What We've Been Doing

Charles and I have been busy exploring the City of Lights, apparently with everyone else in the world and their gaggle of five children.

Last Friday we headed to a Canadian bar to watch the Olympics Opening Ceremony. I normally eschew venues packed with Americans when I'm abroad, but the French aren't too keen on TVs in their bars and cafes. Judging by the cheers that went up for Team USA, the place was about 90% American. We also made friends with some Greeks and Canadians. A lone traveller from Paraguay (or a very enthusiastic fan of the country) provided some diversity.

On Saturday, we headed to my favorite Paris museum, the Musee d'Orangerie. The museum displays eight Monet waterlilies murals, all completed toward the end of his career. Monet left the works to the city of Paris and identified how they should be displayed-- in two oval rooms with a skylight in the middle, so that the paintings surround you.

We would have gone to the Louvre, but most everyone else in Paris was there. We opted instead for a picnic dinner at the Luxembourg Gardens.

We saw a cat going for a walk on a leash! I tried to explain to this woman that I also walk my cat on a leash and that it is much less common in the US. I think she thought I was crazy, but she agreed to let me take pictures of her cat so long as I didn't use flash.

We also took a picnic to the Eiffel Tour and waited for it to light up. It did.

We went to Sacre Coure, again with most of Germany, France, Scandanavia, and 10 percent of the U.S. We finally got away from the crowds and walked around the streets of Montemartre. Rick Steves has a great Montemartre walking tour that will take you by the former homes of artists and their bars of choice.

The Moulin Rouge! Basically a tourist trap now. It was Sunday, however, and we had trouble finding an open cafe for lunch. We opted to sit across from the Moulin Rouge and have the tourist fare of red wine, french fries, and croque monseuir.