Paris Day 2

Day
2

 

This
morning we slept in and then went to the café next door to eat and use their
internet to check the Tour, email and facebook. 

 

We
then took the train to the Louvre. 
We were blown away at how huge it was.  The longer we were there the larger it became to us.  You could be in there for weeks and see
new things. 

 

Here
we are outside of the Louvre

 

Seated
statue of Ramses II

 

Aphrodite
also known as Venus de Milo

 

The
Winged Victory of Samothrace – The goddess of victory the Greek name is
Nike.  We had not known the meaning
behind Nike before.  Pretty cool!

 

Mona
Lisa

 

The
Wedding Feast -this painting is of the wedding where Jesus turned the water into
wine.  It fills a huge wall.

 

This
is Louis XV Coronation Crown

 

 

 

These
pictures were taken from the Napoleon III Apartment that was for the Minister
of Defense.  Apartment does not
seem like the right word for this place. 

 

Table
seats 48.  I had trouble finding a
table for 12 in the US!

 

Check
out the ceiling.

 

This
table we thought was amazing.  
It was made in 1806 and completely folds together to make an oval table
when the desk in not in use.  It is
quite impressive that they created something like this over 200 years ago!

 

This
picture does not adequately show how large this place is, but it is my best
attempt.  The buildings continue
farther back on the left and right. 
Beyond that is a large garden area. 

 

Our
guide book told of us of possible scams that are done here, and we saw one
today.  A man approached us while
picking up a ring (he had just dropped it).  We walked away right as he started talking to us.  They buy cheap rings and go up to
tourists and pick up a ring and shine it up asking if you dropped your wedding
ring.  They then try to sell it to
you at a “great deal”.

 

We
walked along where the Tour De France riders will be riding next week.  Michael is secretly hoping a volcano
will erupt or something like that will happen so we are stuck here for the end
of the race. 

 

I
am not sure how far we ended up walking, we wish we had on something to tell
us!  We spent the entire day
walking the Louvre and around Paris. 
It was quite hot, but we loved it anyway.  We have felt hot and sticky the whole time so far. 

 

Despite
being hot, I was excited when we passed a Starbucks.  I have missed Chai Tea.  Michael stood in the long line for one.  Unfortunately it was not quite the
same, but it was better than the dark hot chocolate I have been given with
breakfast since I do not like coffee.

 

One
of the neat things that we have seen here are these bike racks with bikes.  They are all over Paris.  You can get a card and use the bikes
unlimited, or pay per time.  You
can pick one up in one area, and then return it at any of the bike stations.  At night they redistribute the
bikes.  They are every 300 yards,
so you never have to go far.

 

We
feel like we are beginning to master the train system.  The public transportation works well,
the downside is often the trains feel like you are in a sauna. 

 

We
had another amazing day, and are looking forward to beginning our tour in the
Alps tomorrow.