Paris, France 2013

I get that this is not exactly the best picture I could have posted of Notre Dame but I feel like my readers will appreciate it more than any other I could have chosen.  Paris in the spring.....blue skies, fair temperatures, gay moods.......Not so much on our first day in the City of Lights.  I think that our winter ski outfits, the grey skies and Evans's pose sum up  the atmosphere on Day 1.  This picture makes me laugh every time I look at it.  Truly we were far from miserable though and it was a fun rainy day (once we got everyone [Evans] watered and fed).  We started on the Left Bank of Notre Dame because 14 years ago (I can't believe I'm admitting it was that long ago) my Grandmother, mother, sister and myself spent two weeks in Paris on our Spring Break.  The trip was memorable for a MILLION reasons (including Mom's tumble in the Louve which resulted in a broken foot) and it was so nice to start our re-visit to the city on the same street as the flat we stayed in all those years ago.  Unfortunately the weather wasn't ideal and Evans wasn't nearly as impressed with Notre Dame as we thought he might be.

Something about subarctic temperatures at the end of May seemed to be getting him down.  I could relate.  

But we soldiered on.  Our final stop of day 1 (there was a lot of walking involved in the interim) was to visit Musee de l'Orangerie.  Back in 1999 this was one of the top museums that we wanted to visit while in Paris.  My mother read to us about Monet's Waterlily's and how they were supposed to be fantastic.  Upon arriving in Paris and eventually l'Orangerie we noticed that it seemed pretty deserted.  As we walked up the steps to the museum it became obvious we were attempting to visit on a closed day.  There was a lone piece of paper tacked to the door (at least this is how I am remembering it in my head) that read something like this:

Dear Patrons:

Musee de l'Orangerie closed about 5 minutes ago for a few renovations.  We will re-open again in ten years.  Please plan on revisiting in 2009.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

ANYWAYS.  

l'Orangerie WAS open this time around.  I was thrilled.  I was finally going to see those water lily's.  I post this next picture just so you can get an idea of Deaner's accouterments that were along for the day.

We stood in a relatively short line to enter the museum.  As we edged up towards the metal detector a sudden look of panic crossed Deaner's face and he mumbled that he would "be right back" only to turn around and fight his way backwards through the line and back out the front door.  I had no idea what was going on but went thru the metal detector and waited for him.  When he caught up to me 10 minutes later and I asked what in the world had happened he responded very nonchalantly "Oh.  That.  Well, I had a knife in my backpack and I didn't think they would let me bring it in".  Huh.  Ok.  So apparently my husband is that guy who carries a knife around in his backpack.  I wasn't aware either.  Why did he run back outside?  To HIDE his knife in the bushes.  Because that is where museum going knife carrying people stash their knives.  Knife and flashlight combo stayed home for Disney.  Water lily's = super cool.   

I was going to combine both Paris days into one post but my bed is calling my name and I'll have to finish day 2 tomorrow.  The weather and our moods perked up the second day in Paris so no worries there.  I'll leave you with a picture of Evans's favorite part of Day 1.  

Riding the train home, of course!