Secret Smiles, Stairs, Snails and Sex Shops

On Monday we made our second attempt at seeing the Louvre. At all three levels of entry - security, ticket purchase and final entry - we were able to casually walk through with no wait. It was certainly different to the long long line we encountered the previous day and proved our decision to wait a day was correct. 

We strolled through the large corridors heading towards the museums drawcard - the Mona Lisa. As expected there was a crowd of eager photographers crowded in front of it but a patient wait saw us at the front, eager to snap a pic for ourselves. I personally don't see what all the fuss is about really. You can't get up close enough to examine it in any detail and it is safely stored behind bullet proof glass, the only painting in the museum to be so. This reminds you that are looking at something famous but can't quite figure out why. Regardless of this, if the topic comes up you will find me saying "oh yes, I've seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre", in a pompous way no doubt. And that's the point, isn't it... 

We also saw lots of other works, some recognisable, some not such as Venus di Milo and Winged Victory. Matt and I also invented a new game - What are They Saying - where we provided the dialogue for the characters in the paintings and sculptures. For example many of the statues were saying "hmmm where did my head go?" or "has anybody seen my arm?". We believe the meaning behind Mona Lisa's smile is simple - "you think there's something special about me... but there's not... *giggle*"

Our next stop was the Eiffel Tower. The line for the lift was huge so, feeling active, we joined a much shorter queue to climb to the second level and then catch the lift from there. That meant a total of 669 steps, which for those playing at home, is a lot of steps. It is at this point I realised I was wearing sandals. We had breaks at level 1 (320 steps) and level 2 (669 steps) before catching the lift the rest of the way. Thankfully, you can't climb the stairs all the way. The great views started with the glass walled lift ride to the top and culminated with a quick session on the very windy balcony. It was at this point I realised I was wearing a dress. 

After getting back to ground level we sat in a park opposite the tower and watched the moon rise behind it. A beautiful sight indeed. It is such an attractive building thanks to the gentle curves, arches and decoration. It is very easy just to sit and stare at, enchanted by it's uniqueness and strange visual appeal. 

We then walked along the Seine and enjoyed a delightful dinner just opposite the tunnel where Princess Di died. While still making up our minds about what to eat our drinks arrived. I had ordered a cocktail and it came with a sparkler and glowstick in the drink. This gave me a little too much spark and when it came time to order I requested an entree of 12 Escargot, or in simple mans terms - snails. We were startled to receive a tiny fork and a crazy utensil somewhat like tongs. We tried to work out how we were to eat them using these implements but luckily our kind waiter showed us when he brought out the food. 

What sat before us was a plate of snails. That is essentially all they were. There was a green sauce oozing from the hole which only made them more unappetising to look at. Matt made me go first as it was my "stupid idea" and, with a screwed up face, I used the tongs to hold the shell and the tiny fork to scoop out the inside. If I didn't know what I was eating it would have been fine as they did taste quite delicious. But the thought that I was eating a snail was difficult to shake. We persevered and it wasn't until about snail 4 that it became difficult to stomache those little blobs covered in goo. "I feel like I'm eating an alien" commented Matt. By snail 6 I vomited a little in my mouth (sorry folks, but it happened). A second cocktail later had us laughing about the whole experience and I'm glad we gave it a go. 

Thankfully the rest of meal was fit for human consumption. Although possibly the most expensive meal Matt and I have had together, it was a wonderful evening. We then walked back down the river and past the Eiffel Tower at night. 

We had a late start the following day after an epic sleep-in. Our bodies obviously needed to recover after the previous days walking and Escargoting. We spent the day in the arty suburb of Montmartre. We caught the funicular up the hill and spent a good while sitting on the steps of Sacré Cœur looking out over the city. It is quite a special place. We watched the people come and go, listened to various buskers and even saw one couple have their wedding photos taken. We then wandered through the cobbled streets, watching all the artists at work. It felt like we were in a movie! 

After heading back down via the steps of Sacré Cœur, we walked along Boulevard de Clichy, marveling at it's, erm... 'interesting' shops. We started with the Sexodrome, located right next to the hotel Matt stayed in in 2004 when he was in Paris, and passed countless 'sex shops' with names such as Pussys, The Porno Shop and The Museum of Erotica. Such a classy classy place. Situated halfway along is the Moulin Rouge, with it's iconic red windmill. We saw the 9pm show and there is so much to tell that it deserves it's very own post. Ooh la la!