Well it is the official day of our 25th wedding anniversary!!! And the sun has come out!!! Quick off to Gare Montparnasse to take the train to Chartres. An elderly gentleman saw that we were "Canadians" and gave Mary a bouquet of flowers to hold while I took her picture, very sweet. When I went to Chartres last November (a dark dismal winter day) and entered the famous cathedral it was difficult to see your hand in front of your face. Today was a sunny day and it was still very dark inside. After a few minutes your eyes adjust and you can see the grandeur of the cathedral and the wonderful/famous stained glass windows with the "Chartres blue".
Afterwards back to Paris, first to reserve our final train trip seats. Interesting as had to deal with a "Summer Employee". He wasn't an expert at his job and I wasn't an expert at speaking French. Then a trip through St. Germain. First St. Sulpice church made famous in the Da Vinci Code. Funny that tourists are entering this church because of a book/movie that is negative to the Catholic church!!!
After to the church St. Germain de Pres. Then a walk along Boulevard St Germain. Unfortunately it had now clouded over. We stumbled upon (or was it planned) my favourite store in Paris, the Album stores. They contain all the "BD" books and figurines including Tintin. Mary was smitten by a Tintin/Milou figure and asked me to buy it. Had a long conversation with the clerk about the availability and cost of Tintin products in Canada and finding out we were from Canada offered to complete the lengthy forms required to get some of the VAT back. Just hope it works.
Then headed to Jardin du Luxembourg. On the way walked by the Panthenon and several shoe shops. Jardin du Luxembourg was very beautiful with all of the flowers in bloom. Unfortunately the sky was dark, about to rain and everything looked grey. Hope we can return on a sunny day before we have to head home.
Back to the apartment and out for anniversary dinner. Picked Le Maquis near métro Lamarck. Written up in great eats Paris. Very friendly and great food. Mary had too much to drink and unfortunately started acting strange trying to conjugate French verbs on the walk home.
Our dinner was:
Mary-
Spinach salad
Leg of Lamb
Chocolate dessert (was incredible)
Gord-
Hot goat cheese salad
Veal kidneys
Raspberry tart
I think I won the "when in Paris..." award with my goat cheese/kidney selections!!
Pouring down rain to end the evening.
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