The Sisters in Paris

Frank Gehry's Glass Ship, and Montmartre

We planned to wake up early Monday and start our explorations. We woke up at 10AM, so we changed tactics and decided to take the metro to Frank Gehry's newest creation, the building housing the Louis Vuitton Fondation (modern Art).We figured we could have lunch at the museum. We took the metro to Les Sablons, and walked the rest of the way, again exclaiming continually about the beauty of the fabulous old buildings. 

The Louis Vuitton Fondation is situated within the Bois de Bologne, at the edge of the Jardin d'Acclimation, a children's amusement park. The first sight of the building is unbelievable. It is a massive glass ship bearing down on you. As you near the building, you come upon a large water feature that incorporates water gently running over shallow steps, to the bottom of the building. It is incredible to me that this building was actually made a reality. As my sister said, it is a 'flight of fancy.' I know that Gehry had an enormous team working with him, and obviously an enormous budget, but what kind of mad genius wakes up and says, 'I know, I'll build a giant glass ship in a Parisian park!'?

We entered the glass ship (I got a discount because I'm a teacher -woo hoo!), and headed straight for the restaurant (we were ravenous). We were told we had to wait about 10 minutes, so I of course wandered over to the bookshop. When I returned, my sisters informed me that we wouldn't be eating at that particular restaurant. It would have cost us about $100 each, and there was nothing for a vegetarian to eat, anyway. (Paris has not embraced the vegetarian lifestyle). Instead we were told we could walk to the nearby Jardin d'Acclimation, which boasts half a dozen different eateries. 

We decided to stop for lunch at the first restaurant we came to. It was a good choice. 

Inside the restaurant

After a fabulous lunch, we returned to the glass ship; thought-provoking Art, and incredible views. 

I want to try something like this with my Grade 3 class. On a much smaller scale, of course. 

When we were galleried out, we boarded a shuttle bus (1 euro, probably the best bargain of our entire week), which took us to the Arc de Triomphe. We took the metro (we were becoming pros at the metro now), to Montmartre. 

We took the funicular up the hill, and made our way to the base of Sacre Coeur. There was a huge crowd sitting on the steps, listening to a band of buskers, watching a performer dance with a basketball, and soaking in the sunset over the city. I imagine that the scene would have been the same centuries ago. We wandered a bit, stopped for chocolate and crepes, and took the subway back home.

In one little park in Montmartre, artists and caricaturists ply their trade. I couldn't resist this beautiful paint-filled palette. 

I saw this sparkly graffiti all over Paris. 

On the way home, we had to change trains. I don't remember the station (Madeleine, Concord?). But I was stopped in my tracks by this gorgeous mosaic, made to illustrate a Russian poem!