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Paris Vacation - Day 5
 Beth's
classes today are at Euro Disney. I decide not to tag along and, instead, do
some more exploring on foot around St-Germain des-Pres. As I strolled
down Rue Saint-Sulpice, I spied an imposing looking building down the
block that turned out to be the Palais du Luxembourg. Investigating, I
run across a National Museum exhibit of 250 pieces by Rodin entitled Rodin
1900 so I purchase a ticket. I spend the entire morning among some
glorious marble, bronze, but mostly plaster works by the certified master
sculptor. I then take a long walk down Rue du Bonaparte toward the
Sienne and stroll along its banks crossing over at one point to take some
photographs on the bridge. On the way there, I was stopped dead when  the
entire Rue de Saint-Germain is cordoned off by the local police force
as hundreds of skaters parade by on some sort of a Roller Blading Marathon.
Quite a site.
During
the afternoon, we visited Marche D'Aligre, a wonderful open-air market
that is très French with all the venders shouting out their wares and
wonderful smells of meats and cheeses in the confines of something resembling
a flea-market. If you want the feel of a very French experience,  this
is definitely the place to visit. We next visited a terrific bistro in the
area called Le Baron Rouge (the Red Baron) where we stood at the bar
and enjoyed a terrific wine and cheese lunch. Once again, a quintessential French experience, one I would
recommend to anyone visiting Paris.
Dinner tonight was at an well hidden little Bistro named L'Ardoise
(the blackboard). We both had a different veal dish, flouting hoof-and-mouth
and defying Mad Cow. The restaurant, nearly devoid of atmosphere and with an
address that is incorrectly numbered, undeniably had the best food at a
reasonable price that we have  encountered.
At the conclusion of dinner, we took a ride on the giant Ferris Wheel that is
now ensconced at Place de la Concord where, during the revolution, the
guillotine once stood. Times, to be sure, have changed.
We contemplated ending the evening as we had started it, by dropping by a
neighborhood Irish-Pub-wannabe called FUBAR, but it was late and we
wanted an early start tomorrow. Earlier, we had enjoyed the French
bartender's Cockney-tinged English and wondered if he really new what his
establishment's name was an acronym for.
And it rained again, today.
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