We were up early so that we could get in the line for the Musee du Louvre before it opened at 9A. Precisely at 9, they let people in and it became a mad dash to the Mona Lisa. We followed the crowd and compared the famous painting to the less famous cousins in the same room and decided we really didn't understand the allure of the Mona Lisa; others were more lifelike and significantly larger posing unique obstacles to the artist.

We spent significant time wandering the vaulted hallways of the Louvre. Some halls were guilded, some had ornate ceilings and it contrasted with more modern sections. We made sure to see the Winged Victory, the Coronation Crown of Louis XV, the Egyptian collection and ended our tour in the opulent Napoleon III apartments. Huge crystal chandeliers illuminated each room. Rich, velvety, blood red drapes framed doors and windows. Gold sparkled from the walls, ceilings and furniture while highly polished marble reflected light from every surface. Most of the rooms were small but then we saw the dining room with a table set for at least 50 people and a salon where twice as many could mingle under the chandeliers with 20 foot diameters.

Needing a break from the over-the-top apartments, we turned toward Notre Dame with the intent of climbing the towers. The line was long and the sun was baking everyone on the plaza. After waiting almost an hour, we determined it would be at least another hour before we got to go up. We abandoned the line for the coolness of the archeological crypt which shows remains of Roman and early French settlement in the area of Notre Dame.

We realized we were pretty hungry and crossed over to Ile St. Louis to find a cafe lunch. Our luck held true and we found a small cafe that served us a three course lunch for 10.50 euros each. We were stuffed!

Sine we were right there, we decided to visit Sainte Chappelle. This small chapel is only 33m long and 10.5m wide but packs some amazing beauty into such a small space. The chapel is in the courtyard of the Palais de Justice which is the house of local courts, national appeal courts and the supreme court. Security is a little tight to get in and it took over 30 minutes to get through the metal detectors. It was worth twice the wait. The chapel has two floors. The first has a few nice stained glass windows, lots of gold trim and columns painted with fleur de lis and castles. The second floor takes your breath away. Mammoth stained glass windows tell biblical tales from Genesis and Exodus through the Passion, the book of Esther and book of Kings and concludes with a rose shaped window depicting the apocalypse. The sun poured through and really lit the entire chamber in royal blues, scarlet reds, forest greens, and daisy yellows. We were blown away!

To top that, we pointed our feet towards Musee de l'Orangerie where Monet's Water Lilies are displayed. Along the way, we passed the book sellers on the left bank and found one that had maps. We were in luck and discovered one that had Vietnam and Cambodia. Howard negotiated a five euro discount and we were on our way.

Musee de l'Orangerie houses the eight enormous panels that comprise Monet's water lilies. He instructed that they be installed on curved walls to give the viewer an unbroken feeling of the sun moving across the pond. The first room of four covers sunrise and daylight hours while the second room is dedicated to evening and night. If you stand at one end of the oval rooms, the paintings surround you and you feel immersed in them. It is a moving display of some outstanding works of art.

We rested and refreshed at the hotel and then headed to the Arc de Triomphe to see Paris in the fading light. As we stepped off the elevator into the lobby, we ran into our friend Nelson from Cincinnati. It really is a small world!

From the top of the Arc, Paris spreads out in every direction. The golden light casts a warm glow on the city and you can really feel the homogeneity of the buildings. They become a set of waves that gently roll down from the arch to all of the environs.

We wanted to dine lightly and we went in search of a take-away sandwich place. Along the Champs, we ran into Scott who was killing some time before flying home. Who knew Paris was such a destination spot? Apparently everyone does because there are crowds everywhere. The Champs is as busy as 42nd Street on Thanksgiving and Christmas combined. It's a constant churning, flowing river of people from around the globe.

Hotel: Paris Marriott Champs-Elysees
Restaurant(s): Pomme de Pain (sandwiches)
Attractions: Musee du Louvre, Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Musee de l'Orangerie, Arc de Triomphe