Salut! Today was pretty low-key since I was exhausted from yesterday's grand adventure at Versailles. I had class in the morning and we got a new teacher. She seems very nice, but Stacey and I agreed that we miss last week's teacher, Laurent. Our new teacher's name is Christine and she has a good sense of humor. She also doesn't speak a lick of English, so communication has been interesting. It is good though, because I am forced to frantically search through my dictionary to find out what she is saying. I've used that bad-boy more today than I have the entire trip! I guess last week was the dipping the toe in the pool; this week is the cannon ball!!!
After class, we hopped on the metro and made our way to St. Michel (I've decided that this is my favorite area and would buy an apartment here if I could!). It is near the Seine, Notre Dame, and our destination, the Conciergerie. Before we went touring, we grabbed a fantastic sandwich from the shop I remembered so fondly from last year. I had really hyped up this place to Stacey and was worried that maybe I remembered it more fondly than it actually was, and that she would think it tasted like every other sandwich we've eaten. But, she said it was the best sandwich she's had here, and mine was as fabulous as I remembered! Whew! The fact that we ate them while sitting on the steps overlooking the Seine only made them taste better...
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| Lunch Along the Seine...Très Magnifique ! (J. Boyer-Switala, 2008) |
We went into the Conciergerie, which used to be a palace. During the 15th century, the royal family moved into the Louvre (not always an art museum!) and the Conciergerie was turned into a prison. It held various people over the ages (Bill - including Henry IV's assassin, Ravaillac) but none more famous than Marie Antoinette.
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| Outside the Conciergerie (J. Boyer-Switala, 2008) |
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| No, it's not Hogwarts...Inside the Conciergerie (J. Boyer-Switala, 2008) |
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We saw a model of what her room would have looked like and visited the chapel that was built in her memory over the place where her original cell was located.
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| Marie Antoinette's Cell (J. Boyer-Switala, 2008) |
Bill called me at the highlight of my visit at the Conciergerie. I was standing in the very spot that Robespierre passed on his way to the guillotine!! He told me to call him back when I was done with "church!" *LOL*
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| Hallowed Ground (J. Boyer-Switala) |
There was a room that also had listed the names of people who died on the guillotine. I found some of my favorites and also found that there were some Boyers who were guillotined...distant relatives, perhaps??
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| Guillotined Boyers (J. Boyer-Switala, 2008) |
When we left the Conciergerie, I was beat, even though it was only 3:00. I took the metro home and took a nice long nap. My time is running out fast...I still have so much more to do, but am so happy to be coming home in 5 days. Tomorrow's excursion will depend on the weather, but either way, I'll be spending the morning with more dead people...
Comments
Bill and Mark say Hi. We had a snafu on the NYC subway last month while visiting the big city, but at least we spoke the same language as everyone around us so it was only inconvenient, not scary. Take care of yourself!
Aunt Pam
The kids had quite a few great questions about heads rolling out of the guillotine baskets. This trip has been enlightening for all of us!
We love and miss you.
Bill and the kids
Lindsay :o)
I know RER is less pleasant than the metro.. But I didn't know it was full of creeps!! I'm glad they didn't attack or harm you!
Enjoy the rest of your stay in Paris and don't worry, you'll be home soon, sooner than you think ;)
Just remember, it's a sign of affection in Europe for strange, bloodied men to harass American women. Just be polite, they don't know any different.
Safe Travels from the Philly fam out here.