Paris 2018 – Day 10

Step today: 25 408

Well that’s it! Another vacation over. How is it possible that that was TEN DAYS? it zoomed by! However I suppose it’s a good thing that it’s come to an end: I have no money left and I am fat!!!!

I started the day with a trip to the Chateau Ecouen that I wanted to do last Saturday after I visited the Cathedral in St Denis, but a series of unforeseen circumstances put the breaks on that idea. It was included in my museum pass which expired yesterday, but it’s no big loss it was only 5€.

The Chateau itself was fun to visit because it really did have a castlely feel. It houses the Renaissance Museum which is only of medium interest to me, overall it was a nice morning.

I got back to Paris by about 12:30 and had lunch at the Terminus Nord, across the street from the train station. I've been there a few times on previous trips and wasn't planning to go again this time, but the proximity to the train station made it impossible to pass up. A great place to get in some French Food clichés on my last full day in Paris.

After this, I went to see what the line-up looked like at the Opera House – it was too long for me. Every minute of my time was extra precious since it was the last day and I wanted to spend the day soaking up the sights, not waiting in lines.

So the day was just a lot of wandering and enjoying the city. I stopped for a bite to eat around 3:30, then again around 6:30 with a few drink stops in between.

Now I have to switch gears and get packing! Ugh. I feel a cold coming on, all the sinuses on my right side are blocked and my neck and right shoulder are sore too. I hope it does not get worse on the plane.

Here are lots and lots of pictures of The Last Day.

Paris 2018 – Day 9

Steps today: I DON’T KNOW!  ARGH! my Fitbit battery died sometime between 8AM when I felt my “Get up if you are still sleeping” alarm, and 11:15AM when I went to check how many steps I racked up after a long long long walk. GRRR What a day for it to die, I am sure I got a lot of steps in. I’m annoyed because yesterday it still looked half full and I didn’t get the low battery warning until it was too late.

This morning, I started with a walk down the other side of the Champs Elysées that I walked on Sunday. From the Arc de Trimophe to a café for breakfast and back.

Then, on the train out to Champs-sur-Marne to visit the chateau. It’s roughly an hour away.

As is usual for me, I gave in inside a quick run through….

…. and spent the rest of the time walking in the gardens.

This kitty ran to greet me as soon as he spotted me! He rubbed up against my leg then plopped down at my feet for a belly rub. Get a load of those claws! WOW!

The train back to Paris left me off at the Gare de Lyon so I had to take advantage of the opportunity and go to Le Train Bleu. I didn’t want a meal, just a drink… the bar section is nowhere as spectacular as the main dining room, but the glimpses I saw were good enough. I’ve been twice for lunch on previous vacations so I’ve seen it all already.

Of course, my picture looks like crap…  just Google it. You’ll see how awesome it is.

Next I walked over to Rue Crémieux.

Interesting I suppose, because it’s so un-Parisian, but overall not that extraordinary.

I had lunch at a Brasserie on the Ile Saint Louis with a shadowy view of the Pantheon.

Today was the last day for my museum pass, so after lunch I went to check out the line ups for the last 2 included activities I had left to do on my list. The Notre Dame Towers and the Louvre. I got to the Towers and the line was very short! I thought I was lucky until I heard that now visits are by appointment only. Too bad. I’m extra glad now I went 2 years ago.

Onwards to the Louvre where I was thrilled to discover there was no line-up at all whatsoever! It was around 3:30PM and I was able to waltz right in.

I didn’t have a plan, I didn’t bother with a map, I just picked a section I had not seen before and wandered for about 2 hours. It’s enough for me.

Bad kitty!!!

This is what I find so fascinating about paintings: Texture. The silk of the dress, the velvet of the cape, the stone of the floor…

…. and light. Look at how the candle illuminates their faces. There really seems to be a light in the painting.

This made me laugh out loud.  She’s so obviously taking a selfie!

I did of course peek in and say Hi to Mona…  it’s only polite, right?

And what the Hell is this?????

I didn’t know what to do next, I wasn’t hungry but I was tired and very thirsty. Fate decided for me as I passed by a couple having Aperol Spritz at a café. Monkey see, monkey do! You can see a glimpse of the drink between them on the far left.

I realized I hadn’t seen the place Vendôme yet on this trip, so I made that my next stop.

Then remembered there is a sandwich shop near there that I saw on TV once and is supposed to make great sandwiches to go. I thought I’d pick one up for supper and eat it as I walked back to the hotel (a little less than an hour walk). It was a good sandwich, but nothing special, not worth a special detour.  I also got rained out of my plans to walk back to the hotel and jumped in the metro at Place de la Condorde.

I still had an itsy bitsy corner of space in my stomach for a night cap, so I had another Aperol Spritz at one of the cafés near the hotel and then called it quits for the day.

Regarding my museum pass: even with the 2 surprise freebies, just like the last times I bought passes, I got my money’s worth. The pass was 74€ for 6 days. Great deal!

Here are some random shots of my day:

Designer Doggy Bowls

I’m annoyed this picture turned out blurry, I find the face SO CREEPY! There is something about it…  If I remember tomorrow, I’ll try and get a better one.

Eyesore!