Sauf Lundi

It's Monday and we are looking for other sightseeing opportunities. We learned very quickly, however, what “sauf Lundi” means. After deciding that nothing nearby was open, my wife got the idea to go to Paris. I balked and told her no way was I driving into Paris! I would however check the train schedule and we could take the train. So, less than an hour later we were in Gare St. Lazare getting a taxi for the Musee d’Orsay to continue the Monet venue. With our taxi barely avoiding an accident as he made a left turn across two lanes of traffic near the Place de la Concorde, we arrived at the Musee d’Orsay to find, alas, that the Musee d’Orsay is open every day “sauf Lundi”. However, since the Louvre is just on the other side of the Seine, we decide to do the Louvre.

The Louvre is the best $10 deal in France. It is also a huge building. The trick is to pick the type of art you want to see and then concentrate on those wings. And , of course, there’s the Mona Lisa. Like all dutiful first timers, we planned to see her. We followed the direction and got into the queue. Rope barricades and bullet proof glass protected us from getting too close, and a large man with an unpleasant disposition chided the line to keep moving. The Mona Lisa is smaller in person than you would expect. And having to view her at while shuffling along in a queue did not add to the ambiance of the moment.