This was a big day! Even though we decided to use the subway, we still walked about the same amount as our epic trek the day before.
The day started out with a coke. We put our 2 euros into the machine and out it came -- with my name on it! We couldn't believe it. A coke bottle that says "Anthony," what are the odds? So we knew it was going to be a good day.
With the coke in hand, we hopped on the metro and zoomed over to the Louvre to try to get in. Upon seeing the enormous line, and on advice from a few different people that Musee D'Orsay is actually a better experience, we opted to go there (later on we learned that if you were to stand in front of each piece in the Louvre for just 5 seconds, it would take you literally days of non-stop viewing). The Musee D'Orsay was a delight, and plenty large (we were there for about 4 or 5 hours). We saw some beautiful work by Monet, Manet, Cesan, Van Gogh, Renoir...the list goes on. My favorites were Monet's paintings of cathedrals (they had 3 I think). It was amazing how he captured the details and structure of the rose windows even in the impressionist style. Very cool stuff. The museum also had everything from sculptures to furniture on display. The best was definitely the collection of paintings.
After being cooped up inside, we decided to head over to the Jardin du Luxembourg (the park behind the the Luxembourg palace -- the home of the French Senate). I was surprised by how active it was. It was filled with tennis courts, children's playgrounds, and open space for people to play games like bocce. We saw one group of diverse people (africans, french, and one american) play this unidentifiable game. I sat and watched for about 15 min trying to figure out the rules, but I only got as far as understanding how to play -- not the points. The Game involved several wooden blocks about 6" tall, and several wooden dowels about a foot long, all of which you use to toss and knock down the blocks on the opposing team's side...I think. Anyway -- if any of you know this game, let me know! it looked fun.
After some serious people watching, we walked over to a fountain area surrounded by flowers. There were children playing with sailboats, and other folks picnicking or just sunbathing. The scenery was great, so we sat down by the fountain, and watched the boats for a bit. The relaxation was definitely in order after walking all over a giant museum for 4 hours.
The next stop was something Lucia's been looking forward to this entire week -- the Galleries Lafayette. This is basically the Harrods of Paris, and Lucia "needed" some shoes =p. A long story short, Lucia got her shoes, and they're adorable, and they're made in France to boot...hahaha "to boot". We had a great time walking around the store, and to my delight I got to stop by the counters for JLC, IWC, and even Blancpain (they had an Omega shop, but I completely forgot about it when I got sidetracked by the other counters).
By the time I finished drooling over some beautiful watches it was starting to get late, so it was time for another metro ride. This time it was to re-visit the Eiffel Tower, and this time we actually went to the top! I know I said this before, but I really wasn't expecting to be impressed by the Eiffel Tower...but I definitely was, and am. It is beautiful, and the views are amazing. This is definitely a must see.
Stay tuned for an update on our final day in Paris!
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