The street corner outside my hostel is really crazy in the evenings: crowds of mostly Arab guys selling cigarettes, watches and jewellery out of their pockets, or generally just milling around and making a racket. With the quiet charm of Montmartre just around the corner, it's a fun contrast.
Spent a lot of time on the metro today, zipping from one sight to another. First, went to the Centre Georges Pompidou, which was crazy and ugly, and also closed. So, went to the Pantheon instead. The Pantheon is basically an enormous classically-styled hall, sparsely decorated with sculpture and paintings, as well as Foucault's Pendulum.
Next, went back to Montmartre looking for my one French café lunch. Dealt with the staff bilingually (better than most Parisians, who are like, "oh, a foreigner - no French for you, then). Committed cardinal sin by ordering coffee instead of wine - I say their fault for not selling wine by the glass. Overall, lovely lunch.
Last stop, la Musée d’Orsay, home of impressionism. Rooms devoted to Van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne, Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec, among others. Saw most of the impressionist paintings that I know. On the downside, the worst crowds I've seen yet in Paris - the Van Gogh room was an especially maddenning crush.
Had a lovely, long walk back to the hostel, taking in lots of Paris streets on the way. Parisian streets really are full of cafés, boulangeries, patisseries, fromageries, fancy shops, and grand, beautiful buildings - the stereotypes are true.
Going to go look at the Moulin Rouge tonight, and will actually get there, unlike last night's aborted attempt, wearing thongs in the rain. Whoops.
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