Off at the Madeleine church to buy gifts at Fauchon. Brian bought a tins of biscuits for his parents and one for Amanda for watching the cats. And I bought a gift for myself: a sample of fruit confit/pate--outrageously expensive cubes in a little pink box. They have to be eaten slowly and savored. We strolled down the Champs Elysee, wind and rain spitting. The street is like Madison Ave or upper 50s Fifth Avenue in New York City: wide sidewalks and high-end flagship stores. The best part is the large sidewalks--all the streets near our hotel have room for only one person and that space must still be shared with refuse containers and mopeds (and other people). Crossed underground to the Arc de Triomphe. Looked down the vistas from each of the avenues of the etoile. The sun came out from behind a clouds for a few minutes. Our spirits rallied so we finally decided to do the big one: the Eiffel Tower. Despite one (maybe two) visits to Paris and living in the city for six weeks one summer, I've never been to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Before it had seemed so expensive, or obvious, but its hard to avoid it. Exited the metro at the Trocadero and walked across the bridge. A class of grade schoolers walked down the steps opposite, each boy wielding a long baguette like a sword. The line at the tower moved relatively quickly, but the guards have the process down pat. The second platform had an impressive view and a bitter cold wind. Top floor naturally had a better view and an even colder wind. Supposedly one can see the Chartres' cathedral spires from the top but I couldn't. Yes, it was crowded and noisy--that's expected. However, baby strollers are just unnecessary. Infants don't care about any view except their mother's. All in all, I'm glad I did it and now I'll never have to do it again. Lunched at a Thai restaurant with a basil chicken dish.
Back to the Musee Cluny for the third attempt at visiting. Big fat rain drops began to fall so we rushed inside. We stood in line but a second line of German tourists formed around us. Tried to work our way back in, but an older German tour guide yelled that I wasn't in line. Argued, lost, and went to the end. Finally paid and was told by the guard to check my bag. Bag checker told me to go in with bag. Shouted rapid-fire "pardons" at the German guide's group of gathering ladies. My favorite part of the museum is how it was built on Roman baths--some of these are now exposed. Our cities will be more efficiently buried and turned to dust. Brian and I had a picnic dinner in the hotel of baguette, camembert, couscous, and yogurt, and watched CNN and snooker. Later in the evening I went to a cafe to read Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass and tried to figure out which cat of mine is my daemon.
