Louvre

If yesterday was Dave’s day, today was Jen’s. We started our morning at the Louvre, at the iconic glass pyramids. One of the first in, we quickly made our way to two masterpieces Jen wanted to see – Winged Victory of Samothrace and Venus de Milo, catching them with almost no one around. We then explored, checking out both famous pieces and those that caught our eye.

We specifically didn’t go see Mona Lisa up close, as we had spent much time looking at the replica that was previously shown in the Royal BC Museum, a replica that had spent years hanging in the Louvre with no one realizing and that didn’t have multiple layers of glass in front of it.

Other highlights included Napoleon’s apartments and statues in the beautiful sculpture hall.

Four hours later, we were exhausted and ready for a break from the crowds. We walked a few kilometres along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower to get a few quintessential shots, then wandered into the neighourhood to find a late lunch/early dinner.

Finally, we took the C train back north and, stopping at a boulangerie and the grocery store, headed back to the hotel for showers and well-deserved rest.