Museums & Gypsy Jazz

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Well our morning start has gotten faster, although not by much. We had a fabulous omelette for breakfast, made even better thanks to the leftover meats and cheese from last night. After a quick stop back at C&A to get our tax refund (which we couldn't get yesterday because we didn't have our passports on us), and an even quicker stop to Galeries Layfette who wouldn't give us a tax refund form because the shoes were bought on a different day we boarded the metro to the Musée de l'Armée Invalides. There was a singer on the train, one door down from us. After she had finished her song she pulled out a money collection purse and a person or two around her gave her a coin or two, then she came over to where we, and quite a few other people were standing and sitting. Rather than pushing her way through the crowd she said something in French my guess was that she was asking if anyone behind the standing crowd was going to give her money. Well no one answered (or made a move to give her any money) well this pissed her off and she ranted something, I imagine that is was something to the effect of 'well if you are too cheap to pay for wonderful music you must need this more than me!' as she finished her rant she threw money towards the back of the train! Most of it hit the handrailings, although at least one coin got caught in a man's hoodie! Went spent the whole day at the army museum. Our first stop was the Tomb of Napoleon. It is a huge scrolled red porphyry (a large-grained quartz type rock) tomb. It had to be large sine inside is an oak coffin, which has an ebony coffin, then there is a lead one, then another lead one then mahogany, then tinplate and then Napoleon's body. It is huge but it is hard to believe that there are that many layers! The next stop was the Aromour part of the museum, it would have been easy to spend a few days here, especially if you are a bit of a history buff. there were displays with headphones (in French AND English) that went over various french battles. I stopped to listen to part of one but everyone else continued ahead. We saw many guns, swords, axes and armour. from really early basic helmets to suits of armour for young children to the ornate armour of King Louis XVIII to armour for horses (including head pieces that made them look like unicorns).
We had lunch at the cafe in the museum. We did make it through all of the rooms but unless you take even more time to read all of the decriptions of battles and fighting styles (foot combat being one of them) after a while the armour does tend to start looking the same. Our last stop at the museum was a relief maps room. It was interesting to see how various parts of France used to look (although it looked like the maps had been made back 70 or 80 years ago). We didn't leave the museum until 4:45pm. Our inital plan was to go to the d'Orssay Museum after but with the late hour we had to decide what our next move was. Rather then staying inside to discuss we went to the green area outside. Ed wanted to go to Ile de la Cite, a small green island in the middle of Paris, Mike wanted to sit and get a snack. We split up into two groups, Mike and Bev stopped for crepes while Ed and I forged ahead towards the island.
Eventually Mike and Bev caught up and the four of us enjoyed a nice walk along the river. We saw a few of the book sellers with their green boxes along the river, unfortunately, for me, the books are all in French. We made it to Ile de la Cite and went down to the Square du vert, where they had some nice benches. We each got a drink and spent some time relaxing and enjoying the little green space. Ed saw 3 new birds as we made our way to the park and wrote up his list at the park. Bev and Ed chose the wrong bench to sit at since the tree above them had quite a few birds and one of them pooped on Ed. Well just beside him actually but he still needed to wipe off his new jacket and shoes. After the park we were very close and decided to go see the Notre Dame. It was a short visit since they were having a service and part of the building was closed off. We made our way back to the train station and got on the metro to head back towards are apartment. A few stations before our stop people behind us were trying to get out, the train we were on had a handle that had to be yanked upward to open the door. Bev couldn't get it open and finally one of the people behind her reached around and yanked it up. The people that needed to get out made it just before train took off but they were pissed! Unlike the trains in Calgary you can't keep the doors open and once the buzzer sounds the train takes off wheather you are ready or not.

Since we had been getting up so late we figured that tonight we could Have a Parisian dinner (I.e. a late dinner). Also the Gypsy Jazz that Mike wanted to see didn't start until 9pm. We got to O'Berzinc about 8pm and ordered dinner. It was a great meal. Just after 9pm two guys started to play gypsy jazz. Mike was enthralled. It ended up being a practical private concert, there was a just us and one other couple at the restaurant. There was a soccer game that had captured the attention of most other people.

It was a great, but late night!

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Photos

Musée de les Armée Invalides
The outside of the army hospital

Inner Courtyard
The golden dome is where Napoleon's tomb is.

Overview
An overview of the Musée de l'Armée

Napoleon's Tomb
The final resting place of Napoleon

Napoleon's Tomb
The dome above the tomb

Armour
Some guns from the armour collection

Gypsy Jazz
The empty restaurant

Gypsy Jazz
Our performers for the evening