Les Vacances: Day 7: If the journey is half the fun...

...then we had a heck of a good time today. We decided to head toward the Eiffel Tower and try and squeeze in a visit to the Musée Quai Branly. Stephanie Noon, my friend and art teacher at Encinal, shared a really wonderful Ohlone Indian basket story with me in May and told me about one of the few remaining baskets being in that museum, as well as the British Museum (which we will visit in a couple weeks). So did I see it? I'm not sure! Read on...

We planned to set out early on our 2-bus adventure to La Tour Eiffel. Well, we woke up at 9, swearing it had to be only 7 a.m. We sure sleep a lot here! Finally out the door at 10:30, we made our way to the first bus stop and the bus was there in a jiffy. We got off that bus at the wrong stop and had to ask for directions (this is where it would be helpful to speak more French than we do) to get back on route. Fortunately, there was a Parisian oasis on the way (a boulangerie). Refreshed by croissants and a muffin, we boarded the 2nd bus. The rain started, but we carried on. A 30 min. walk in the rain from the bus stop got us to the museum café (by then it was 12:30), where we had a lovely lunch outside under a roof while it poured rain all around us. Again, all communication was en francais. We had a nice view of the Eiffel Tower from our table. We didn't go up the tower as we've been there, done that, and it was raining. The sun came out for awhile while in the museum. I'm not sure if I saw the baskets or not! I saw four and even asked if there were more (this involved several people and lots of broken French and English because I left my phrase book back at the apartment) and none was Ohlone, though one was Pomo--at least a CA tribe.

We then walked to the bus stop to ride the Line 69 bus which pretty much goes past every Paris landmark imaginable. We only rode it 1/2 way, to Notre Dame near where we found a bus back to our apartment. Time traveling: about 4 hrs and time sightseeing, about 2 hrs. Hmmmmm. We walked about 5 mi. today. I must say, there are a lot of closed stores and restaurants due to the massive exit of the Parisians to points south during August, but there are plenty of places still open. It just means a bit more walking. And for some unknown reason, fewer shopkeepers and people at tourist spots speaking English. We're (read: I'm) getting more comfortable speaking very imperfect French.

It is so wonderful to have an apartment to come home to each day. It's nice and homey.

Cat sightings today: 2; trip total 8

--Gail