Susie Cupcakes

Day Five (Sunday) dawned and we ate some very delicious pastries bought the night before at the boulangerie where the baguette was procured. Our tiny apartment had a coffee maker, and in a city where the very cheapest espresso (except for machine made, see Day Six when posted) is around $4, this was absolutely a blessing. A little coffee, a little pastry, and back on the Batobus. We wanted to visit the Louvre again, and spend more time there. A sleepy Sunday morning should be a great time to go, right?

WRONG. We don't have a picture of my panic, but it was the monthly "Free First Sunday" and there were (seemingly) hundreds of tour buses, long lines, and galleries as noisy as street fairs. It was so crowded that certain galleries became one way only and my creeping (seems to be getting worse every year!) claustrophobia told me it was time to GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT.

So we got out, and there was luckily a museum right next to the Louvre that we really wanted to visit: the Museum of Decorative Arts. There was a fantastic Valentino exhibit, a jaw dropping jewelry exhibit, and lots of toys.


Jean who laughs, Jean who cries. And I guess you shoot them? Toy creator, I hate it when people laugh at me, too. And crybabies--who needs 'em?

After a couple of hours looking at inflatable pool toys and other fun things, we got a bit museum-ed out, and decided to get some fresh air. There was a ferris wheel nearby, and I couldn't resist!

Our recurring theme in Paris seemed to be looking at the city from high up, and this was a nice, not too high view of central Paris. After the ride, we ate a bit of lunch, I got humiliated in a public bathroom by not understanding it was a pay toilet (such things!), found a free public bathroom with pink toilet paper (yeessssss!) and we decided to stroll down the Champs-Elysee like fancy pants people. If you didn't take French in high school, this is the tree-lined boulevard where lovely people stroll on lovely Sundays. Even cretins like me 'n' the Cupcakes-Man.

I never would have thought to make a special trip to the numerous car dealerships along the way, but they turned out to be more like art exbitions. It was so fun! The Citroen "exhibit" was wild.

Individual cars were stacked up on spinning platforms, and the viewers ascended the stairs to view them. They went from newest (bottom) to oldest (top).

Peugeot had a totally different approach--super artsy and concept cars. Look at this one!

It has hardwood floors and upholstered Louis XIV chairs. Insane. FABULOUS!

At the end of the Champs-Elysee stands the Arc de Triomphe. We climbed the stairs.

Due to what I would consider peer pressure, we climbed all 200 (250?) stairs at once, since there was no place to rest and stopping would have stopped everyone. We got to the top and felt like the awesomest people ever.

Note to selves: GO TO GYM once in a while.

The view was (as always) fantastic.

I don't think I'm ready to drive in Paris. I'm barely ready to place a phone call.

To get home, we walked a significant length back to the Eiffel Tower Batobus stop. We had an issue with a Russian party of 14 teenagers who had one person holding their spot while they retrieved hot dogs and ice cream. I had not codified this in my mind beforehand, but I sincerely believe that holding a spot should require a one-to-one ratio, i.e. 7 people should have stood in line, rather than single bratty girl shoving me over right before we boarded. The unruly group was still taking pictures, jamming hot dogs in one another's mouths, when two of them boarded followed by the Cupcakes. They stopped the boarding immediately after us because the boat was full. "NO!" shouted bossy Russian who pushed me aside to try to convince the Batobus person to let her party of 14 board with her. Oh no you di-ent! BOARDING DENIED. But the Cupcakes were allowed on! Hurrah! Triumph! Seriously, I think if we hadn't already walked something like six miles that day, we wouldn't have been so pissed, but we were super annoyed with them. It was a sweet victory.

We were really tired by the time we got home, and decided to have a night in. Alex took the sexiest picture of Camembert ever. Are you ready? You sure? Well....okay.

It makes me blush just to look!

Labels: food, honeymoon, Paris