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Published: June 27th 2006
Bonjour, mes amis:
Ça va? Moi, je suis très bien! I've been busy the last few days. I'm in tourist over-drive mode as this trip is fast coming to a close. On Sunday, Judy and I bravely tried to share one unbrella and made our way to the Luxembourg Gardens. It is a beautiful spot, to be sure, but in the pouring rain, even the doves wouldn't leave their nests. It was quite surreal - hearing them all cooing (by the hundreds) anonymously from the very well pruned and shaped trees. Needless to say, I got drenched but, hey, it didn't slow us down much! Lol Judy kept lamenting, "It really is such a beautiful place!"
After taking a few pictures, we left the gardens and were off to the Pantheon. It was about a 3/4-mile walk from the gardens. The building came into view just as we spotted a souvenir vender. The man laughed as I asked if he had any unbrellas! For 4.80€ (about Cdn$7.00), I had my own umbrella and had a little better chance of being protected from the downpour.
We entered the Pantheon and paid the usual entrance fee (it seems to be 7.50€ everytime we hit a building!), we took our time to take in the building. It is very similar to the one in Rome and, similarly, has awesome accoustics. There are several beautiful sculptures and murals. Fouchart's Pendulum hangs from the highest point of the main dome, just as it did when he was trying to demonstrate that the Earth moved around its axis to the scholars of the 19th Century. There is some kind of eerie feeling to be standing in the place where it all took place. Judy went down into the Crypt - I couldn't make myself go there, although I wanted to. I even tried to bargain with myself, but that only got me to the first stair. I don't handle death well. So many men and women of distinction are encrypted there…I'll just have to be satidifed that I was in the same building as them. I bought a great book on the building and its history to read when I get home.
Before leaving that part of the city and returning to our hotel, Judy and I stopped in at a café for some dinner. I had a steak done just the way I like it, along with some fabulous scalloped potatoes with baked garlic and cheese. Delicious!
Yesterday, Judy and I set out for the Bon Marchée, the original Bon Marchée that was the very first department store. The guide books said that it was housed in a beautiful building and had the prices to go with it, but when we actually arrived there, we were disappointed. It didn't seem to compare with La Galléries Lafayettes or Au Printemps! After checking out all the three floors, we decided to turn our day around by going to La Galléries Lafayettes or Au Printemps - especially since it was just a hop and skip away on le Métro. Immediately, we were glad that we did. Both of us found some wonderful things, after stopping for a bite to eat in their café. By the time we got home at 6-ish, we were beat. However, Judy, being the tropper she is, managed to make it to her favourite Patisérie to get us some strawberry heaven!
Today, we split up. I went to the Musée d'Orsay right after breakfast. There was about an hour's wait on the plaza before getting into the museum but it seemed to pass by fairly quickly. I enjoy people-watching.
The Musée d'Orsay is an amazing collection of artworks housed in a magnificent building that used to be a train station. The architecture is outstanding and the whole museum seems to have a wonderful cloak of natural daylight without causing glare. The only rooms that are subdued in light are the pastels - and there are quite a few rooms holding pastel collections. This museum is known for its extensive collection of the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. I walked and walked and walked! By the time I had seen most of the collections, I had been standing and walking for more than 6 hours. Luckily I had some water with me. I enjoyed myself immensely. If I ever get the chance to come back to Paris, I want to see this again.
When I left Musée d'Orsay, I walked across la Seine via a foot-bridge that connected it with Les Tuiléries Gardens. I hadn't been this far west
in the gardens before so I spent some time watching life going on around me. The sun was out by this time and it was quite hot. I walked to the far end of the gardens and around to the front of L'Orangérie, another museum, only to find it closed on Tuesdays. It's just as well…what was I thinking?! I trudged (and by this time, I was trudging!) to a good vantage point to get a couple of pictures of the Obalésque in la Place de la Concorde and then slowly made my way to the nearest Métro station. Phew!
The subway came as soon as I got myself to the right platform and I was whisked to Saint-Paul, my stop. Being so "duty-bound," I decided that I better come to the Internet Café to check in with you before I collapse at my hotel.
That about brings you up-to-date. Tomorrow the plan is to go to la Louvre. I better get "home" to soak my feet!
Au revoir, mes copains!
~Linda.
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amazing
you should consider staying there a year or two and becoming a tour guide. you got it down girl! :)