My last weekend if France. I spent it going to museums raising my level of culture. I rode an early train on Saturday morning and arrived in Paris around 10:30. My hotel room wasn't ready yet so I was forced to shop in St. Germain-des-Pres while I waited. I then headed to the Orsay museum to see the impressionists. The Monet's and Van Gogh's were my favorites. Since I was by myself, I got a headset which I will absolutely do again. It was like living a discovery channel show. Plus, I think I appreciate the art more when it has some context. In the evening I had a few beers before dinner at a bar in the Latin Quarter then got lost in the narrow, neon-light maze of streets searching for a place to eat. The Latin Quarter is definitely a good place to experience the night life of Paris and find a good, cheap meal...Finally. Food is expensive in Europe not to mention Paris. I paid 4 euros for my falafel but 4.80 for one beer.

On Sunday morning, I was at the Louvre when it opened to avoid the crowds at the Mona Lisa, a strategy which paid off doubly. I saw the best sunrise over the Ile de la Cite and, when I walked past the Mona Lisa hours later, the crowd was 15 (mostly Chinese) people wide by 15 people deep. Actually, I liked the Orsay museum better than the Louvre overall but now I can say I saw the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and many other famous, really old works of art. Afterwards, I walked to the Arc de Triomphe through the Tuileries Garden and down the Champs-Elysees. Okay, I admit to eating McDonald's for lunch but, you can get beer in a McDonald's cup with a lid and a straw so, that somehow elevates the whole experience. I took myself out for a date to end my time in Paris.

I had dinner in the Latin Quarter then saw Little Miss Sunshine (in english with French subtitles). Going to a movie in Paris was worth the experience. The seats were upholstered in plush, red velvet and the walls were painted a rich, royal red making the theatre feel very Parisian. I ended the evening with ice cream from a quintessential Parisian café complete with bentwood and cane bistro chairs. I guess I must now return to the real world but I can’t think of a better way to end my vacation.
My favorite Van Gogh at the Orsay museum.
Me at the Louvre. I went in this time.

After the Louvre, I went back to the hotel to take a nap. I was greeted by a huge crowd of Parisian rollerbladers when I left the metro. There must have been city wide rollerblade convention which started right outside my hotel. They filled a four-lane city street for at least a long block. I'm not really sure what they were doing but they were fun to watch.