Wednesday, August 10th--Arc d'Triumph and Musee Rodin

After another very filling breakfast at the hotel, we took a different route to the Champs d'Elysees, taking us past some of the most expensive retail shops in the world like Prada and Chanel.  You have to make an appointment to buy a dress.  We also passed extremely expensive residences.  This route allowed us to reach the Champs d''Elyseea quicker than yesterday.  Exchanged dollars for euros at a higher rate today because the market rebounded, and was able to get 61 cents on the dollar.  Took another captivating stroll down the Avenue to our destination,  the Arc de Triomphe at the Place Charles de Gaulle.  One of the world's busiest turn-arounds, cars fly around at high speeds.  The traffic route is so confusing that insurance companies automatically split accidents 50/50,  have given up trying to figure out who is at fault.

Took a tunnel under the turn-around to reach the Arc.  Once there, our museum pass allowed us instant access and we walked up 284 steps in a very narrow winding staircase surrounded by a stone wall and an iron railing.  Stepping over dead tourists, we finally reached the top.  The views were spectacular in every direction.  The wind was heavy up there and many men were happy to see that some female tourists wore dresses.  Mari had a conversation with a couple from England who told her about the view towards the financial district.  They were also jealous because she has tickets to see David Tennant in Much Ado about Nothing and they hadn't been able to get tickets to Hamlet which he starred in last year,  playing right in their own town.

After drinking in the sites, we climbed down the 284 stairs and headed back down the Avenue.  People watching is a real treat.  We saw everyone from jet-setters and models to french families on vacation and other people from around the world.  Stopping at benches along the way we continued walking.

At the end of the Champs d' Elysees, there are multiple gardens all of which are beautiful.  People were sitting out and  taking their lunch breaks.  We continued left to the Place de la Concorde which is a magnificent, panoramic square.  It was at the Place de la Concorde where thousands of French aristocracy were guillotined.  To mark the spot, the French imported an Egyptian obelisk, hundreds of feet tall.  It is sobering to stand in the spot where so many people lost their lives so dreadfully while thousands cheered.

We then took the Concorde bridge across the Seine, again viewing fabulous cruise ships and the waterway.  We walked past the National Assembly guarded by young French Legionnaires, to the Rodin Museum.

Bruce has always loved the sculptures of Rodin, including the Thinker (Mari has always loved The Kiss).  Once again our passes allowed us instant access and we entered a world of abject beauty.  The beautiful gardens  were  full of hydrangeas, roses, sculptured shrubbery,  and benches.  Highlighting the garden were Rodin's sculptures: "The Thinker',  "Balzac", "The Gates of Hell", "The Six Burghers of Calais" (about to be hanged), "Adam", "Meditation" (a lady) and many more.

We ate lunch in the Garden Cafe where Bruce knocked his bottle of Coke onto his clothing.  For reasons of propriety, he decided not to use the restroom until his pants dried.  The lunch was delicious and we each ordered a beautiful and tasty pastry.  The only problem was the yellow jackets surrounding our table.  We moved inside after killing thousands. (Sorry, Brent)

We then visited the inside display which was housed in a number of rooms on 2 levels and featured masterpieces like "The Kiss", "The Lovers", a smaller "Thinker", "Eve", and the mockup for the Gates of Hell.  

Encountered a Chinese family from Vancouver, Canada, whose mother noticed we had the same Paris travel book.  He's a computer programmer and she is an occupational therapist.  Their children are Rachel, a third grader and Nicholas soon to be eleven years old, he proudly stated.  We talked a long time about family and travel adventures on a park bench in the garden.  They were a nice accent to the day and Bruce shared some of his own adventures in Hong Kong, where both the parent were from.

The mother asked Mari quietly if she noticed anything about her son, since they had discussed that she was a special education teacher.   MARI:   I said I noticed a slight lisp, some perservation on the topic of CARS I, possibly slight hyperactivity and staying on topic.  She smiled gratefully and said that he had been diagnosed with Autism since the age of three years.  We complimented them on his progress and his great behavior.  The father beamed proudly and the mother looked greatly pleased.  Nicholas had not shown any stress with all of the changes and sensory bombardment that travel had brought into his life.

Saying our goodbyes we took a beautiful stroll back through the gardens, out into the streets and to our hotel.

We stopped at a local grocery and boulangerie to pick up food for the room.  As we write this we are not sure if we are going out tonight.  Hope everyone is doing great, and wish you could experience this amazing city (but not with us right now).