Almost a Local

We started our Wednesday (day 4) with a healthy American breakfast (sort of) here at the apartment - scrambled eggs (American) with some super tasty croissants (French), and were pretty leisurely eaters since we didn't have to be down at the Louvre for our tour until 10:15 a.m.

We're about a 15 minute walk south to the Louvre and got to the Arc de Triomphe du Carousel at the west end of the Louvre complex right on time at 10:15.  There, we met with our City Wonders guide, Eric, and started promptly at 10:30 for our 3-hour tour (somehow, those words are ringing in my ears as the theme song from "Gilligan's Island", but this trip was much happier than theirs).  

I almost feel like a local after today's excursions.  I say that because I knew exactly how to get to our meeting point without Google Maps, and when we later came back from a slightly different location, I could've similarly found our way back on my own.  It feels nice and after only four days here.  This city is very walkable and things start looking very familiar after seeing them a couple of times.

It was pretty apparent, and I have advised our family who follows in the coming weeks, that a trip to the Louvre should always be done with a guide, and either in the morning or late afternoon/early evening.  There is a MASS of humanity on the grounds and in the museum, and you'd be hard pressed to get much out of it without the benefit of a guide.  And, with or without one, you could spend literally weeks if you looked at all the exhibits in all of the rooms.

Even at 3 hours, we kept a steady pace to see the highlights - Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, paintings
by Michelangelo, Renoir, Da Vinci (the Mona Lisa), Raphael, Gericault, David, and a host of Greek and Roman sculpts.  Toward the end of our tour, we saw the apartments in the Louvre occupied by Napoleon III (Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew and eventual successor) - magnificent - and a collection of couture, furniture, and other items that belonged to Napoleon.  It was a wonderful three hours and we parted with our ever so knowledgeable guide, Eric, for lunch in the Louvre - a big, fat, American cheeseburger and fries.  That's when we noticed the masses of people waiting in very long lines (about 2:30 p.m.) waiting for their chance to enjoy the show.  Go with a guide.  Go early or late.

We exited the Louvre and walked through the Tuileries, a beautiful gardens where the Tulieries Palace was once located.  It was home to most French monarchs from Henry IV to Napoleon III (the big guy's nephew).  We didn't see it because it was burned by rioters in 1871.  When we reached the midpoint of this very large gardens, we thought about continuing on to the Place de la Concorde to see the giant obelisk (where Marie Antoinette was beheaded), but remembered a trip to Mount Rainer years ago where it took forever to get there because it was a lot further away than it looked.

That's when Angelina's popped up as a viable option, so we exited stage right to the original Angelina on Rue de Rivoli which fronts the gardens.  Angelina is well known for their remarkable hot chocolate (which Connie and Cheryl had).  My treat was an espresso because that hot chocolate was so incredibly rich that it would've made me sick in about 30 seconds.  I'm getting smarter as I get older.  After leaving Angelina, we walked down Rue de Rivoli and spent some fairly serious money on more things we didn't need, including me springing for some new cologne sold by a charming, elderly Parisian woman who knew how to sell.  I used to make my living selling so I know a good salesperson when I see one, and this octagenarian was a good salesperson.

From Rue de Rivoli, we started our walk home and it was here where I had that "almost a local" feel as I could've found the way without Google Maps.  We decided not to go out to dinner as we were all pretty tired from our 5 mile day.  Tomorrow we plan on visiting Le Marais for a general walkaround, and have reservations for the Eiffel Tower for 8:15 p.m.  Although we did that when we were here before, Connie (who is afraid of heights) hasn't despite this being her third trip here.  We'll be doing it at a time in the evening when the Tower sparkles for 5 minutes on the hour every hour after sunset. 

Can't wait.  See you again tomorrow.  Bon soir.