Paris Day One

The day started out bright and early with the taxi coming to pick us up at 5:15 am to take us to the train station. As we passed near Westminster Abbey and got an eyeful of Big Ben just could not resist leaning to Phil and saying, "Look kids...Big Ben." A little Nat'l Lampoon's European Vacation humor...but really, it was 5:30 in the morning and I thought myself hilarious. The train took us through the Chunnel and on to Paris. Another taxi took us to our our hotel, Banke Hotel on Rue de Layfette. It's a converted bank building (hence the name) and has quite the domed lobby, along with more black and red than I've seen in one area in a while.

I walked with Phil to his office building so I knew where he was and then armed once again with a trusty street map began to make my way to the Louvre. I knew it was south of where I was and if I hit the Seine River I'd gone too far, so with that nugget of knowledge I began my trek. Yep...I concede I'll never win any awards for map reading (which I blame on never being a Girl Scout) but eventually did find the Louvre. Impressively huge. According to my brochure it houses 35,000 pieces of art in more than 645,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space. Hmm...how much of that can I see in one afternoon?

And what's the yellow-shirted guy pointing at? No idea.

The glass pyramid is indeed the entrance to the Louvre. Got my bag checked, made my way down the escalators, bought my entrance ticket, picked up my museum guide in English, and joined the "herd of cattle" on it's way to the Mona Lisa. Just how many people did I have to go through to get a picture? How many tourists elbowed me in the back and side as they clamored for a picture as well? You make the call.

Yes, that wee, tiny picture is the famous Mona Lisa. Honestly, I expected a bit more. I mean, nice and all but really kind of small.

On to the next "must see" according to my brochure. The Winged Victory of Samothrace. I wasn't aware that I must see it, but who am I to argue with the brochure.

Here it is in all it's glory. On to the Venus de Milo...after fighting another crowd to get up close.

Did I mention more than 645,000 sq. ft of exhibition space at the Louvre? Arts of Islam, Sculptures, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, The Medieval Louvre, Oriental Antiquities, Arts of Africa, Oceania & the Americas, Prints and Drawings, French Paintings, German, Flemish, and Dutch Paintings, German, Flemish, Belgian, Russian, Swiss, and Scandanavian Paintings, etc. Honestly...after awhile, you've seen one painting and/or sculpture, you've seen them all. I've never claimed to be a huge patron of the arts...

I left the Louvre and impressively, I might add, found my way back to the hotel to wait for Phil to get off of work. Good friends of ours from our Cedarville days happened to be in France celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary so we had arranged to meet up that night for dinner. We found a cozy little place in the Latin quarter with wood-beamed ceilings and stucco walls and started a very good meal with some cheese fondue. Yummy.

We walked over to the Seine River and took a boat ride down the Seine. Just lovely. Talking and laughing with good friends, the Eiffel Tower, along with the entire city all lit up...priceless. On to day two. Have you ever seen Paris while in the backseat of a police car before spending your entire morning at a police station? I can now say that yes...yes, I have. Good times.