Paris St. Germain - Musee du Louvre

Bonjour mes amis!!

Today I was not sure If I wanted to go out given it was very cloudy and still quite cold in the morning.  I had breakfast, took a shower and then determined how I felt.   I felt I needed to go out :)

Quite frankly once I was up and going the weather was not too bad at all.  Since I am walking everywhere, it actually got kind of warm after about 20 minutes.  I thought today I would go check out Musee du Louvre since it is not open on Tuesdays (meaning I wanted to go Tuesday but they're not open that day).  I just started walking through neighborhoods and made my way to Blvd. St. Germain.   The St. Germain-de-Pres area is in the 6th arrondissement and is best known for it's intellectual history.  It houses the famed Le Deux Magot Cafe which was frequented by many intellectuals including Ernest Hemingway.  I will have to pay a visit to this little Cafe to see what it's all about.  I read up on all these arrondissements before I visit them :)

By way of a lot of walking (I do mean alot) and admiring some charming streets, I ran into Eglise Sainte Chapelle (pics attached) and then I found the infamous Musee du Louvre.  (It took me just under an hour to get there from home).  I must say I did not know what to expect when I saw the Louvre and I could not have been more surprised when I took a stroll.  Truthfully the place was overwhelming (and I don't mean that negatively but rather  because it's so utterly amazing and grand and big and historic - like why don't they make architecture like that anymore?).  I felt the same way when I saw the Basilica in Rome and Niagara Falls.  You have to see them to truly admire them.

While I did not go into the museum (I do plan to go back to see the Mona Lisa at least) It's enough to just walk around.   Actually I could probably spend the rest of my time at the museum and not see it all.  It is that Grand!!

I then walked back to the St. Michel area, went into a few souvenir shops...The shops can be a little cheesy, you know what I mean.  NY has tons of those :) (with the I Love NY crap).  But don't be offended If I bring you something like that ;)

Then I walked back home along the Seine River and stopped to admire the Notre Dame (This structure may very well be my favorite and takes my breath away - seriously) and rested a bit.  The walk along the river is just splendid but at my age walking isn't that easy anymore.  I get home exhausted :) -- I will say that is what I LOVE about Paris.  Everyone walks everywhere.  I am really enjoying not having to get into a car and fighting traffic.  Fatima told me the true Parisians don't drive.  It's the people from the suburbs having to get somewhere else that use Paris as their cross point and then congest the city.

It was a great day and I am enjoying exploring the city!  I hope you enjoyed it as well.

Avec L'amour de Paris