i can't believe i ate the whole thing

Today I explored my neighborhood and learned a few more things about Paris.

I woke up a little before nine today, and could bare to get out of bed. I lounged around and ate my usual breakfast of cake and coffee while watching my new favorite Judge Judy. It's a sad day when you realize that you've watched most of the Judge Judy episodes available on youtube. I really need to get a life.

I finally got myself up and dressed and had left the house by 11ish. I had my directions in hand, and had a vague idea of where I was going. I suppose something happened in the Bastille last night because confetti was everywhere and there were still baracades on the street. When I got to the Bastille, there was a band playing in the area that's normally just an open area line with trees and there were vendors everywhere. I was on a mission to find the Musée Carnavalet so I quickly walked past it and found the street I was looking for. I followed the directions to the museum without even finding the street sign pointing me in the right direction!

The area past the Bastille, which becomes the 3rd if you're walking in the right direction, is a really nice area. I stopped at an adorable park called Place des Vosges, which I later figured out was an item on my to-do list. I continued on past the high end shops and trendy cafés until I found the museum.

The Musée Carnavalet tells the story of the history of Paris and is located in two old homes that are next to each other. The museum is free so if you're ever in the third with some time on your hands I suggest that you stop by. It's a little confusing to find the entrance and get yourself into the museum, but life is work; deal with it.

While finding your way into the museum, you pass several cultivated gardens that include both flowers and vegetables. I would have loved to sit in them, but there were tourists milling about and I decided to journey onward.

The actual beginning of the museum exhibit is a little….strange. I'm pretty sure that there was no theme, and there were objects on every wall surface. I immediately thought that I had walked into a circus attraction and wanted to leave, but I stuck with it. The house where the very beginning of the museum is located is not very well maintained. For the first few exhibits, there are cracks in the floors and walls and the museum pieces seem to be of low quality (chipped goods, not well done recreations, etc). Just hold on. It gets better.

Mosey on down to the area where the paintings begin. That's the good stuff. There were no paintings from painters that I'm familiar with (but I'm not familiar with every painter on the planet), but they did have a Picasso which I very much appreciated. The museum covers Paris in every century from the very first Parisians (the Parisii of archaeological times) to the early 1900s. I wasn't expecting an archaeological exhibit, and I appreciated it very much.

There were also many room (including bedrooms and living rooms) recreations that I really enjoyed. There were lots of everyday objects and things like stained glass windows and models displayed. I also liked that there were so many windows to the outside that overlooked gardens. One of them was so interesting I wish that I could have found it after I finished touring the museum.

I've visted a few museums in France and Switzerland already, and I've learned a lot about cultural differences. In the states museums are ready to call in the SWAT team if you come within five feet of a painting, and will tase you if you even think about going off the predetermined pathway. In Europe there is a more…..zero fucks attitude. At the Musée d'Orsay I watched a lady almost touch a painting, and there was no security in sight. Every museum that I've been to has let me in with a water bottle and food! Today I watched sercurity gaurds have blatant conversations with each other (they were blocking hall the room and did not stop talking when guests entered. I actually thought the security were museum-goers!). They wear whatever they want, and are allowed to bring books and cell phones to work. One security guard was texting and obviously had told a friend to come outside the window to say hi. Another woman had turned her chair, and opened the window, so that so could people watch when she wasn't reading her book! Hilarious.

I left the museum and decided to keep wandering around town for a bit. I walked to a church (I think St. Dennis, but don't quote me), and went in to look around. It's beautiful and definitely sticks out among the fancy clothing stores. After my trip to the church, I walked back home. On my way I saw that the market was still going on so I stopped by.

The market has every kind of vendor that you can imagine. There's a carousel for the kids, cheap clothing vedors, the usual ice cream stand that's always there, among a host of food vendors (butcher, fish monger, organic honey, bread, wine, cheese, creamerie, etc). There are also craftspeople and other vendors. I stopped to buy my mom some soap from Marseille because she has been bothering me to get her some from Monoprix. It's rose scented and dyed pink and has little bits of rose petal in it. I hope she likes it. I was going to get food while I was there, but I was afraid that it would make me sick (I saw way too many flies and products that weren't refigerated. Oh American health standards….).

It's Sunday, and I've been thinking of getting myself a balanced meal for a few days now. On my way home from Gare de Lyon yesterday, I saw a kebab store that I thought that I would try today. I went in and saw the sandwich that I wanted to order. The man at the cash register asked if I wanted to stay and eat or leave, and I said stay. I was hoping my sandwich would be on the dine in menu, but it wasn't.

I had a great meal, and I'm glad I stayed. When I sat down, the waitress brought me the menu and placed a white paper placemat and red napkin in front of me. She then brought me four huge pieces of fluffy, delicious bread and a water in a silver engraved carafe. I ordered the moussaka because I had never had it, and wanted to try new things.

I ate two of the four pieces of bread before my meal, and was worried that I'd be too full when my meal arrived. I was right to be concerned. For 8,50 I got: a huge piece of moussaka, what was described as "wheat" but was some kind of grain cooked in a red spice/sauce, a side salad with dressing, and french fries. I had paid for it so I ate it….the whole, delicious thing. I'm still full and it has been a very long time. I'll be going back there, but maybe I'll just order a sandwich to go in hopes that it'll be smaller.

I came home, and have been in a food stooper ever since. Tomorrow I plan on going to the Louvre (mostly because it's one of the few museums open on a Monday), and I know that I have to be there at 9am sharp or else the crowd will be out of control.

Bonne nuit.