Today we ventured outside of Paris to Katie’s number one request: Giverny (and is this not the cutest, quaintest website ever or what?!?). This was extra neat as neither Chuck nor I had ever been there. Our new BFF Stephane, our personal concierge (who we get to meet face to face tomorrow), arranged the whole thing. A van picked us up outside the apartment at 8am and we were driven out to Giverny and spent three hours exploring Monet’s house, the gardens, and the Musee des Impressionnismeses which is a couple of blocks from Monet’s house. Monet’s house and gardens were beyond amazing – exactly as I imagined and the paintings portray. Monet, to be trite, basically painted what was right in front of him. I say that as a person who is skilled, in no small measure, at the drawing of happy faces.
We were driven back to Paris and after being dropped off at our hotel, headed off to Musee Marmottan to see Monet’s paintings of the gardens. It’s changed since the last time I was there (uh, 30 years ago) and they’ve moved the hug canvases of the pond and the lily pads to make way for special collections. The current special collection was showing of Berthe Morrisot’s works.I have see more of Mary Cassat’s works, so it was neat to learn more about the “other” great woman impressionist
After the Marmottan we metro’d over to the Eiffel Tower. There we encountered the first true crowds of our trip. It turns out the Eiffel Tower is suffering technical difficulties and has only one working lift which has created massive waits and no advance ticket sales. You just go and wait a few hours. Even Stephane warned us off. Katie wasn’t that excited (she’s fighting a cold) about standing in that long, snaking line so we just walked around it and took pictures. Down along the Seine a band was playing 60’s music so we listened to that a bit, checked out where we catch the boat for our dinner cruise on the Seine tonight (Monday night – it’s hard to keep days straight!) then headed back to the apartment for a semi-early night.
It’s funny about the Effel Tower. I’ve been to Paris four or five times and I have yet to go up the Eiffel Tower. The first time I was doing the backpacking trip route and was just too cheap to go up. Ever since it hasn’t worked out for one reason or another. I’m beginning to think it’s my fate to never go up. *sigh.
Anyway, today is Notre Dame and a river cruise on the Seine. Then, believe it or not, Katie goes home. Where does the time go?!?
I’ve been part way up the Eiffel Tower. We had dinner there with Holly and Waynn and Joan and Martin a few years back.
Sadly it won’t happen this trip. The broken lifts have caused huge havoc!