I guess the audio tour built anticipation up to the Mona Lisa. We knew it was coming at some point during the tour, and we started to see the signs to that part of the museum. So when we walked into the room it was in, it was clear where it was by the crowds of people. I hate to say that I wasn't all that much impressed with it, perhaps because I don't like being stuck in a crowd and I just wanted to get out of that room as quickly as possible, but also I think because it wasn't that big and I've seen pictures of it so many times, that it didn't look any more authentic than the photos I've seen. It's a shame because the work I saw today WAS the original. It WAS authentic.
After that audio tour, we decided to go to the Egyptian exhibit to see some of the artwork there. We stayed together for the most part but listened to our own tracks. You can just enter the number of any artwork listed with a number, and the guide would give you the information about that specific item - history, context, artist critique, etc. I was clearly spending more time looking around than the boys, who I could tell were getting antsy. At about 1pm we decided to go downstairs and consider lunch. They decided to give back their headsets and leave for lunch and for the afternoon, so we just agreed to meet up later at our hotel. I stayed at the museum for another few hours, so I had lunch at one of the cafes there (which wasn't so great, and then I found out there was another eatery on another level which may or may not have been better), and headed back out to see more artwork. I took my time, wandering through the French painting section, Italian paintings and Spanish paintings, and walked back through some of the sculpture, found Napoleon's furniture (which was absolutely stunning, although apparently not his actual furniture!). The museum was SO big and had 4 floors and many wings; it was very confusing! I got a little turned around a couple times, but eventually hit up the gift store on my way out. Seeing as the only souvenirs I really buy when I travel are collector's spoons, it only seemed natural to inquire about them. Unfortunately, they didn't have any. Out of luck. So I would need to find another place to get a spoon in this city/country.
On my walk back from the museum, I walked into 2 souvenir shops to look at spoons, and although neither had the ouvre specifically, they both had Paris ones and for the same price, so I went for it and got one with the Eiffel Tower because of how happy I was last night after the whole experience. I took a scenic route back to the hotel because I knew I had time to kill. I scoped out some restaurants in the area incase we were desperate to find something closeby tonight. When I got back to the room, the boys were already there, after their separate wandering around adventure.
We decided to head out for dinner and stumbled upon a sushi restaurant! The waitress spoke very little English, and clearly we still do not speak French, so once again it was kind of an experience. For the most part, we got what we ordered! I had some miso soup (hoping to thwart off the feelings of another cold coming on) and some really good fish! Normally I like tuna better than salmon but the salmon tonight was SO good!
Back at the hotel for a nice hot shower (followed by wrapping myself in the comfortably soft robes the hotel provides) before going to bed. The beds here are so comfortable; I will miss them! We are picking up our rental car tomorrow morning and heading to the south of France. Maybe stopping in Lyon for lunch and some adventures off the beaten path, and then toward Nice and Monaco. Totally relying on Rick Steve's book for some clues as to where to go, stay, eat, etc. Then we're heading to Italy so we're going to bust out the next Rick Steve's book for advice on how to plan our days. Just as I'm finally picking up some French, it'll be time to learn a new language!
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