Day 3: Paris

Day 3:  Paris

Quote of the Day: THB learns a new trick

Weather: Cool, warming up to mid-70s with a bit of a breeze, a gorgeous fall day

THB talks in his sleep. THB was a sleep-walker in his youth. DB catches THB taking a nap with his Kindle held up over his head, so now THB is also a sleep-reader!

THB slept in, amazingly enough. Off to Tout Autour du Pain with a stop at Poilane, another very well known chain of bakeries and only a few meters out of the way. The chocolate croissant at Poilane has more chocolate, the Tout Autour more chewy layers of croissant. THB and DB prefer Tout Autour’s version. $9 for all five (or is it six?) pastries. Decaf coffee this morning, can we tell the difference?

DB and MB come to the apartment and off we go as told in pictures and captions:

Notre Dame in scaffolding

Stained glass in Saint Chapelle (10E pp to enter)

Saint Chapelle spare parts

Late morning cafe au laits ($22 for four, or approximately $5 for weak coffee and $17 for comfortable and quiet spot to rest up); the staff is having lunch as we amble off towards the Tuileries

Metro entrance art by Jean-Michel Othoniel

Sculpture by Daniel Buren inside Palais Royal courtyard

The pillars extend down below 

Bronze tree in Tuileries by Guiseppe Penone

Real tree by Nature beside bronze tree

Etienne-Martin

Cafe inside Jeu De Paume (also outside, we decide to dine in a/c) 

$22 for museum, $33 for lunch

There is a large photography (and video interviews) exhibit of Sally Mann. This photo is titled Bloody Nose

"Gorjus" (the license plate on truck)

Blowing bubbles

Uber pick-up

Arrive back at the hotel and agree on time to meet for taking the metro for a brief visit to the Musee de Branly and then dinner at Les Ombres (shares a site/building with the Musee), dining with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

We want to go to the Musee de quai Branly Jacques Chirac except they stop selling tickets and thus entrance after 6pm. Too late for museum, too early for dinner, just right for museum shop buying

Glass and steel roof

Fois gras to start for THB

DB starts with ravioli and prawns

Chicken served pink

Fish served dry and overcooked

How late was the fig tart? Very late....still, very tasty

Dinner is a disappointment: one person is our waiter/sommelier/busboy, and he is doing the same for far too many tables (result: forgot to take a dessert order, request for butter is ignored, wine not poured, water not refilled, etc.); the food is just okay at best (e.g., fish overcooked, not fresh); first choice of both white and red wines n/a (“last bottles sold yesterday, alas”). On other hand, the conversation was very good, easy to talk and listen, and a lifetime of multiple views of Eiffel Tower during dinner. Total with two very nice bottles of wine, $600 for four.

Eiffel Tower during day time, dusk, and evening:

At 9 and 10 "sparklers" go off on the entire tower

Uber back to the hotel, a short walk to the apartment (and search for the "night" code)  and yet another DJT firing/resignation. Guess he keeps hiring apprentices that don't work out.

Shots from around town (not included in above):

The owner of the aparmtment, Cambouldives, is an artist and there is a  a lot his/her work hanging