Crowds await the ObamasTomorrow is Sasha Obama's birthday (though there is conflicting information about that. Sasha's birthday may be June 10) and today, apparently, is Jill Biden's birthday. It wasn't exactly date night because a few people went along for din din at the family restaurant:
Saturday night, the US First Family chose a traditional French restaurant complete with red-chequered table-cloths and red-and-white awnings for a quiet dinner, but with only one of the girls.
Police blocked off the quiet narrow street and avenues nearby as the party drove up for a two-hour-and-some dinner at the old-style "La Fontaine de Mars", a moderately-priced establishment dating back to 1908 that prides itself on its "family atmosphere" and south-eastern French food.
A waiter told AFP "the atmosphere was very relaxed, there were five of them ... they said they had a wonderful meal and the president was extremely nice to the staff".
Obama chose roast lamb, while his wife, one of the girls and two guests -- "a US writer and a fifth person" -- went for beef fillets.
Earlier, applause and whistles erupted as Obama's 20-vehicle motorcade pulled in to the large square in front of Notre Dame cathedral, cleared of visitors and closed earlier than usual specially for the visit.
"It all went very well, it was a private visit by a family on holiday," said a spokesperson for the cathedral. "It was very agreeable."
With Paris abuzz, the presidential party spent more than an hour touring the 12th century cathedral, considered one of the finest examples of French gothic architecture.
The crowd, kept some 200 metres (yards) back behind barricades, erupted jubilantly when Obama daughters Malia and Sasha, on their first trip with dad since he became president, waved from a balcony high on the iconic building.
There was no disappointment from sightseers hoping to get inside the cathedral, simply excitement that an even bigger attraction was in town. Read the whole thing at AFP
