Day 6 - The places they warn you about

We woke up in our new hotel around 9:30, still sleeping way later than we planned. Nothing looked appetizing in our area, so we hopped on the Metro with the usual empty stomachs and headed for Montmartre, the location of the Sacre Couer. This is yet another famous church, built atop the only hill in Paris. It is in the north of the City, looking down on the sin capitals like the Pigale and Moulin Rouge. It is also home to many of the pickpockets, beggars and scam artists that the tour books warn you of.

Upon leaving the metro, we were immsered in the area immediately. All of the roads leading up to the church are very narrow and lined with souvenir shops and tacky cafes. We managed to find a decent breakfast, and had become immune to the 20 Euro total on the bill. Edith wrapped up most of the souvenir shopping and we headed up the hill.

We were stopped by some very friendly men from Senegal who wanted to put friendship bracelets on our wrists. Althoug I knew it was a scam for money, it was impossible to put up resistance. Edith got away with donating the 4 Euros in change that she had, but all I had was a 20. I tried to contain the damage to 5 Euros, but could only wrestle (figuratively) 10 back in change from my 20.

The rest of the walk was uneventful with the usual cast of beggars and people impersonating statues.

By this time it was noon and Mass had started inside the Sacre Couer. Photos are not permitted, but it is the usual domed ceiling with lots of stained glass and statues. There was a choir of nuns singing to start Mass, and I have to say that the sound was heavenly indeed.,

Upon leaving, our plan was to attend a small special museum exhibition near our first hotel. The exhibit featured works by Bruegel, Memmling and Van Eyk, and was not part of our Paris Museum pass. Upon arriving, there was a fairly long line to get in, but we figured it would not be too bad. One hour later, we staggered in the door and rushed for the bathrooms.  The exhibit was worthwhile. Edith got to see Bruegel's "Slaughter of the Innocents" and the Van Eyk was very good.

Our final destination was the Jardin de Luxembourg. En route, we stopped for a beer at the Horse's Tavern on Rue Odeon, and then proceeded tot the Gardens. This was one of the few public spaces we saw where people could play tennis, sit on a chair and read, and children could ride on the Merry-go-Round. Of course, the Gardens contain a musuem and a palace for good measure.

Upon returning to our hotel, we went to the local restaurant for dinner. It is hard to explain the compexities of French menus without experiencing it yourself. Edith ordered the appetizer plate, which included Pate, Ham, Salami, and a piece of toasted French bread with Cheese. I ordered the beef plate, which turned out to be a poor cut of steak served with French Fries.

Apparently fries are the rage in this area, as I saw plates full of them being delivered to many tables. Even asking for Ketchup resulted in a bottle of Heinz being delivered immediately. Not quite the French meal we were expecting to finally discover.

The pictures posted below contain:
1. First glimpse of the Sacre Couer from the Metro stop
2. Souvenir alley
3. A rare shot of the two of us with the Sacre Couer in the background
4. Edith at the Horse's Tavern
5. Louis with the Palace of Luxemburg in the background