Paris...part 3...I realized part two would have been too big!

This morning I packed my bags, being sure to leave out my rollerblades in case I could catch the slow derby outside the Bastille, and delivered all my items to my friends to keep for me until I returned that evening before heading back to London. We went for a walk around a little park, called “Place des Vosges,” and then my friend dropped me off at the market near the Bastille. I didn’t think I would find anything worth buying, but, I turned the corner, and there it was!!! THE PERFECT GIFT FOR MY FRIENDS AT HOME! I was soooo excited! I couldn’t imagine anything more “French!” I was so pleased with myself! I got several of them, finished walking the market, and decided I didn’t have enough, so I went back to get some more! Even my French friends felt it was the perfect gift to bring back to the US! :D YAY! I love it when the perfect thing just jumps out at you when you least expect it! Now that my hands were full, I decided to quickly head back to my friends’ apartment and drop off my gifts. Next, I was off to Basilique du Sacre Coeur.

I read in many travel guides that this is the best view of the city, and typically off the beaten path! EXACTLY my kind of thing! It was beautiful! I didn’t go inside, but the view from the hill and the edifice itself was amazing! There was some kind of event going on, because there were musicians, and street performers everywhere.

I was approached by an artist offering a caricature, and since I meant to get one and hadn’t yet, I agreed. I hope I’m as cute as he made me look! LOL :)


After the Basilique, I headed to Musee d’Orsay, I really intended to see it this time, but once I got there and saw the hour-long line, I decided again that I just didn’t care that much! (I KNOW! Yell at me later! Besides, whose trip was this anyway?) :) I hadn’t properly seen Champs ELysees, so I headed to Place de la Concorde and began to walk toward the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs ELysees.

Of course, the beautiful, tri-glass-domed building on the way distracted me, so I approached and purchased a ticket having ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what was inside! It just so happened to be a contemporary art exhibit! I was sooo fascinated! :) I love it when an unexpected stop turns into such a neat experience!

There was one exhibit I especially loved! The artist cut giant snowflakes out of one-inch thick, white poly-foam. A giant cube was made from what was left of the sheets, and a giant igloo, complete with snowman was erected from the individual snowflakes! It was sooooo fantastic! I sat there for many minutes simply mesmerized! Thinking how fun it would be to live in a house made of those! (Only me, right?)

(This one reminds me of a melted Chihuly! It's actually orange trash cans!)

(This was a giant, reflective, squishy ball)

(There it is in the distance to give you some perspective!)

(Here's another exhibit I enjoyed! It looks like rough, giant, plaster cylinders with shiny metal caps at both ends!)

(I love the doors in this building! They remind me of submarine doors!)

(I could totally live in this building!)

(Can you see how happy this building makes me?)

I'm so glad I decided to stop here!

I made my way up the Champs ELysees, taking many pictures of things that particularly amused me, while I ate ‘pistache’ icecream, found the Metro station, and headed back home. I had just enough time to enjoy a relaxing meal with my friends in their apartment before heading back to Gare du Nord to catch the Eurostar back to London. My last meal in Paris seemed like a truly Parisian meal! We had wine, a perfect baguette, three different cheeses, some fruit, and ended it with some fantastic chocolate mousse!

“Bonsoir, Au Revoir, Bon nuit!”