and away we went. Once to our destination, Cafe Chappe our Uber drive cautions us to be very very careful as Montmartre is a dangerous area for "pickpockets" and we thanked him and I thought, that warning was about 24 hours late. Wendy was waiting at a table for us, known for their brunch, we ordered 3 brunch specials with Champagne. Three large platters of food arrived and we all enjoyed Cafe Chappe's wonderful Sunday Brunch.

Grilled Chicken, Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, fried mushrooms, yogurt, fruit cup , carrot salad, fresh salad & pickles, a pancake and croissant.

After brunch, we wandered up to Sacre Coeur by funicular, enjoying the beautiful views of Paris from Montmartre. Then made our way down hill to the Christmas Market at the and stopping for drinks at an open air bar overlooking Paris. Misting rain, it could not have been more perfect.

Three of our group elected to head back to the apartment, so Kay, Danny, Wendy & I headed further downhill to see Moulin Rouge and grab a bite before Wendy had to head by to Poland by plane. Along our walk the street are is every where here.

On our ride back to the apartment we passed Notre Dame de Lorette. A beautiful church that i will visit on our next trip to Paris. Check out this beautiful church here