Paris - October 13, 2008
20081013 Paris: Arose around 8:15. Did wake up now and then over the night, but really didn’t know what time it was since the room was very dark and the clock I brought does not light up. After morning ablutions, I went down to the basement for breakfast while Robin continued to dress. Breakfast is 10 euros and consists of juice, coffee, croissants (one with chocolate), baguette, and you can have yogurt, American cold cereal, and apple sauce, if you are so inclined.
Met the Levins in front of their apartment at 10:00. We spent the day walking mainly. Our morning was all in the Marais. We started with a walk around Place de Voges (a nice city park where we plan to go again since most of the city parks have free WiFi). Then through the heart of the Jewish quarter where lots of venders were selling esrog and lulav for the season. Passed by both trendy shops as well as traditional kosher delis and markets.
Around 11:30 we were outside the Pompidou museum. There is a wonderful pool with lots of sculpture in it including several by Niki. We had café crème on the street and then went into the museum. Robin and I decided to buy four-day passes to all the museums since, at the worst, we’d break even but probably would do much better. The escalators to all floors are mounted in tubes on the façade of the building. We went all the way up to the top (sixth floor) where we could see over the rooftops to Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, etc. We ate on the terrace up there at a lovely restaurant (I am convinced that most museums have good restaurants). I had an excellent cheese omelet.
We then all went into the museum. It’s on the fourth and fifth floors and consists of almost all modern works. Very interesting to see some of the same artists we had just seen in Kansas City, some of our favorites, etc. Good collection.
Met Sharon and Sandy at 3:00. Sharon headed back to their apartment and the three of us walked up Rue de Rivoli all the way to the Place de Concorde. We walked through the Tuilleries from the Louvre to the Place de Concorde. Sandy and I got superb gelato (mine mango, Sandy’s casis). Then Robin and I went into the Orangerie to see the two rooms of Monet waterlilies. Excellent. Always thrilling>
Sandy left us to take the Metro back. We walked along the right bank of the Seine all the way home. Most of the time, we were right next to the water. Passed by private boats with exquisite furnishings. Saw the tourist boats like Bateau Mouche. Even say a TV show being filmed. When we got to the first bridge that went to Ile de Cite, we crossed over and wended our way to Notre Dame. What a lovely church. We were there when the light was really nice and even saw the beginning of mass.
It was now getting late (after 6:00) and we wended our way by a circuitous route back to the hotel getting there about 7:00, just in time for washing up, some downloading of pictures, and meeting the Levins in front of their apartment at 7:30. We walked around the Place de Voges and down a side street to a place Sandy wanted to take me to(“best chocolate mousse in the world”), Chez Janou (2 Rue Roger Verlomme). We ate outside in front. I had grilled mussels followed by a wheat risotto with scallops. Robin had a spinach salad followed by penne nicoise. Then there was the mousse. The waiter arrived with a whopping big bowl of it and spooned mounds into each of our dishes. It was thick and wonderful. No way I could finish what I was given. Really outstanding as Sandy had promised.
Finished dinner around 9:30, walked home, and got onto the computer to write this, download pictures, etc. Will try to get stuff uploaded to the Internet tomorrow.
Met the Levins in front of their apartment at 10:00. We spent the day walking mainly. Our morning was all in the Marais. We started with a walk around Place de Voges (a nice city park where we plan to go again since most of the city parks have free WiFi). Then through the heart of the Jewish quarter where lots of venders were selling esrog and lulav for the season. Passed by both trendy shops as well as traditional kosher delis and markets.
Around 11:30 we were outside the Pompidou museum. There is a wonderful pool with lots of sculpture in it including several by Niki. We had café crème on the street and then went into the museum. Robin and I decided to buy four-day passes to all the museums since, at the worst, we’d break even but probably would do much better. The escalators to all floors are mounted in tubes on the façade of the building. We went all the way up to the top (sixth floor) where we could see over the rooftops to Sacre Coeur, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, etc. We ate on the terrace up there at a lovely restaurant (I am convinced that most museums have good restaurants). I had an excellent cheese omelet.
We then all went into the museum. It’s on the fourth and fifth floors and consists of almost all modern works. Very interesting to see some of the same artists we had just seen in Kansas City, some of our favorites, etc. Good collection.
Met Sharon and Sandy at 3:00. Sharon headed back to their apartment and the three of us walked up Rue de Rivoli all the way to the Place de Concorde. We walked through the Tuilleries from the Louvre to the Place de Concorde. Sandy and I got superb gelato (mine mango, Sandy’s casis). Then Robin and I went into the Orangerie to see the two rooms of Monet waterlilies. Excellent. Always thrilling>
Sandy left us to take the Metro back. We walked along the right bank of the Seine all the way home. Most of the time, we were right next to the water. Passed by private boats with exquisite furnishings. Saw the tourist boats like Bateau Mouche. Even say a TV show being filmed. When we got to the first bridge that went to Ile de Cite, we crossed over and wended our way to Notre Dame. What a lovely church. We were there when the light was really nice and even saw the beginning of mass.
It was now getting late (after 6:00) and we wended our way by a circuitous route back to the hotel getting there about 7:00, just in time for washing up, some downloading of pictures, and meeting the Levins in front of their apartment at 7:30. We walked around the Place de Voges and down a side street to a place Sandy wanted to take me to(“best chocolate mousse in the world”), Chez Janou (2 Rue Roger Verlomme). We ate outside in front. I had grilled mussels followed by a wheat risotto with scallops. Robin had a spinach salad followed by penne nicoise. Then there was the mousse. The waiter arrived with a whopping big bowl of it and spooned mounds into each of our dishes. It was thick and wonderful. No way I could finish what I was given. Really outstanding as Sandy had promised.
Finished dinner around 9:30, walked home, and got onto the computer to write this, download pictures, etc. Will try to get stuff uploaded to the Internet tomorrow.
posted by Bud Hirsch at 5:03 AM
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