Day 3 - Monday September 3

Up on time and had breakfast at the hotel which was included. Got my direction for the subway to get to the Musee de l'Orangerie. Exiting the Metro at the Concorde station, I came out and turned the corner to see an iconic sight, the Eiffel Tower, yes I really was in Paris!

The Orangerie has impressionist paintings, the most significant are the eight large canvases that Claude Monet painted of the various water lily paintings. I thought I had seen one of these panels in 1997 at the Art Institute in Chicago, but I have a book on that exhibit and no one was not included. It was another large panel painting. To see them all at one time was amazing. I managed to get there early enough to be able to take pictures without a huge number of people. I walked through again later before I left and the rooms were crowded, so glad I got there early.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The lower level had more paintings. The Orangerie has housed the Paul Guillaume collection of 19th and 20th century modern paintings since 1965.

Just outside the Orangerie, a small version of Rodin, The Kiss.

After a few hours in the museum, I had time to people watch, traffic watch on the Place de la Concorde, lots of chairs to sit and wait. Then a familiar face from Facebook and The Poupounette appeared. #1, Virginia Kouyoumdjian in person!

We had a lovely, leisurely lunch together in an outdoor cafe in the Tuileries Garden. We talked cats, horses, blogs, Facebook and lots of other topics. I was so happy we were able to make this happen. Goody bags were exchanged for the four footed gang.

My day was far from over, after Virginia and I parted I continued walking through the main walkway of the Tuileries toward The Louve. I didn't go into the Louve as my interest in art is more current, but did take pictures of the outside.

 

 

 

 

 

So after this I kept walking, hey, so much to see, not enough time. Next stop was Sainte-Chapelle, filled with glorious stained glass. My pictures do not do justice to this building.

 

 

 

 

 Last official stop of the day was Notre Dame. I did not see the hunchback and I did not do the stairs to get to the upper level view. I didn't think my knees could handle it and I didn't want to wear myself out the first few days in Paris. I still had lots to do.

 

 

On the walk back to the Metro station on the I found a shopkeeper who had gotten tired of answering questions as to where people could find Notre Dame. If you wanted to by flowers in the flower shop they would be happy to talk to you.

Made in back to hotel, tired but pleased with all that I accomplished in one day. I checked my fitbit this day, over 13,000 steps and nearly 6 miles!