Our first day in Paris

Our train ride to Paris was much easier than our ride to Amsterdam.  A shorter trip on a faster train and we were there in just over three hours, which gave us the afternoon to get into the city.

Ready to go

I'm trying hard this trip to not spend too much time in museums, especially art museums.  However, if you're in the town with the Musee d'Orsay you have to go to the Musee d'Orsay.  So we put our stuff down and basically head back out.  We got there by walking across the Tuileries Garden, which was lovely. 

Honestly, the time period that the Musee d'Orsay focuses on is probably my least favorite type of art (I'm just not that into impressionists and late 19th century art).  However, it was cool to see the originals of some really famous works.  (Lea had a series of board books when she was a baby, each of which focused on a different artist and I kept saying stuff like "remember that one from Dancing with Degas?"  Or "oh, that was from Sundays with Surat!")

Whistler's Mother.  All the way from good ole Lowell, MA

From "In the Garden with Van Gogh"

From "Sharing with Renoir"

From "Sundays with Surat"

Lea likes sculpture more than painting, so there was plenty for her as well.

Me, trying to get up in the morning

vs Pete first thing in the morning

We didn't spend too long at the museum, instead choosing to spend a little time sitting in the garden before heading to dinner.  We went to a place right next to the museum, and I'm not sure if it was because we were all _starving_ or if the food was genuinely really amazing, but dinner was fantastic.  I had roast chicken and it was some of the best I've ever eaten.

When in Paris, eat a Croque Monsieur

We definitely had room for dessert

Creme brulee was not too much

It was such a nice night we decided we'd do a Seine River cruise just to see the city a little bit.  It was extremely impersonal and touristy, but a decent way to see some of the city, a lot of it we're going to go back out and see more close up.

We were already there!

We're going there!

We can't go there because it burnt down.  You can actually still smell the fire when you go past it.

City Island.  We might go there.

Primarily what I learned is that Parisians really love their bridges.  Honestly, a story about every bridge we passed under.  

A bridge commemorating the friendship between France and Russia. 
Not sure it's an accurate reflection of the actual politics of the time or now.

We made it back to our place, unpacked and did some laundry (we have a washer and a dryer!) and got some sleep to rest up for the remainder of our time here.  Today we're off to Sainte Chapelle and the Concierge, and we'll see what the rest of the day holds!