Gratuit Diamanche part 3

2 March 2008- I know how spoiled we are. Second free trip to the Louvre. Third for me since I volunteered to accompany 3 children to the Louvre earlier this week. It is so amazing. I will have to go back several times. I might actually become a member so I go at anytime. Chad really enjoys the sculptures so I didn't try to subject him to the paintings. We did see the Napoleon (III not the Bonaparte) apartments. The dining room seats 45. That might enough for the entire Nickell family. The grand salon is enormous with lots of red seating. We also toured the medieval Louvre. These are the oldest parts of the building and the what was found during excavation. I am in the old moat area for the picture. The original was built in 1200-1300. They have some great photos of what was found when they did the pyramid entrances. It is amazing to see all that is actually below the ground level. Layers, this city is built in layers.
Yesterday we tried to go to the Catacombs but renovations are not complete until March. I guess that means later than March 1st. We did the Cemetery Montparnasse and saw all the crypts and tombs. We only looked for the Sartre-Beauvoir plot. Very flat compared to the Pere Lachaise cemetery but cool non the less.
We found our happy hour place from the house hunting trip. 8 euro for a giant Hoegarten. I mean the glass is large but the line for filling up is way past full. We did some shopping on the way home for champagne. Need, no but want. When in france...
I must say Sundays are quiet but very nice. Not too much is open, people seem happier (except the Louvre staff) and the city feels much more calm. It is the traditional day to spend with your family. If the weather was nicer, we could see all the families sailing boats at the parks and playing together. Mitt Romney was a bit crazy with his comments about the French. Yes, they are socialist but they know what really matters. My french teacher has 5 children and 8 grandkids. She qualifies for a 30% discount on rail lines. She and her researcher husband paid for none of her children's education (2 went to university, 2 went to Grand ecole). And ecole maternalle is for children 3-6 and is open 7 to 7 so working families are able to leave their kids. No charge. Knowing how much my friends pay for day care that would be amazing savings. and 6 weeks vacation with 5 euro wine. Not a bad life.
The couches are still not here. I lost that bet. I get to call Ikea tomorrow and complain. They took their money back in January. I have gotten 2 surveys from Ikea for my order. Hey no survey since I have no merchandise! This ought to be fun. Hopefully they come this week. Probably Friday so that we will be away from them for a week while skiing, or trying to learn skiing.