Day 5

May 29

Update!

We went to the Musée d'Orsay and saw all the impressionist paintings, including Monet and Van Gogh, despite the previously failed attempt to enter due to rain and long lines and general unpleasantness. This day however, there was virtually no line. We spent a little too much time on the ground floors viewing statues and paintings and such and not quite enough time with the more famous artists. Lunch was on the top floor, a[nother] quiche and a salad. I've been drinking iced tea like a fish because I can get all the hydration of normal water with a little bit of actual flavor. The pictures I took have apparently not made it to the computer as of yet but I'll get them on tonight and hopefully post them soon.

Here is one some stranger took on Nanny's camera

We had to rush our bottoms out of there lickety split in order to make it to the train on time. We rushed so hard that we forgot to officially check out of the hotel (whoops!) The cabbie shoved our oversized suitcases into his trunk and drove us to the bustling chaotic mass of metal known as the Paris train station and dropped us there. We found the corresponding lane to our tickets and were stopped by the police, checking tickets and passports. Nanny went through no problem, however with my two suitcases, purse, jacket, and armload of magazines, my passport was a bit out of reach. I dropped the magazines twice and held up the line of travelers behind me and the police people were not looking very happy. Nanny seemed to be a mile away and I was getting terrible frustrated. I finally got out the passport and shoved it in the direction of the impatient man in uniform, dropping the magazines once again. I gave him a flustered look that said directly and unmistakably "If you don't give me a hand and pick that up I'm going to scream until I turn blue". He got the message, no interference from the language barrier. I walked through, stomping my American shoes all the way until I caught up with nanny, just now noticing I hadn't been beside her the whole time. We finally made it to our train car, and the poor conductor man had to maneuver our 70+ pound luggage into the narrow hallway. Still burning up, I kicked my little bag in front and dragged the large one behind me. Kick, drag, kick, drag, and someone was coming up behind me. Kick, drag, kick drag, faster faster. The compartment seemed miles away. Kick, drag, kick, drag, I arrived in front of my door and threw my stuff in and plopped down on the humble sofa. Nanny apologized profusely and I cooled off after a while and settled down. This was a night train, and after a cheese sandwich I tried to sleep in the pulled down bunk style bed, Nanny under me. It would have been a not half bad night, but somewhere along the way heat began to rise and I had to sweat the night out, falling in and out of sleep.

I know I'm behind on posts, but I'll make it up soon :)