This morning, we went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower for a decent view of Paris. It was a little foggy, but still beautiful. We then went to the Musée d'Orsay for lunch and to see the Impressionists' paintings. We then had some open time, so a few of us made a dash for the Catacombes. We didn't make it, so we went to the Latin Quarter for crêpes and some shopping. Dinner was in the Latin quarter, then back to the hotel to pack and get some sleep...our wake-up call tomorrow is 4:45am...ugh...
We saw so much today: the Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie prison, the Deportation Memorial for French Holocaust victims, Notre-Dame, and finally, a concert. We had a guide through the Louvre, which helped immensely as our time there was cut in half...the union of museum workers decided to have a meeting, which means they would not open the museum until they wanted to. Not exactly a strike, but reminded me of it. Sainte-Chapelle was beautiful, they're redoing some of the stained glass. Some of us had lunch at a creperie in the Latin Quarter, then we went to see the prison where Marie-Antoinette spent her last days. We passed by the lock bridge--where couples attach locks to the wire mesh on the bridge and throw the key into the Seine. Hope they don't need a hacksaw in a few years... The memorial to those deported from France is very moving...it's below ground and open to the sky, with displays of dirt and ash from each of the 15 concentration camps. From there, Notre-Dame seemed positively cheery. They were preparing for mass, so we could only walk partway through the cathedral. Some free time to shop and sit at a cafe, then on to dinner at La Maison Verlaine, a restaurant that was previously the apartment where Verlaine and Hemingway both lived. Afterwards, a group of us went to a rock-pop concert...the first group was ok, but the second will sell more than one CD to some of us if we can find a Fnac or other music store.
I a) managed to lose app connectivity for two days and b) took pictures on my actual camera, not my phone. Sooo...delayed posting and no pictures...arg!
Today, we took the bus to Versailles...verrry interesting lunch at Flunch on the highway...the kids got some stinky cheese...Olivia described it as tasting like garbage...and Tyler got a sausage, which had practically identifiable body...or at least tissue...parts in it.
Anyways. Versailles was spectacular. We had a guided tour, which made a world of difference from last time, where we moved through the rooms vaguely aware of the general impression, but lacking in the details about why they were important.
On to Paris, we got to the hotel, then took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe. Nice views from the top (the stairs were a bit rough after yesterday's bike ride), and we also got to see the ceremony that takes place every day at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Then to dinner...real French onion soup, chicken in a light curry sauce, and creme brulee. Finally, we took a nighttime ride on the bateau mouche, got to see all the major sights from the Seine.
To bed!
We started out today in Chenonceau, touring the chateau and gardens. Had some fun running around the hedge maze and finding carved salamanders everywhere. Then on to Amboise for a quick lunch, then to Chambord, the largest of the Loire Valley chateaux. Nice time walking around the building and rooftop, then ventured around the grounds on bike. Beautiful sunny day for it! Back to Blois, we had some time to shop and get some of the Velvet Jazz's hot chocolate. Dinner at the Brasserie du Chateau was very nice. A group of us went to a movie--La Religieuse--at Cinema Les Lobis in Blois. Fun to go here...such a comfortable theater (seats gave our airplane seats a run for their money). Back and bed.
We arrived in good time in Paris, a little worse for wear in sleep-related matters. Made it out of all the lines and met up with our tour guide. Then on the bus for a 1.5 hour drive to Chartres, where we toured the cathedral before Palm Sunday mass. Stopped in a salon de thé--a tea room--for hot cocoas before boarding the bus for Blois. We checked in, got lunch in town, and then by some stroke of luck managed to be in town for Mardi Gras! (This has nothing to do with Tuesday, apparently...I asked two people about why it's celebrated today, and both pretty much said "just because"). My teaching colleague, Françoise, met up with us at the parade, yay! Afterwards, we went back to the hotel to freshen up, and are now anticipating dinner at the Brasserie du Château and perhaps one of the famous hot chocolates from the Velvet Jazz. Whew.
There is a carnival in town today, so we're going to find some lunch, then hit the carnival before dinner. So cool being back here.
