Monday - drat, i forgot that the catacombs are closed on Monday...luckily we didn't take the long train ride down there like mom & i did to find out the hard way many years ago! Instead, we made our way to the Louvre. But first we had to stop for something warm to drink & eat since it was a cool gray morning. we came across what appeared to be a banksy mural right next to our hotel, cool find! i tried my luck at the post office but the stamp machine only took coins so only the parents' postcards got mailed out.
Once at the Louvre, we spent most of the day on the 2nd floor checking out Napoleon III's apartment are before venturing out to the italian paintings wing. And the Mona Lisa...which neither mz or i cared about as much as the hundreds of people waiting in line to get closer to her. weird. once we had enough museuming to last a lifetime, we wandered through the first part of the Tuileries before detouring to find a spot for lunch - priorities right? Ended up at Cafe Royal Opera...just down the street from the royal opera house, duh. Very different feel over here - pricier and bigger cars on the streets, many more business people and more expensive shops. Since it was cool out, we both had Soupe de l'ognion (YUM!) and "croque monsieur for madame and croque madame for monsieur"...mz didn't think that was nearly as entertaining as the waiter (or I) did!
I wanted to walk around the area more since i thought there might be some good shops in the area (found out Fauchon was around the corner afterwards) but got too cold in my short sleeves, so we metroed it back to get warm...and mz got a little nap. i should've slept but instead i spent way too long researching restaurants which of course were all way too expensive or closed on mondays!
Around 7 we made our way (after going 2 stops in the wrong direction on the RER) to the Eiffel Tower. The line was pretty reasonable but the dimwit americans in front of us were NOT....took them 20 minutes to piece together that "pilier nord" meant North Pillar. REALLY!?! we went all the way to the tippy top in the lifts and on the way down we walked from the second floor. so fun, one of those things that you just have to do!
Once back on the ground, the mission to find dinner became more and more important...it was already 10pm and i was starving!! It was definitely our best meal of the trip at Cafe de Paris on Rue de Buci. We sat inside and it was such a different experience (rich purple and dark wood furniture) than sitting in the same chairs that every place has outside. mz had duck foie gras with fig jam to start - i almost even liked it, surprisingly! we both had coq au vin for our entree...wow, so flippin' fabulous. slightly precarious with all of the little bones, but melt in your mouth amazing food. pair that up with some nice wine and follow it with a big slice of Tarte Tatin served with creme fraiche (basically upside down apple cake) and i was in heaven (my stomach's growling right now from just thinking about it). oh yea, and we're getting wicked good at eating the european way...fork upside down in your left hand and knife in your right for the entire meal. thank goodness we had to walk back to the hotel because i was so so stuffed afterwards. it was a late night - even had to get buzzed in back at the hotel - but of course there were people out everywhere!
can i go back now please?! i'm huuungry!! :)
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