Steps today: 28 506. It would have been over 30 had I not got rained out for an hour this afternoon! I’ll do some in-room laps later to hit that mark.
First thing’s first: I feel great. Yesterday’s issues did not spill over into today.
Worried about how I would feel, when I woke up at 7AM I ate a banana and followed my usual morning routine - by 8AM I felt fine so I set out for today’s adventures. I didn’t want to wait around until 10AM when most things open so decided to spend the morning checking off my list of things to see in the Bois de Boulogne.
I took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe and got there by 8:30. Had it been open I would have like to visit the roof top again, but like most other places it only opens at 10AM so forget that.
I read somewhere that the Avenue Foch was a nice place to walk, so I took that route to get to Bois de Boulogne. It was really nothing special; I don’t understand what the hype is all about. Later I read on line that there is a garden park in the center - I completely missed it!
The Bois de Boulogne is said to be a wonderful, family friendly, enjoyable place to be by day… and to be avoided by night at all costs. This made me leery, and I have to admit that I was a little uncomfortable in areas where there was no one else around.
Once I got to a section full of strollers and people walking their dogs, I relaxed and enjoyed my time there.
First I walked to The Fondation Louis Vuitton, a very cool building, but hard to photograph from where I was standing. I think had I been in the Jardins d’Acclimatation in behind, the views would have been nice - but they were closed.
Next was the Chateau Bagatelle, very cute, and I did not realise that it was in the Parc Bagatelle which is a Botanical Garden. Had I stayed, I would have lost too much precious time but Frank: make a note! We need to visit this park next time we are in Paris!
After this, La Grande Cascade.
It took me a while to find a bus stop to bring me back into the city after this, but eventually I did and the bus came along 2 minutes later. I love it when things work out like that!
Back in Paris, I decided it was time to test my intestines. I tucked in at an outside table at a café facing the Grand Marnier Building. Meant to be. I had a croissant and some tea… it was perfect and no adverse effects!
As I type this, I realise I forgot to get a picture of the display window! ARGH! Must go back.
The next item on the agenda was the Chapelle Expiatoire, the location where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette’s bodies were buried after they were executed, until they were buried up again and interred at the Basilique St-Denis.
I popped into the Église Madeleine on a whim, I had not been inside in a few years and I had forgotten how HUGE it is!!
Next I went to the Archaeological Crypt near Notre Dame, I visited last year but felt like I whizzed through it too quickly – there was so much more to read. Not that much to see (therefore not many pictures) aside from old foundations and heaps of rocks, but if you are in the mood to read it’s a fascinating exhibit exploring the life of Paris during roman times.
Yesterday when I was waiting for the Pantheon to open, I spotted a Crêperie nearby that had a raclette crepe on the menu. Since my banana and croissant seemed not to be a problem, I thought I’d go there for lunch and then see if I could get to the Pantheon Dome this time.
Lunch was good, but they used a mild raclette plus the potatoes and other ingredients diluted it’s taste so it was not eye-rolling good. I also did not think alcohol would be a good idea but I was curious to taste the cider. I only had a few sips, I didn’t care for it much.
The Dome was open!! YEAH! but the next entrance (they go by groups) was at 3:30 – at that time it was only about 2:45 and I did not want to wait around for 45 minutes. Had I never visited the Pantheon before it would have been perfect, but I’ve seen it twice before… maybe 3 times so I was not up for it again.
So, what to do? I debated going to the Catacombs and checking out the line-up situation, but if it was too long then I would have just wasted more time. I decided to go walk along the Promenade Plantée.
I didn’t do much of it because it started raining, it was only a bit of drizzle up to that point but it started getting harder so I waited it out a café in Place Bastille. It was a little cool to be sitting outside but they had heat lamps on the terrace so I was quite comfortable. I had an espresso, again to test my intestines, and then followed that up with a Kir aux Pêches and had no adverse effects. I declared myself fully recovered at that point.
When the rain let up after about an hour I started walking back to the hotel, but I didn’t make it very far before the skies opened up and I got SOAKED so I took the metro back. I changed out of my wet clothes and soggy shoes and by the time I was out the door again the rain had stopped and huge patches of blue skies were appearing. It was so nice out that I went on a walk before supper.
Supper was at Café d’Italie, a pizzeria I discovered 2 vacations ago, that make some of the best pizza I have ever had!
Great day! Let’s hope for another one tomorrow.
Here are some random shots of my day:
I wonder what happened here??
Good night!
No comments:
Post a Comment