First full day in Paris

Sunday, 11-Sept. We woke up in Paris today.

Our hotel offers a 14€ a person breakfast, but we’ll pass. First, that’s kind of pricey just for a croissant and coffee. (Yeah, the whole big, American breakfast spread is not common. Hence, the term continental.) Second, we’re going to try the neighborhood boulangeries. 

How do you find them? Just ask the French people walking with multiple baguettes and a box of pastries. Or follow your nose—because the customers’ lines go out the open doors, you can’t help but catch the whiff of croissants and espresso.

Another benefit of not being in a tourist zone is seeing locals start their day. That means walking their dogs.

There is an agenda for the next seven days. However, I tried not to plan more than two events a day. While we may be past the bulk of the summer tourists, there are still plenty of visitors from within and outside France. We still have to factor time waiting with crowds.

Today’s objective was the Rodin Museum, dedicated to sculptor Auguste Rodín. Every artist has their greatest hits. You’re probably familiar with these (The Thinker, The Kiss):

Ever read Dante Alighieri’s poem Divine Comedy? Whether you did or not, you are probably well versed in the themes of Inferno. Its the model of almost all Western visions of what happens to a life not well lived. Anyway, Rodin’s other masterpiece, The Gates of Hell, was inspired by that Italian allegory. 

OK, moving on… 

A lot of us, being suburbanites, don’t have a lot experience with mass transit. When you are visiting Paris, get a Navigo card. It covers the city buses, the Metro subway, and the area trains. 

Once you get your Navigo blue card of freedom, you get to experience one of the oldest and busiest subways in the world. 

However, this is the real fun. Fortunately, we can afford to wait for trains that have breathing room. 

What’s a mall doing in a metro station? Yes, there is a staple of American suburban life smack dab in the middle of Paris. Of course, most of it is underground—yet, once in, you’d never know it.

Eventually, one must do some shopping that is not about souvenirs. Get the local experience at the supermarket. Pretty normal, except they sell milk and eggs at room temperature. 

Everyone has heard the idiom, “best thing since sliced bread”, right? At least the French give us our due (zoom into the printing on the bag):