DAY 32 - MON 4/1 - Musees & Soleil

Today is Lundi de Paques, Easter Monday, so a lot of things will be closed. We take our chances and go to the Place de la Concorde and up into the Jardin des Tuilleries where we will have some museum choices. Finally it's a sunny day...the gardens are filled with happy people strolling and taking advantage of le soleil. But it remains cold.

As it turns out, we find the Jeu de Paume closed tight, apart from what the books say, but to our pleasant surprise there are people milling around L'Orangerie on the other side of the garden so it looks like it's open and we are in luck. The line moves quickly and we get right in. 

                                                

The building is simple and modern inside this Renaissance structure, and perfect for a gallery.  The main floor showcases Monet's Water Lily series in two gigantic oval galleries. The paintings envelope you in color, with no day or night, beginning or end...spectacular! If that were all the Musee had to offer that would be enough. 

Then you go downstairs and there are many smaller galleries with the best of the best...including Renoir, Cezanne, Picasso, Soutine, Modigliani, Rousseau, Derrain, etc. etc. it's a fabulously delicious place for the eyes and the soul...at least for us.

                         

Next we strolled in the Tuilleries back up to Rue de Rivoli and then on to Rue Cambon. This is the little street where we stayed in the Hotel de Castille in the spring of 1968 for three months while waiting for the riots and strikes to end so that our furniture could be unloaded from the ship and delivered to our apartment. We have such achingly intense but fond memories of this area, the place which began our love affair with Paris, exploring, learning, and travel.

                      

We worked our way through the streets heading back toward the Louvre. We didn't care if it was open or not, because on such a beautiful day we just wanted to soak up the sights. 

Besides seeing some 'uniforms,' we passed a classical orchestra that had spectators mesmerized, even the littlest kids on their trikes stopped to listen, and a good brass band, with roller bladders doing routines around little cones nearby. 

Then we pass a brass band playing their hearts out.  Paris seemed like an outdoor Holiday extravaganza.

We finally reached Le Petit Arch de Triomphe at the far end of the Tuilleries that compliments L'Arch de Triomphe at L'Etoile at the top of Le Champs Élysées. 

                                  

And then the main square of the Louvre appeared, with the stupendous I. M. Pei glass Pyramid in the center of Le Louvre court yard...what adjectives are there for this?!!

                                  

We finish ogling and taking pictures from every angle, passed the cafe under the arcade and the glorious fountains. 

We then head through one of the archways out to the Pont des Arts. This is the bridge for lovers, filled on both sides with padlocks attached by couples expressing their love by throwing the key into Le Seine to insure eternal Amour!! You just can't stop smiling. 

                                  

Now on Le Rive Gauche, we pass some of the famous book stalls that have opened because of the Soleil, and the famous 3-star La Perrouse restaurant back in the day when we ate there many years ago...ahhh, thank heavens for expense accounts!! 

We also passed Bistro des Augustins where we think was the very first restaurant we were taken to just after landing in Paris by the man that Marty was replacing...a very memorable day for us.

                                  

As the sun was setting we dashed home to freshen up, and then made our way back to the 16th Arondissement, where we used to live (notice our Metro stop, and that's our terrace up on the 3rd floor...we stared at it for about 5 minutes reminiscing some more...we just can't help it...this is a very nostalgic trip for us). 

                       

                       

We were coming back here tonight for a very momentous occasion...to go to the San Francisco Restaurant just across the street from our old apartment and to meet Francois Amato, the ex husband of my very best friend in Paris, Irene (who, if you remember, had visited us a few weeks ago here with her husband, Hal). We had always kept in touch with Irene over the years, she coming to visit us in Scarsdale about 25 years ago, and we visiting she and Hal in Brighton, England, a charming seaside town where they live, about 15 years a ago. But we have not kept in touch with Francois for all these years since we left Paris in 1970...43 years ago!!
                                 

At the San Francisco, Francois was waiting for us and we were greeted with a big smile and hugs all around. Francois mentioned how he recognized us immediately, and caressed Jill's hair saying she hadn't changed. Throughout dinner we caught up on our lives, business, kids (he has two daughters with two wives), grand kids, being single and the dating scene in Paris. We even actually did FaceTime from Marty's iPhone with Justin...right there at the table!! It was an amazing evening, surreal after all these years!  Francois knew Justin for almost two years until we left for Rome...mind blowing!! 

                                             

Francois has not lost his mellow charm and sense of humor, and we all so much enjoyed our reunion. We agreed to see each other again before we leave Paris, and he mentioned something about making dinner for us. We will see.

Once again, we had a spectacular, nostalgic day. We hope it continues.