As soon as we arrived in Paris from Istanbul, we met Kay, Tom's cousin, who was on her way back to New York after a conference in the south of France. The day she arrived was the Day of the Anti-Uber strike. We had heard that it would happen; what we did not know is that not just taxis would be involved. Not only were taxi drivers on strike, but also public and private bus drivers, and even drivers of private airport shuttles. Katy succeeded in getting a ride to the train station from her conference. After meeting her, instead of a taxi, we took the metro back to our neighborhood from the train station. And while we did not have TV or radio to tell us about the resulting transit crisis, we say plenty on the internet, including the lines of people walking into Paris from the airport, lugging their luggage along the side of the autoroute. It was not a happy day in Paris.
But the next few days with Katy were great. In addition to some lovely meals, we visited the Musee d'Orsay, because, how can you not?
It was prime tourist season, so we took in the highlights, and left as soon as we could. But readers who visit Paris may notice that the "No photos anytime anywhere in the museum" policy has changed. Now photos without flash are allowed almost everywhere. The result is unpleasant, however. While I was free to take photos, I had to jockey myself into and out of ipad wielding groups who were more intent on their photos than the subject of their photos. And just how many Japanese couples must have their photos taken in front of van Gogh's Self-portrait?
We also visited the Fondation Louis Vuitton in tbe Bois de Boulonge. We had never been, so it was a treat.
We started with lunch in the park, which was hosting an art show of cows. Lots and lots of cows. Apparently the artists had their choice of three cows, and decorated them however they pleased. Monitors were around to explain the exhibit, but seemed mostly to be keeping people from posing for photos on the cows.
This one was covered in grass.
The Fondation beckoned in the distance.
But it is so large that it was impossible to get a photograph of the entire building from anywhere nearby.
There was a lovely fountain, seen from the outside.
Inside we visited a temporary show (no photos), and the permanent collection. And continued to take in the building itself. We could not imagine what the building plans must have looked like.
Balloons looked like giant sow bugs congregating n the ceiling.
Tom pondered a painting while Katy and I explored the adjacent exterior area, which was itself a work of art.
And that brought us around full circle to the fountain we had seen from the outside.
After Katy left, we spent most of our time resting from our two
month-adventure, and seeing friends, lunching at Fauchon,
and the Jacquemart-Andre,
and the Louvre, where we saw a magnificent exhibit of archaeological finds from Bulgaria (no photos!) that we had heard about during our visit there just weeks before.
.
The weather in Paris was unbelievable hot, in the upper 90s to a high of
105, so we spent the rest of our time trying to stay cool before we said
goodbye to Paris before dawn July 3
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