Americans in Paris

Today I headed out to the Eiffel Tower. There were Americans everywhere! Everyone spoke English and everyone had a camera. After waiting in line for a few hours, we discovered that the security guards were on strike! A new day, a new strike I guess! This meant that they had closed the tower. Of course they did't make any announcement of this, just waited for the dumb Americans to figure it out! ha! I Took Some pictures from the ground, but I did not get to go up. Truth be told, I'm scared to death of heights so I'm not sure I want to go odd up to the top. I may not go back! Gasp!  

I wandered off to walk along the Seine and found myself at the Grand Palace where there was a Robert Maplethorpe exhibit that I really wanted to see. The security guard strike closed the tower, but for some reason it also meant all the museums were free! I took advantage of that and went to see all the special exhibits at the Grand Palace and the Petit Palace across the street! The Maplethorpe exhibit was my favorite. He was a photographer in the 70s and 80s  in New York City. He loved sculpture and photographed nudes as if they were sculptures, often displaying them next to photos of sculptures. He also photographed flowers and then body parts and displayed them together to show their similarities. I may never look at a calalilly the same way again! He really thought they looked like penises! He was also known for his erotica and pictures of some famous people. It was an amazing exhibit. It was interesting to see these pictures displayed in such an old building. Very cool.

Eccos at the Petit Palace

I loved the tile floors at the Petit Palace! Somebody must have taken years to lay the floors!  

After taking in the museums, I headed down the Champs Elysee. Everyone told me this was something I must do while I am here so I did! I honestly could have lived my whole life without doing this! It was a sea of ​​humanity and one shop after another. I hate shopping! Why anyone would come all the way to France to shop at the Gap, H & M or  even Tiffanys is beyond me. There were lots of overpriced cafes and bistros though, so I did stop and get an overpriced salad and pay 8 euros for a glass of tea. As soon as I was done eating I started looking for a Metro station so I could make my way out of this place. Every station was closed and there were guards at the top of the stairs. I had no idea what was going on, I figured it had something to do with the security guard strike. I kept walking and walking. At the end of the Champs Elysee is the Arc de Triomphe. I found out when I got there, that a big ceremony was going on. The fire fighters were out in their fancy uniforms, the military band was playing and limos were dropping off important looking government officials. I watched the festivities for a bit and then headed in the opposite direction of in hopes of finding an open Metro station.  

Don't I look thrilled? I was done! The shopping had just about sent me over the edge! Ha!

Finding a Metro station turned out not to be so hard and I made it back to my flat by dinner time. I stopped and bought a roasted chicken and potatoes and  by the time I got back I was good and hungry, not to mention tired. I took a nap, ate some food, listened to the Friday night sounds of the neighborhood and am now ready for bed. Tomorrow will definitely not involve shopping!