Day 1: A Sleepy Start

Bonjour! After an overnight flight during which I did manage to sleep about 5 hours, I arrived at CDG. This was the smallest plane I have ever flown transatlantic in, and we deplaned via stairs and a bus took us to the terminal, which I do remember doing there before. I was able to locate the tourism office fairly quickly, bought a 6 day Paris Museum Pass, my ticket on the RER into Paris and un carnet of Metro tickets. If you buy a carnet (a book of 10) you get a discount over single fares. However, I think I'll buy a Passé Navigo on Monday, which is the new electronic metro card. They require a passport sized photo, and you have to buy them on a Monday, because the week version expires on a Sunday no matter what day you purchase it on.

After successfully getting myself on the RER, which went much more smoothly than my previous trip with Brandi, from an earlier post (no pickpockets this time!), I navigated myself to the hotel which is located in Place Pigalle, in Montmartre. An old man who spoke very little English gave me a key to a room numbered 19, even though the doors were al, marked 100-110. Hmmmm. After finally finding the door, I had to slam my shoulder on it to get it opened. Here's the view that followed...



Ok, big bed, but I don't need that. Not quite like the pictures..


Oh dear, where's the potty?


Nice window and view, though! I went back downstairs to get the wifi password, and the owner was there this time. He asked me if I was Mademoiselle Stauver, and that he was soooo sorry but I had to be given the wrong room just for one night. Since I am staying for over a week, I assume there was a scheduling conflict. He said the room wasn't renovated, an the bathroom was downstairs and a bit of a walk down a hallway. He apologized so much and said I would of course be discounted in the rate. I didn't really care, so it worked out!

Once I got back in the room, I promptly passed out for 3 hours, and I'm pretty sure I scared the maid. (The room lacked a do not disturb sign!) once I arose from my coma I took an early evening walk through my new neighborhood, including a visit to Sacre Coeur.








You can either take the funicular, which costs a metro ticket, or the stairs. The last time I took these stairs I ran up them, trying to impress the group of kids I was with (I think it was a middle school trip?) and I promptly fainted when I got to the top. This time I took my time, and am happy to let you know I survived.


This is the garden/lawn in front, which was closed by the time I got there.


Me at the top with the crowds of people!


This man was singing Beatles and Backstreet Boys songs....with a French accent!!


Lots of people enjoying the view.


I visited the inside, where nuns were singing Vespers, and it was so cool to be there to hear that. No pictures are allowed inside, but imagine above the altar a massive domed mosaic, with Christ dominating the center, his sacred heart made of gold, shining on his chest, and Joan of Arc and other figures kneel before him and offer their gifts.

Next up was a walk around Montmartre, which was nice to do at night but not so nice for the pictures. I stopped by the Church of St. Pierre-de-Montmartre, which has in it four columns that possibly stood in a temple of Mercury of Mars. Montmartre supposedly means "Mount of Mars" but the meaning wad changed to "Mount of Martyrs" after the patron, St. Denis, who lost his head!





There are always mimes. This one was particularly creepy, since he brought that eerie spotlight.


I stopped by this patisserie, where I bought my first macarons! French macarons are different from American macaroons, which are coconut. A macaron is a (gluten free) cookie made from almond flower and paste, filled and flavored with all kinds of things!


Au Lapin Agile is where the likes of Picasso, Renoir, Modigliani et all hung out.


Look at that wily rabbit! He's gotten drunk on the wine he was meant to be cooked in!


This is the spot where Picasso used to live, in a building that burned down. Outside is where he met Fernande Olivier, and later painted Les Demoiselles D'Avignon, thus creating Cubism.


Le Moulin de Gallette! This used to be a super happenin' spot, as seen in Renoir's uber famous Bal du Moulin de Galette.


Amelie fans, je te presente, Cafe de Deux Moulins.





I took a walk down Rue des Martyrs, which is a market street. It was mostly not marketing by this point, but I still got some cool pictures. How you like them tomaters?


Different kids of mushrooms.


















I found a place for dinner, went in and showed the waitress my Celiac card, which has information about what I can't eat written in French. I ended up with a three course delight.


My entree, a mozzarella and tomato salad. (Since an entree does mean to enter, it makes sense that it precedes the plat principle, or the main dish.)


A piece of beef with some rice. Oh gluten free living.


And a mousse au chocolat pour dessert,


I then stopped by my locale grocery store to see what kind of GF foods they carry (terrible...barely anything), and to pick up some things for snacking. I saw these massive kinder eggs and nearly passed out. I love Kinder Eggs! They're hollow chocolate eggs with toy on the inside! And these were huge! They're normally the size of a regular egg.

And to leave you with.... some funny cereal names: