Paris Day Sixteen- the last day

Today was the day to get some last minute shopping done. First thing we left for the Louvre gift shop. It was too late when we went to the museum 10 days ago for us to look around. There is a portable building in Cour Napoleon next to the entrance to get any and all items you could ever want having to do with this museum.  The security line to get into the Louvre was insane. We were there around 9:30am. The museum opened at 9am. 

PA_1051 100 pts No spoilers but its likely they will both be back for Ep VIII.

The line just to get through security at 9:30 am. No thank you. This is why Wednesday and Fridays are so important.

Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre metro entrance

 Since we were so close I wanted to show Carole and Elizabeth the Palais Royal courtyard and the large sculpture work by Daniel Buren. It never gets old. 

Pol Bury

Jardin du Palais Royal

Elizabeth enjoying what appears to be the only working fountain in the city.

That's what statues are good for, right?

I found this one on Google street view- surprised its still there. Rue Montpensier.

PA_1100 50 pts

This is hilarious.  Place Mireille Sometimes vandalism can be fun.

PA_1140 50 pts

PA_1058 30 pts

Recycle those trees!

Check out that sign. Not sure if the octopus is happy or what.

Excellent view up to Montmartre. Rue de Richeileu.

 Seeing the large C215 mural was a must so we left the 1st and headed across the city to Rue de Belleville and the 20th. It is just  half a block from Telegraphe metro station. I took some photos and then we hopped back on the metro in search of place that was open for lunch. Many restaurants took a few days off around Christmas. 

C215 mural on Rue Pelleport

We went back to Le Select for a late lunch. It's just a few metro stops from there to the apartment. We rested a bit then went back out to walk the neighborhood and get in some shopping. We perused a few tourist shops on our street and then down to United Colors of Benetton before we came full circle and stopped back in Shakespeare & Co.  While on Rue Monsieur Le Prince I asked them if they wanted to stand where Tom Hiddleston had stood. Who wouldn't, right?

Polidor. If you haven't seen Midnight In Paris go do that then come back. 

I found a few more gems and S&Co and hit up Anoki again. We had coffee and dessert at Le Mondrian before we got some much needed sitting time back at the apartment. The family stayed in while I left for Forum des Images so see a 35mm copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula from 1992. The first reel was shredded but thankfully the rest of tolerable. 

There was a concert going on in Saint Michel metro station when I got back tonight. Most people had stopped and were dancing a singing along. It was a bit difficult to get around the edge of the crowd to head toward the exit. I don't know who the artist was but they were signing in English and most of the crowd was singing along. What a great ending to this trip. 

It's just about midnight and I don't expect to get much sleep tonight. A 10:50am flight means an early start and I never sleep well with an early morning flight. 

This was my fourth trip to this strange and beautiful city. My interactions with the Parisians I met were positive. I saw more kindness between strangers than the opposite. And it's been a pleasure to show my family a city I've grown to really think of as a second home. Taking line 4 yet again back to the apartment tonight really felt like I was home. Now I'm going back to my real home to drive my car. I will however, be taking the stairs from now on. I promise you that.

I'll have some odds and ends to post from my phone when I get back to my home computer. My phone decided it didn't want to connect to wifi that requires a password five days after I got here. 

France24.com still is an excellent news source if you are looking for something new. The bread here still rivals everywhere else. It's okay to have champaign with lunch. And the French really know how to have a great time at the movies. 

I hope those of you who have been following this adventure found something useful and are planning your own trip to a far away place. Leave a comment or two if you like. Signing off now because I feel sleep is on it's way after all. 

We'll meet back here again back on EST.