We stopped at a crepe stand - Derek got a Nutella banana crepe with Chantilly creme, and I got one with cheese, sausage and mustard. It's hard to tell who "won" with the best decision on that one, but I'd personally recommend you get a crepe, whatever your preference, at their stall. I wanted badly to buy the lilacs from the little ladies selling them (Derek said if we lived here, that's what he'd do each week...which makes me want to move here immediately).
My favorite was watching the women hold bra cups up to their chests to decide if they'd fit, since there aren't fitting rooms and they are all bundled in boxes, spread out over tables (it's like a Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale, only on the sidewalk and surrounded by pig faces and bunches of carrots). The Bastille Tower (Place de la Bastille) itself appears to be under construction, with most of the bottom covered in siding. That's the trouble with tourism in Europe - something is always under construction, or restoration, and they really don't care if you can't get pictures of the thing. I wish they could do the work in the middle of winter. My expectations are fully reasonable, I know.
We bought bread at a boulangerie and ate in the park in the center of the nearby Place des Vosges (originally Place Royale) by Henri IV from 1605-1612, and is the oldest planned square in Paris (and one of the nicest). Derek fell asleep in the grass, and I took pictures.
We took the metro to the Champs Elysees and strolled down the streets, looking in the shops (primarily for a bathroom). We took a side trip to the Seine to see the Grand Palais and the beautiful Pont Alexandre III bridge, "Paris’s most elegant, grandiose, and sumptuous bridge: one of the most beautiful river crossings in the world." And it is.
Then, we made our way to the famous Arc de Triomphe - you can buy tickets in the subway, which you have to use to access the Arc, which stands in the center of a busy traffic roundabout. Going in and up to the top is a bit of a waste of money, in my opinion, if you've already seen all of Paris from the Eiffel Tower, but, when in Rome, right? It's equally impressive standing below the arc, or across the street from it, where you'll struggle to get a picture without cars and buses in the way.
Next up, the Rodin museum. We bought our tickets in advance...you don't need to. I recommend visiting later in the day - the gardens are lovely, and there's a nice cafe there where you can rest (that sells gelato). The inside of the museum is mostly models and other partially finished or broken work from Rodin. A few finished pieces are really nice to see, but we vastly preferred the outdoor part of the museum. My personal favorite was the Gates of Hell - truly magnificent. And of course, the Thinker. "The Kiss" was on loan to the Grand Palais, so we didn't get to see it.
Back at our hotel, we got spiffed up and took the metro north to the incredible cabaret, Moulin Rouge. Buy your tickets in advance! We went to the 9 pm show and didn't add dinner or drinks - tickets were about 90 euros each. You do need to dress nicely. I wore 4" heels that my husband bought me for our 8 year anniversary! Don't worry - I managed to change into and out of them on the subway ;-) Tragically, you're not allowed to film or take pictures, but it was well worth the price, and it was certainly one of a kind. Highly recommended! The people taking pictures of the well-known red windmill outside really missed out if they didn't see the actual show.
Disclaimer - there were a lot of boobs and a lot of butts, but they class it up. It's a cabaret, after all! I still remember that night fondly, and I have the Ferie song stuck in my head to this day.
No comments:
Post a Comment