Thursday : Marais Walk

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Geo: 48.8566, 2.35097

Thursday, June 5th:
Woke up at 7:30, got out of the apt at around 10, this was a much more leisurely day! first off we took the #8 metro to Concord then the #1 to Bastille. Sat in the Place de Bastille for a little while reading the RS book about the new opera house, the square, and the Marais neighborhood. This square was where the Bastille prison was and is considered where the action of the French Revolution began. We made our way to the Place des Voges and stopped in a small shop on the street leading to Voges, a beautiful ring caught my eye! Silver with an amethyst made by an artist named "Simoni", couldn't find her on the Internet but she had made some one of a kind pieces that were in this shop. So I bit the bullet and bought my souvenir and am still glad I did, am really enjoying it. On we went to the Voges Park and read our tour guide book then on into Victor Hugo's home in the corner of this square. Interesting, nowadays I don't think the average French person has an apartment anywhere near the size of his. I think his family had 8-9 rooms. On to Carnavalet which is a free French History Museum. Louis 14, 15 and 16th rooms and the most interesting thing to me was a copy (am assuming it was a copy) of M. Antoinette's prison room in Du Temple (?). Many of their personal effects were in a display case. Locks of hair in frames and a very interesting memento, a ring of M. An.. had woven hair under glass for the "gem) part of the ring, very touching, family games and toys of the children were here also.

On for our falafel then on to the Il St. Louis for a gelato... we then wandered over to the Latin quarter and found Shakespeare and Co. bookstore, every square inch is full of books! some not even for sale. Saw one bed, various chairs for reading and a sink for washing up (assumed). If you are a starving author you may stay here for free!
Not far away we found an Internet cafe and checked in for our flight and I had made a quick update to this blog. We then walked over towards Rue Rivoli looking for a particular dept. store. Stopped in the Chatelet Metro and used the restroom. Another new cultural experience :-) A cleaning woman was in there mopping, there was a men's section with urinals with short walls around them then there were separate little "closets' for men and women containing a toilet and sink. No shocker, just a bit different than we do things here... interesting tho none the less.
Went on down the street passing lots of animal and plant shops. Seems like the spot for either plants or animals this is right next to the Seine. Went into one of the animal shops and saw a Chihuahua puppy for 2250 euros! a Dalmatian for 980! they were all very expensive, I guess it goes along with the French loving their dogs and will pay a premium for them....

Will come back and finish this entry later as I need a break right now....

Not too much to finish up, after finding the store we were looking for and browsing we made our way back to the Metro at the Louvre and went on to the apt., found something to eat, a few souvenirs to buy. Can't do too much in this department because I have very little room to bring anything back in... When we were in the Place de Bastille I bought some scarves as gifts, and as a souvenir for myself. I could have used it in Normandy but hadn't found any before we had gone there.We all ate then packed which took a while 😊, we were planning on leaving around 9:50 in the morning, still hadn't decided on which mode of transportation to take back to the airport... we'll get there somehow :-)

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