Late Nights and Museums

All this staying out late with Nicole and drinking heavily (for me, that means TWO glasses of wine) is making my sightseeing begin later and later.  

Yesterday, I went to the newly renovated Picasso Museum. It's within walking distance, so with the help of Nicole's iphone instructions, I walked there. To be most efficient, you should use a million little streets, but I chose the larger ones and figured then I'd see signs. I did and got there with no problem. The line outside was huge but I figured I should go since I had managed to find it. The wait was about a half hour.

Line at the Picasso; the museum is not in the picture;
it's just a small portion of this complex

 The museum is small so they limit how many people enter. I understood what the reviewers who don't like it were saying about the renovation. You're almost forced to go in the order they want you to--about 10 small rooms, go up a floor, 10 more small rooms, repeat for four floors. The smart thing would be to try to get the elevator (unlikely) and work your way back down. There are over 400 works of Picasso in this museum, arranged in chronological order,  so if you like Picasso, it's the place to be. Limiting entry seems like a good idea because it didn't feel crowded. There were lots of tourists but no Asian tour groups. Also, since it just reopened in October, a lot of French people were there.

Picasso's Notre Dame

On the way home, I did that thing where I see the street I want but don't know which way to turn on it. Luckily, I carry two maps. Let's just say, I took the long way home. I never care too much--I just say "I'm walking in Paris."

Last night, I met up with a young lady I taught with in Poland in 2007 and her husband for dinner and to see the play. The husband is from Paris and my friend is from St. Louis. She is working on two Ph.D.s at once--one here in Paris and one at Northwestern in Chicago. They just moved back here after two years in Chicago. We ate dinner at the restaurant at the theatre. I asked them to meet me at 6:15 but of course, the restaurant doesn't start serving until 7. The food was excellent and they did get us out by 8 in time for the show. My friends loved the show. Lucky for them, I have connections and got us all free tickets because the cost is 28 Euros. It's not so much in the suburbs and small towns but then, this is Paris.

I still do not understand when these French people eat. That restaurant's website says they serve food all the time. By that they mean they don't. I've gathered that dinner begins at 7 but I'm still unclear about lunch. I'm guessing noon until 2 because I tried to get late lunch today at 2:45 and no go. I finally ate at a cafe that really does serve all the time. However, I ordered an omelette and I could have waited for chickens to lay the eggs, bought them and made it myself in the time it took for them to serve me.

Last night after the show which, after autographs, ends around 10:30, the actors wanted to get a beer. They found a place but the rule is you can't have drinks that late without someone (just one person) ordering food. The problem is, the kitchen is closed, so what they could order was some bread, cheese, and pate. They were eager to kick everyone out by 12:30. So the city of lights isn't always lit. 

Today I decided to go to the Rodin Museum which was being renovated the last time I was here. Those gardens are beautiful and The Thinker is still there as well as a lot of other sculptures. I was going to add Invalides to this trip but decided against it. However, as I was out in the Rodin garden, I couldn't help noticing it's right across the street.

The Thinker--the large version

Rodin Museum garden; looky there--Invalides

So I went. I was wondering why Napoleon's Tomb is on everyone's "must do" list until I walked into that building. It is magnificent. Then I managed to find the Metro and actually get back home without getting lost. It was a banner day.

One small part of the room that houses Napoleon's tomb