A Day in Paris with Ivy and Burt

I started this post back in October but Halloween was right around the corner and it seemed a little irrelevant, then eventually I forgot all about it. Since we are currently stuck in yet another episode of sub-zero weather, it seemed like a good time to recall a wonderful day of sightseeing around Paris.

As you can see, Ivy and Burt acquired a couple vices on their trip to the City of Light. Now they begin each day with an expresso and macaroons. It's not like they have to worry about their health. 

I have no sense of direction, so it's a good thing that HM is totally obsessed with knowing exactly where we are ALL of the time. Consequently, I end up doing a lot of standing around while he stares intently at his phone. Usually it drives me crazy but every once in awhile, while I'm trying to be patient, I see something I might otherwise have missed. This time it was the legendary Maxim's restaurant and it was right across the street! I had just taken out my phone to snap a photo when a dune buggy sporting "aloha" on it's bumper whizzed by. Ok, it's not as exciting as seeing some celebrity come stumbling out of the door but still, one of the nearest beaches is Normandy. Wait, was that Burt behind the wheel? Isn't he supposed to be home looking after the kitties?

Then a few blocks away we ran into Ivy! It looks like she was doing some shopping! Earlier I had also stopped by the same Chanel boutique, although I found myself in the rather uncomfortable position of having to explain the Electoral College to my sales associate. He wanted to know how Trump ended up as president when Hilary got almost three million more votes. Due to sheer dumb luck, I had read enough about the creation of the Electoral College so I could explain how we ended up with this national disgrace. He was very nice and we commiserated on the outcome of the election. Throughout our trip, many Europeans I spoke with felt the same way. A lot of them were baffled that we would keep using such an antiquated rule. Most are just as disgusted with Trump as we are. At first I was a little surprised that so many people were concerned about our president but then it dawned on me that there is only one world and we are all in it together.

On a happier note, we eventually tracked down Burt and the four of us set out to visit some favorite spots in the city. Un chat joined us after lunch at le café. Luckily, the kitty didn't care about politics.

What can I say, sometimes it's just fun to take stupid photos. HM wanted to get this one right.

Our next stop, The Pompidou Center, is always a great place to see contemporary art. It's a lot more fun than the Louvre and there's a Dubuffet that's so huge you can walk around inside of it! The lines are shorter, too and you don't need to make an appointment to get in. 

The rooftop restaurant is a terrific place to catch some fantastic views, from the Eiffel Tower . . .

. . . to Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre. 

It's also a wonderful place for people watching but then nearly all of Paris is a great for that! I have to admit to feeling pretty guilty when I saw this book bag. Did Spenser arranged that?

Leaving our kitties always makes me a little sad, even though I know they are being well cared for.

After art and people watching we had to pay a visit to Shakespeare and Company since it's been described as the most famous independent bookstore in the world! It wasn't very crowded that day so we got a chance to leisurely browse around. Burt picked up a mystery for the trip home. If you are curious about it's lengthy history there's an interesting article that was published in Vanity Fair here. 

The final stop of the day was Sainte-Chapelle, the site of the most extensive collection of 13th-century stained glass in the world. It's the one place we always visit when we are lucky enough to find ourselves in Paris. King Louis IX built it in 1238 to hold what he believed was the actual crown of thorns from the crucifixion. He purchased it from an Emperor from Constantinople, although the money was actually paid to the Venetians to whom the relic had been pawned. Obviously, there was a lot of demand for relics at the time. Louis was eventually elevated to sainthood, so the whole thing apparently paid off. Five hundred years later he even got a city in Missouri named after him. Small world, huh? Whatever brought about it's creation, gazing up at nearly solid walls of beautiful stained glass is an awesome experience that never fails to impress me.

Ivy and Burt have been on hiatus for awhile. As I have mentioned before, they are usually banished during those times of the year when we have a lot of visitors. It's not like they are the only skeletons that hang around in private homes, I know of quite a few actually, but they do tend to upset some individuals. Now that the holidays are over they are free and ready to resume their usual antics.

See you soon! Thanks for wandering around a few of our favorite places in Paris with us.