Paris: The Birthday Trip - Day 2 (part 3)

Sunday, July 28, 2013

We left the restaurant in the Tuileries feeling refreshed (and cooler) and continued on toward the Louvre. As we approached the Louvre we were surprised by the sudden appearance of a group of 7 or 8 illegal vendors of all ages, each clutching a bundle of Eiffel Tower souvenirs, running in panic from the police. One didn't make it.

After that bit of excitement we wandered around the courtyard of the Louvre admiring the beautiful buildings, the sculpture and ornate decorations, and I. M. Pei's glass pyramids - which didn't seem as incongruous in the midst of this beautiful architecture as might be expected. We had already decided that we wouldn't be going into the Louvre today. we will wait for another day when we are rested and can properly appreciate the wonders of this place.

We continued following the Seine, pausing to look at the little stalls (Bouquinistes) selling everything from second-hand books to movie posters, bad paintings, and an endless variety of odds and ends, some identifiable and some not, and onto the Pont Neuf (the "New Bridge" which is, ironically, the oldest bridge in Paris) where we crossed to the Île de la Cité. At this point we looked around and realised that we were too tired to do justice to anything else we might see (it was now 4:30 or 5:00 o'clock and we had set out walking around 8:00 am.) so Notre Dame and the other sites would have to wait for another day. We decided to start back to our hotel.

top of page: The Conciergerie viewed from the Pont Neuf. This is the prison where Marie Antoinette, Charlotte Corday, Madame du Barry, and many other well-known figures were held to await their execution. Part of the building is open to the public but most of it is still used for the Paris law courts.

above-left: Lamp base on the Pont Neuf.

above-right: The Saint Michel monument and fountain. This is the sight that greeted us as we left the Île de la Cité.

left: Typical street in Paris.

We may have been tired and heading home but we were still being deluged with beautiful sites and details that will stay with us forever: inviting cafes, pretty flower shops, the faces and grotesques carved into the keystones of doorway arches, the charming drinking fountains…

And we will be coming back to this part of Paris.

SPECIAL NOTE: When we got back to the hotel we found not only a clean and refreshingly cool room but also, much to our surprise, a birthday card addressed to Denise from the staff and a bottle of wine and a packet of special biscuits to help her celebrate her special day!

As Denise said, "The perfect end to a perfect day!"

Next: Day 3 (part 1)