Today we headed out with Nate to brave -dun-dun- an art museum. And not just any art museum- the granddaddy of them all- the Louvre. 
The wait to get in wasn’t too bad, and we took turns looking at shops while the other waited in line. We started with the remains of an underground fortress and then hit the Egyptians. 
Lots of good stuff, but it was hard not to feel overwhelmed. We didn’t go slow enough to really soak it in, and didn’t go fast enough to see a lot. 
After a while, we escaped to the outside and found a spot for lunch. I had a really good Croque Madame and a Gin Fizz from a friendly waiter. The Gin Fizz became my Paris drink of choice. Nate turned down a grilled cheese sandwich and requested the lunch of champions– milk shake and escargo. 
After lunch we returned to the Louvre, finding a Michelangelo statue and then some renaissance paintings, including a Raphael. The primary destination was the Mona Lisa—small, covered with glass, and surrounded by a crowd of tourists trying to take their own photo with selfie sticks. It was definitely anti-climactic. We tried to see a few more paintings, but got hustled out as they started to close. 
After that we traveled to the Eiffel Tower to get an ice cream cone and wait until our reservation time. The reservation got us an elevator ticket up to the second floor. The tower was outstanding- not crowded at all. Great views from all around. 
Although some people had tickets for the top, the second floor was high enough to see everything. We walked down the stairs, which might have been the best part of the experience. More photos on the first floor, and amazement at the glass floors (smaller than I expected, and more opaque). 
We decided to hang out for awhile until it got darker, so we had snacks and drinks. They even had a short movie to watch. As the sun set below the horizon, the tower was lit up with lights. We enjoyed a slow walk down. 
A crepe, some carousel rides, and a slow walk back to Trocadero ended a magical night. 
The wait to get in wasn’t too bad, and we took turns looking at shops while the other waited in line. We started with the remains of an underground fortress and then hit the Egyptians. Lots of good stuff, but it was hard not to feel overwhelmed. We didn’t go slow enough to really soak it in, and didn’t go fast enough to see a lot. After a while, we escaped to the outside and found a spot for lunch. I had a really good Croque Madame and a Gin Fizz from a friendly waiter. The Gin Fizz became my Paris drink of choice. Nate turned down a grilled cheese sandwich and requested the lunch of champions– milk shake and escargo. After lunch we returned to the Louvre, finding a Michelangelo statue and then some renaissance paintings, including a Raphael. The primary destination was the Mona Lisa—small, covered with glass, and surrounded by a crowd of tourists trying to take their own photo with selfie sticks. It was definitely anti-climactic. We tried to see a few more paintings, but got hustled out as they started to close. After that we traveled to the Eiffel Tower to get an ice cream cone and wait until our reservation time. The reservation got us an elevator ticket up to the second floor. The tower was outstanding- not crowded at all. Great views from all around. Although some people had tickets for the top, the second floor was high enough to see everything. We walked down the stairs, which might have been the best part of the experience. More photos on the first floor, and amazement at the glass floors (smaller than I expected, and more opaque). We decided to hang out for awhile until it got darker, so we had snacks and drinks. They even had a short movie to watch. As the sun set below the horizon, the tower was lit up with lights. We enjoyed a slow walk down. A crepe, some carousel rides, and a slow walk back to Trocadero ended a magical night. 
Das Haus von Ruh 
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