That time we didn't go to the Louvre, twice

The day after Daniel, Vicki, and Samantha arrived was the first Sunday of the month when a lot of museums, including the Louvre, don't charge admission. So we went, but of course the line was enormous. We went to the D'Orsay instead. Today we decided to try again and . . . the line was enormous. So we went to the Rodin museum instead. Not going to the Louvre has turned out to be a good decision every time. The Rodin museum was great, as was the D'Orsay on Sunday. But we have decided that this trip shall henceforth be known as "that time we didn't go to the Louvre, twice."

After the Rodin we went to the Cafe du Commerce (Mrs. Redboots, please take note!) for a Fancy French Lunch. Vicki had gnocchi--not very French, but very tasty--I had "lieu noir" with "orge" which turned out to be fish and barley respectively (learning vocabulary by ordering things with names you don't know), and Samantha had a fish filet with fries. Everything was good and the restaurant itself was, as Vicki put it, "a French restaurant straight from Central Casting."

In the afternoon we headed to Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur which are always a good call. We took the funicular (after walking up through Abbesses metro station which is the deepest one in the system at 35 meters), walked through the church, then walked down and ate macarons. Plus a little light shopping in between! We bought cute/funny souvenirs in Pylones, which is a little store full of witty design objects. Now we are back at the apartment relaxing while the Pont-L'Eveque I bought comes up to room temperature.  Cheese and olives for dinner ahoy!

Also! Yesterday morning Daniel and I went to the Invalides/Museum of the Army to see Napoleon's tomb and the collections of arms and armor there. Then in the afternoon I dragged him to the Arc de Triomphe because I like it, and he gamely went along.