The walk thru Paris

Well, today Lori and I did "alone" days. I hit the Louvre first thing (along with 100,000 other tourists because it is Monday and the Orsay is closed and it is raining outside).

The line wasn't bad to get in because I had my Paris Museum Pass and I got to go thru a very short line (Paris Museum Pass rocks!). I did the DaVinci Code Tour which I had downloaded on my Ipod. It was pretty fun but it got a bit difficult navigating (nagavating, Patricia) with all the people but I made it through pretty fast.

I headed out the Tulleries Jardin down to the Orangerie to see the Impressionists. On my way down, I spotted a bunch of photographers and it turns out it is Fashion Week here in Paris. I also saw a bunch of paparazzi waiting for ???? Who cares, since I am such a fashion diva - I had an appointment with some Impressionist artists (it turns out they were waiting for Janet Jackson - glad I did not waste any time waiting). Too many beautiful people for my taste.

The Orangerie is a very small Impressionist museum. There was a really long line that was about 100 yards long but as I went to get in line, I noticed only 3 people in a line designated for people with tickets. So I got in line. Three minutes later, the guard came over and let us in (The Paris Museum Pass really ROCKS!!!). I did not have to wait in the line for tickets either - just flash the pass.

The museum is amazing. Salle I and Salle II each have huge Monet murals that he did toward the end of his life of the Water Lillies and his pond at Giverny. There is nothing else in the rooms but the 4 murals.

There are 7 rooms downstairs with a good selection of Renoir, Cezanne, Picasso, etc. It was a small museum, not too crowded (they limit the number of people in the building at a time) and you could really enjoy the pieces. Highly recommend and give it 5 stars.

I decided after the museum (and a cup of java) to get out a couple of my Paris walks. I headed the Royal Palace. I ended up in the haute couture section of Paris (dressed in my earth shoes, backpack on, my Gortex jacket tied around my waist, and my camera out I fit right in). I quickly headed in a different direction, afraid the fashion police might stop and ticket me. I ended up in a more urban section (don't ask me where 'cause I am not sure where I was or how I got there) but I started taking pictures and it was great! I got a lot of great shots of Parisians (not tourists) doing their thing. Probably the most fun was watching the cars, bikes, motorcycles and trucks share the road!

After 2 1/2 hours of walking, I met Lori in front of the Shakespeare Book Co. and we headed to a restaurant (see Lori's blog). We shared our day and then Lori got us home on the Metro (even through rush hour). I also have acquired a Metro Carte Orange!