Frolicking in Paris...

We took the tour of the city amongst the Pride parade and a marathon. We saw all the sites, you know...the Eiffel, Napoleons Tomb, The Arc de Triumpe etc. walked thru the Tuileries Garden to the Louvre. Our quest was to seek out The Musée De L'Orangerie to see MONÉT'S waterlilies..Voila! Loved seeing the 360 murals ...really beautiful! I felt like I was in a fishbowl...surrounded by beauty!

When Monét was first considering this project , he wrote "Nerves strained by work would relax in its presence, following the restful example of its stagnant waters, and for he who would live in it, in this room would offer a refuge for peaceful meditation in the midst of a flowering aquarium." There are eight panels presented in two rooms creating a very tranquil environment.

Next we sought out Fragonard Museum but not right away! We searched and couldn't find it so we took a cab to Montmarte! The "Bohemia of Paris"..artists doing their thing, waiters with the suspenders and berets, cafes galore, cobblestone streets and a great time to take a break...have a glass of wine and a bite to eat in one of the outdoor cafes. We enjoy a fabulous crepe of ham and cheese (croque mossieur) and French fries....and of course, wine! (You don't gain weight in France because they're on the metric system!)

We try to catch a cab but to no avail so we start to walk. It is a great way to see the city as we zig-zag our way in hopes that we see a cab. No luck. We continue walking and walk right into The Fragonard Museum! We just make it in time for the one hour tour which is very interesting. At the end of the tour we get to use our noses. A "Nez" is a an actual occupation in France. Due to their fine sense of smell and their skill in producting compositions, this term "le Nez" is an affectionate term for perfumer. We are given several samples to try and we each make a choice. We start laughing as we remember when we were children and doused ourselves in whatever eau de toilette we had in the house, our dad would make a comment and say we smell like a French (you know what). Never knew what it meant at the time but we loved how we smelled. I choose Belle Cherie and Erica chooses Etoile. Smelling fabulous.... we move on! Well...11. something miles later...we finally arrive at our hotel! Whew!

We recognized a few people who we saw at Montmarte and taxied back....they said it took an hour to return with all the traffic. I'd say we lucked out. We had a great walk, visited a museum, saw the sites of different parts of the city, came home with a little gift for ourselves and enjoyed every moment. We felt the vibe of the city, saw the locals carrying their baguettes...in every way you can think of...in a bag, in a wrapper, without a wrapper, in a rucksack on their back, under the arm and ...eating as they go....but the point is....the baguette is a staple, for sure. Nowadays, they even make a baguette shopping bag...long and narrow to carry your baguette! Here's a fun fact: Napoleon actually invented the baguette because he needed the soldiers to carry their own bread. They stuck it in their boots along the leg.

This is Paris!