Good evening!

I didn’t write anything for yesterday, not because it wasn’t one of THE MOST EXCITING DAYS, but because I was super tired. I also spent a while catching up with family and by the time I hung up it was midnight!

Now to try to contain my excitement.

I woke feeling much better and was ready to conquer Paris. After a brief stop for a croissant for Alison we booked it for The Louvre. It was probably 8:45 and the streets were deserted. The sunrise coming over the buildings was both blinding and beautiful. We walked through the park on our way and saw some funny birds chilling in a pond. (As a side note. Pigeons are the grossest thing. Maybe more than bugs.) Our early rise got us in line, and into the museum fairly quickly.

I downloaded an app that had guided tours and with our pass in hand we headed straight for the Mona Lisa. Both Alison and I said she looked much happier in person. And she was exactly the size I imagined. Her eyes do follow you, but so does every other forward facing painting. There wasn’t a big crowd in front of her, so after a few minutes we continued on. I can see how it would overwhelming during peak days, as the room is not that big and the other paintings are a distant second thought.

Our plan originally was to spend half a day in The Louvre but after three hours and half the museum we were feeling good (and not overwhelmed!) Italy helped prepare our brains for fine art overload. The building is the perfect back drop for the art, and Napoleons rooms are a superb example of French opulence. There are WAY too many to name all of my favorites so here are just a few!

After 7+ hours we conquered Le Louvre! Feeling high on exquisite art we crossed Pont Neuf and followed the signs towards Notre Dame. Wows. Similar to the Dome in Florence, Notre Dame is right in the middle of Île de la Cité. It is bordered by apartments and cafés. We first visited the crypts, which detailed how the Île was developed and had remnants of the previous structures.

When we were walking out of the crypt we heard the sound of motorcycles revving. A LOT of motorcycles. Hundreds of bikes had flooded the street in protest of a bill the Mayor wants to sign that would require nearly all of the bikes allowed in the city to be made after 2000. As they are a major mode of transportation, and the French being the French, I understand their desire to protest.

Once the ruckus calmed, we waited in line for about ten minutes and then were in Notre Dame! The cathedral was impressive, with higher ceilings than I would have guessed from the outside. We learned that Joan of Arc was posthumously declared innocent (after being burned at the stake by the English at age 19) and canonized (made a saint) over 450 years later in 1920.

On our walk back to our flat, we paused to grab crepes and watch people stroll along the Champs Élysées. Crepes with applesauce is my new favorite thing.

Tomorrow we plan on heading back to the Île da la Ćité and then to the Centre Pompidou (our first modern art museum! Eeee!)