Journal: Jour Deux, Jour Trois

Day 2 (Saturday):

Didn't get out the door until 1p; headed to Montmartre with the sun shining. Arrived at Montmartre only to see it was raining (boo) so didn't even leave the metro station, turned around to go home and get our ponchos and umbrella. Arrived back at Montmartre by 2p, and by now, the rain was barely sprinkling.

• Climbed the mountain up the front to Sacre Coeur. With the rain sprinkling, the ground was wet which makes for fantastic photos- and there weren't as many people out.
  Wandered around the top of the mountain, past where the courtyard where the artists camp out and in the nooks and crannies of the mountain top. Settled into lunch at a lovely little cafe with a creepy mime just outside the small gated patio. There was plastic up due tot he rain which gave a little more blockage from him, but the table of three french girls next to us kept talking to him - giving him reason to 'mime' at us (weird-O)
• wandered down my favorite steps to descend Montmartre. Wandered past Abbesses metro stop and onto see the Moulin Rouge, which I had never seen. It is a bit like the Times Square of Paris-- lots of tourists from dozens of countries standing in the middle of the road snapping pics of the facade of the building, ignoring the handful of french teenagers standing out front smoking a cigarette to follow up the peep show they just enjoyed.
• The most entertaining part to me was that directly across from the Moulin Rouge was a Starbucks. Yes, a Starbucks. Nothin' like some good 'ol American coffee after a strip tease. What? But I suppose I can at last report to Kate, Condrey and Shea'aline that should we repeat our 2001 trip, we won't have to wait until London to order a coffee and know what we are going to receive.
• Wandered Latin Quarter
• Dropped of the ponchos and rain gear
• Wandered Ille Saint Louis
• Stopped at a sidewalk cafe and enjoyed a carafe of vin rouge.
• Watched the sun set over the Notre Dame.
• Dinner at Cafe Panis- my favorite french cafe that looks out over a lovely park and is directly across (south) from the Notre Dame - Mmmm.
• Stopped at a bar on the way home for Mr. Price to get a Guiness.

Day 3 (Sunday):
up and at 'em by 10:30a (well, kinda). Coffee in our apartment.

• Walk past the Notre Dame, past the Palais de Justice & Saint Chapelle, through the Sunday morning bird market, off the island over by Hotel de Ville and on to Pompidou Center.
• Lots of picture taking and a panini by the fountain followed by un cafe au toast at a cafe.
• Walk through lovely Marias and over to Place des Vosges - a lovely park which is Paris's oldest public square, surrounded the equivalent of a 17th century 'Gables' [apartments] which housed folks such as Victor Hugo, and some other famous people from history. And since, Jim Morrison - but his stay wasn't as inspiring. The 'red brick' isn't actually red brick: that is reddish-pink marble. hmmph.
• Strolled over to Bastille and hopped on the Metro over to Opera
• Saw Opera; didn't see the Phantom. Disappointed to learn that you can no longer walk into the lobby of le Opera without paying 8 euro and you have to walk in through the back. Did you know that in 1896, it was an 8 ton counterweight for the main chandelier that fell on the audience during a show? Did you know that there really is a lake under le Opera? Just checking.
• Tried to buy tickets to the ballet, but that booth isn't open on Sunday
• Found Harry's New York bar -which was high on JP's list of things to do. Started in 1911 when a Scottish man shopped a wooden bar from NYC over. Had a couple cocktails, enjoyed picking out the different university pendants from the wall, saw two mice. Yep, just like New York.
• Walked past The Ritz and over to Concorde, Louvre and Quartier Latin. Our little grocery store was closed, despite Joelle (the lady who let us into the apartment and told us about it) telling us it was open, "even on Sunday!"
• Back to the apartment for wine and cheese. Mmmm. Now blogging while listening to the bells from the Notre Dame ring.

Tonight: picnic on the Siene.