| After some much needed rest, we rise energetically, change hotel rooms,
and head out. The weather had turned cool and rainy, and after a
walk around the neighborhood, we grab some rolls and head for the Louvre.
We wait through some long (security) lines (we had purchased our three
day pass last night) before heading into this enormous museum that has
more than one could ever see and appreciate. We hit a few high spots
and then split up -- each getting lost on our way -- some of the passageways
on the map were blocked -- finally running into each other in the basement.
Some items with special memories -- Rosetta stone, incredible ancient Greek
statues, imposing Assyrian & Persian facades. Our dogs are barking
from standing on the unforgiving marble, so we stop & grab some lunch
(baguettes -- yum!).
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| After a promise to return soon, we leave the Louvre and walk through
the gardens for a short while in the misting rain. Some sights along
the way include famous Parisian streets: |
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| Crossing the Seine, we enter train station turned museum, Musee Orsay
-- in a word, "Wow!" While some of the exhibits weren't so impressive,
some rooms upstairs were just filled with stars. Many were so much
more impressive in person (e.g. van Gogh, 'Scream,' 'Whistler's Mother')
than any reproduction could do justly. Although we hurried through Orsay
(due to aching feet), we were able to see most of it. |
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| A stop for Carol to pose in front of the Champs Elysees, and then retreated
to our hotel & a short nap.
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| We wander around the neighborhood for a restaurant, finding one listed
in the tourbook -- yum!! We walked through the Champs de Mars to
the Tour Eiffel -- impressive. Especially interesting (to John) was
the list of scientists around the first level of the tower. |
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