Done

Outside Invalides

We are so over sightseeing.  Yesterday, as we were rocking back and forth on the metro yet again, headed towards yet another sight we ‘had to’ see, we discussed how we’d been doing essentially the same thing for three weeks–being transported around from place to place, sight to sight.  And honestly–we felt kind of, well, done with it all.

This is not to say that we did not have a great day yesterday.  The metro upon which we were rocking back and forth took us near to the Rodin museum, which we walked to past the back of Invalides.  We stopped to take some photos of the outside of the building (neither of us had any desire to go inside) and then made our way to the Rodin museum, which is possibly our

Gardens at the Rodin Museum

 favorite place from the entire trip.  All of the guide books say the garden is amazing, but words cannot accurately describe just how amazing.  We spent a while just wandering the gardens.  It was lovely.

At this point, we really should have just gone home, or wandered around, but we felt compelled to at least attempt to visit the Eiffel Tower.  We’d only seen it from the Seine thus far (and we’ve been here for almost two weeks), so we walked around the front of Invalides (taking more photos) and made it to the very edge of the Champs du Mars (at the very edge

As close as we got to the tower

it is kind of icky), snapped a few photos, and then got the hell out.  We didn’t walk the half mile or so to the actual tower, and so of course we did not climb it, or ascend it in an elevator, or do anything else.  We took pictures from half a mile away, and left.  This is how we’re starting to feel about all of the ‘must dos’ on the Paris list.

After returning to our neighborhood, I had yet another failed attempt at feeding myself (Three slices of mushroom mush for fifteen euro?  What a deal?  And gee, I’m full…) and then took a short but mandatory nap (I think I’m more exhausted than I’ve ever been–and this is supposed to be a vacation) after which we decided to visit the Pompidou center, as it is right next door and, well, we ‘only had two days left’ and ‘didn’t want to waste any of our time’.  The Pompidou was lovely, as was the dinner we had across the street at the Cafe Beaubourg–though, again, for the price, I’ll eat more fruit from the market, thank you very much. 

Upon waking up today, my husband announced that he didn’t want to DO anything.  I argued with him for a bit–after all, this is our second-to-last day here, and tomorrow is a Sunday, so who knows what will be open.  But then I thought about it–I simply cannot rock back and forth on a metro carrying me to yet another sight.  I can’t LOOK at anything else.  My interest is gone.  So today we have a new plan.  My husband is going to find a cafe, and I’m going to find some shops.  He’s going to read and drink coffee, I’m going to buy presents for my mom and myself (and maybe some random friends).  And wherever it is that we do this, we are walking there and walking back.  I shall take zero pictures of churches, museums, monuments, gardens, or fountains.