Paris Diary: Le Marais

Wednesday of our week we visited Le Marais district to the east of the Louvre.

We started out at the place where the Bastille used to be. Nothing there now but an obelisk in the middle of a traffic circle. From there it was a museum death
march.

• Victor Hugo home in Place des Vosges
  
• Musée Carnavalet (history of Paris)
  
• Musée Picasso
  
• Centre Georges Pompidou (modern art)
  

The Victor Hugo home is part of a square of 1600s era buildings called Place des Vosges. There was a very long line when we first arrived but it was all 20-something young women. We figured out that it was not the line for the Victor Hugo home. No line there. All I learned in the Victor Hugo home is that I haven't read much written by Hugo. After touring through the home we tried to get a wine and cheese break at a cafe in the square. But it was lunch time and they wouldn't serve us unless we ordered a meal.

From Place des Vosges we walked to Musée Carnavalet. Lots of interesting paintings of Paris over the centuries. And a nice formal garden in the center. We only made it thru the 16th century before deciding to move on.

We picked out a random cafe in a small square for lunch. Cafe food such as salads and sandwiches and house wines have all been excellent.

Final museum stop was the Centre Georges Pompidou with it's external plumbing and modern art exhibit.

About the coolest thing was the giant spider sculpture in the entry space. Modern art is sometimes interesting but very often weird. We both think that a lot of the pieces are scams being perpetrated by the artists and critics. Like three identical gray canvases, each with its own identifying plaque. Or the life size red fiberglass rhinoceros.

While I was dropping my backpack off at the "cloak room", Alice struck up a conversation with a couple from Chicago (they took the pic of the two of us). As we were about to part, they asked if we had heard about the transit strike. Um... no. Seems there was to be a general transit strike beginning this evening or at midnight. Could be bad. Very bad. We and the whole city gets around on Le Métro, the buses, and the trains. If those were down we'd be fighting with the entire population for the cabs.

Back at the hotel, the desk clerk had not heard of any transit strike. We arranged dinner for 10pm and took a bit of time off our feet, recharging our batteries and those of the cameras.

Dinner was at Le Sheffer, a neighborhood bistro. It was close enough that we could walk back to the hotel if there was indeed a strike. It was really excellent! And it felt like a little neighborhood hole in the wall. Le Métro was still running when we headed for "home". But there was a was a sign I couldn't read up in one station and at the hotel the clerk had posted a sign stating "General Transit strike tomorrow!".

If so, we've still got the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe in walking distance. And plenty of cafés with wine!