Paris, Day 5

Although it doesn't feel like it, today was sort of a low key day. Neither Jerry nor I felt good all yesterday evening or this morning, so we decided to rest in the hotel this morning.

I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the luggage situation--still no word from Air France. Although they declared that the luggage is "at the airport", their caveat is that they don't know which airport. My money is still on it sitting there at Hartsfield-Jackson after the mechanical problems on the plane. (Of course that bet doesn't include it still being there--I'm sure someone has walked off with it by now and is feeling very lucky for picking a suitcase with such a classy, well-rounded wardrobe.)

After we were feeling better, for lunch, we went to my favorite...l'As du Falafel!!! That falafel sandwich was every bit as good as I remembered, maybe even more delicious!! Abby met us there, which was really fun as well. I'm proud of Jerry--he tried the falafel! Although he declared it was "not bad" in a tone of voice that made us comment on how Americans have so many different ways of saying "not really my thing", at least he tried it even though he was skeptical. :)

After lunch, we walked to the Place des Vosges, then over to la Bastille and hung out in a cafe for a little while with Abby--it was so sad to say goodbye, knowing that I will not be able to see her for so long!




We then trekked over to the Louvre--it was open late today, until 10:00 PM, but as it turns out, neither of us were up for even the relatively small challenge of a four-hour visit. We saw our favorites (except for Mme de Pompadour), then called it a night, going back to the hotel for some Speed Rabbit Pizza.

Here are a few highlights from the visit today...




An actual helmet from Charles VI's reign, and a copy to show what it would have looked like "back in the day".







The Napoléon III apartments (n.b., we were having some trouble with the exposure on the camera, so some are a little blurry)





A decorative box brought to a church by Philippe le Bel containing some relics from Saint Louis.




The immense inside cours with so many sculptures--very peaceful...




My favorite shot of the day--Jerry and the Vénus de Milo, looking opposite ways...






The Vigée Le Brun for Mom...





Very interesting after the book I read this year on Diane de Poitiers--a bronze sculpture for over a door at Fontainebleau--it depicts the image of Diana, goddess of the hunt, which was at the time strongly linked with Diane de Poitiers.

And a few other images from the day...




Off to bed now to nurse our food troubles and the cold that Jerry caught (and which I will certainly have by 2 or 3 AM). Then onto the train for Brussels early in the morning...