Day 11: As I was walking the Champs Elysees...

Behold me at length on the vaunted scene of Europe!  ~  Thomas Jefferson

Friday, December 23, 2011

Waking up to the beauty of the waves and the slightly sewagey smell of the Seine, we headed towards the Louvre. Crossing the Pont Neuf, we could see Square du Vert Galant Park, and the Samaritaine.

Jason Bourne is behind that M right now.

After arriving at the Louvre, my family headed inside through the glass pyramid, and Colin and I went down the Carrousel entrance. I had already been to the Louvre, and Colin was tired of art. After paying 80 cents to use the restroom, we ate at the food court in the Carrousel. The pizza, canolis, and tiramisu were pretty good. We wandered around the shops, trying out massage chairs, admiring tiny fountains and wind chimes. We bought a wallet for Colin's mom, then headed up and out of the Louvre. Outside, the hedges of the Tuileries were green, but the trees were bare of leaves. Pigeons strutted in puddles and muddy sand. White statues lined the pathway through the gardens, with heroes and warriors in positions of grandeur. Chairs surrounded a low fountain that would be a perfect spot in the springtime. Heading up a ramp, we reached the Place de la Concorde, where a guillotine had stood during the Revolution. Now, a golden plaque commemorates Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, and an obelisk with a golden tip pierces the sky.

Our stroll down the Champs Elysees was not the typical blur of cafes and people, because white wooden stalls were set up along the whole way in celebration of Christmas. They served vin chaud, crepes, German food, jewelry and gloves. Reaching the Arc de Triomphe, we took the Metro back to the Hotel de Ville. Spending some more time shopping at the riverside stalls, we brought our purchases back to the apartment, then met the family at the Square du Vert Galant. It was a peaceful spot, but we did have to get up and move to another bench when a man started smoking a cigar.