Warning: The Last Team To Check In May Be Eliminated

Bonjour Paris! Our flights could not have been better. Sitting in the red carpet lounge really put Rosemarie at ease and our Economy Plus seats on United were stellar. Thanks to seatguru.com, I chose seats with even more space beyond the additional inches. On the connecting flight to Paris, we were behind the crew and I was able to stretch my legs out without even touching the row in front of me. If one can't fly business class, then seat 21J on a 777 is the best available option.

With our individual video screens, the flight couldn't have been more fun, although I told my mother to get at least a few hours sleep. Despite saying she did, I know she fibbed, while I popped two dolls and managed to get four hours shut-eye. With an early arrival into CDG, our adventure to the hotel began.

Maybe it was because I auditioned for The Amazing Race and didn't get on that I decided to take the train to the hotel. By the time I realized that taking the Paris subway in the morning rush hour was probably not a great idea, it was too late to turn back. There we were being squished by Parisian commuters of all shapes and sizes. And never let it be said that the French are rude. There wasn't one person who did not offer to help us. And when Rosemarie was faced with climbing out of the bowels of the Paris subway, two people offered us a hand in carrying our bags.

As we emerged from the subway, we were still faced with the prospect of finding our hotel. I knew it was by the Pompidou Center, but finding the blue abstract building proved to be an entirely different story. Once again, a friendly Parisian came to our rescue.

"Pardon," I asked. "Le Pompidou?" Perhaps it was because I butchered the name of the museum that our helper switched to English and pointed the way. Alas, finding the center did not lead us to our hotel and once again, I felt like a team that had lost its way once again. Inquiring in a store to no avail, we encountered yet another friendly face on the street who guided us to our destination.

Since our room would not be ready until 3, we dropped our bags off and headed out to explore the city, but first, we had to erase the memory and taste of the United "dinner and breakfast snack." Wandering into a cafe in the Marais, Rosemarie was faced with her first European coffee. To say that she enjoyed it is to say I enjoy eating a mushroom laden pizza with anchovies. Despite the sugar and the added milk, she relinquished the glorious nectar to me and I promised to find her an American coffee even if it meant going to Starbucks or God Forbid, McDonald's.

After eating the most delicious omelet and side of toast with butter and jam, we set out like Hansel and Gretel, substituting the bread crumbs for the list of Metro stations we passed on the way. Our first stop led us to the home of Quasimodo, where Rosemarie was amazed at the sheer size of the cathedral and its stained glass masterpieces. Of course, just because we are in Paris, doesn't mean the homeless and beggars are nowhere in sight. It took only one for us to shake our heads when asked if we spoke English. Problem solved for the entire day.

And then, as if we were fully rested from a 12-hour pit stop, we followed the River Seine all the way to the Eiffel Tower for our 2 p.m. entry.Walking with her arm protectively in mine, it reminded me of being five years old and staying close to her protective wing for my first day of kindergarten. Along the way, we pretended to be non-English speaking travelers while avoiding the bikers, joggers and couples all using the picturesque scene to make their own memories.

Seeing her face when Paris' famous landmark came into view was like watching a child on his first Christmas. The view from the second level was breathtaking and despite wanting to see if she could make it to the top tier, the line for the tiny lift wrapped around the entire mid level and we decided to call it an afternoon and finally check into our hotel. Being well versed by now in the Paris subway, we easily made our way back to find our luggage was already in our room.

As far as European hotel rooms go, ours is by far one of the largest I have ever been in. There's plenty of room in the bathroom for all my product, and those of you who know me well, know that I like to spread out in every room.

With a quiet few hours ahead of us before dinner, we're enjoying some French serenades courtesy of my ipod. We'll ask for a dinner recommendation and then as luck would have it, one of my favorite nightspots is ever so close. And for those of you who know me well, you know far too much on that already.

Paris Day One