The Many Faces of Paris

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Today we started off at the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, and the quintessential tourist experience. By 10 AM the crowds were already intense, so we decided to walk the 668 stairs of the first 2 levels, rather than waiting in extremely long lines for the elevator from the bottom directly to the top. Dave, with his height issues, stopped after the first level, but the rest of us took the elevator from the second level to the top. All of this involved many lines and much time, but it was completely worth it. The Tower was much more impressive "up close and personal" than I had imagined it would be--and the views from the top, along with the experience of the elevator ride going higher and higher until it got a bit disconcerting--well, it was a thrill! Back on level one, Dave struck up a conversation in the cafe with a British school teacher who was one of the leaders of a middle school group touring Paris (and there are school groups absolutely EVERYwhere here). Dave was thrilled because he got the guy to explain the very complicated rules of cricket, which has had our family sports fans completely stumped until now.

Onwards--we took the Metro (which by the end of the day, we'd sort of figured out) to the Rodin Museum, not far away, and thanks to our Paris Museum Pass, were able to bypass the line and walk right in. It was interesting, but we thought the Stanford collection was just as good (many of the same pieces, cast from the same molds), and better displayed. But the museum here has the advantage of being Rodin's house and gardens, so that added another level of interest. Speaking of the gardens, we were wandering through, and I was just about to snap a photo, when I heard my name. And there was the Bruington family from SLO--the second time we'd run into them while out and about in this very big city. After catching up with them and planning to meet for dinner Thursday night, we headed over to the Musee des Invalides--the military museum--which also includes the Eglise de Dome (Church of the Dome) where Napoleon's tomb is located.

There we split up, with Dave and the boys visiting the WW I and WW II exhibits and Sharon heading over to nearby Rue Cler, an unspoiled street where some guidebooks send visitors to experience the fast disappearing Parisian "local flavor". Lined with small stores, each selling a specialty item such as fruit or cheese or chocolates or meat, and several cafes, Rue Cler was charming. But an unexpected conversation made the detour more than worth it for me. As I was snapping yet another photo of a delicatesan-type store, an elderly man standing on the street started up a conversation with the butcher inside--in Italian! I said "buon giorno" to the man on the street, and that immediately triggered a rush of Italian from him--Was I Italian? Where was I from? Where were my relatives from? Had I ever been to Italy? etc, etc. The butcher joined us and several life stories later, I took their photo. Then the original guy insisted on taking mine with him, and gave me his address to send him a copy to make his wife jealous!

I returned to a prearranged rendevous with the guys at Napoleon's tomb--a pretty incredible example of hero worship if I ever saw one and not bad for a guy who died in exile! Then we headed back to the apartment to clean up for dinner. Tonight we went to Relais d'Entrecote for dinner--essentially a steak house, but quite the scene. The only thing on the menu is salad, frites (French fries) and steak--all you have to decide is how you want your steak cooked. The meat was actually wonderful, with an incredible sauce--and seconds of everything, much to the delight of the teenaged boys in the group! Really it was a fun experience, with lots of groups of lively Parisians (or at least people who were speaking French) all around us.

The boys had arranged to meet up with the Bruington gang (including Julia), so we all walked the short distance to their apartment on a blissfully quiet street, but a minute from a very lively area off St. Germaine Blvd. The kids went off to a cafe for a couple of hours, and we returned home to recharge for another busy day tomorrow.

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Photos

La Fatigue (The Tired One) by Rodin
I know just how she feels!

The SLO Gang of Paris
We run into Annie and Henry Bruington at the Rodin Museum!

Folding Motorcycle and Case in WW II Exhibit , Military Museum
Dropped by parchute to aid French Resistance soldiers in the countryside.

Italiani in Paris
Sharon's new friends in front of Rue Cler deli.

Chris in Front of The Church of the Dome
Built by Louis XIV, only later usurped by Napoleon.