Day one in Paris is over, and I already have blisters. But, it is SO worth it!

Since we hadn't shopped for food yet, we ate a quick ham and cheese sandwich from a vendor in the metro while we figured out how to get to Musee Rodin. As we got off the metro near Les Invalides (the large military hospital with a huge gold dome where Napoleon is buried) we walked across Pont Alexandre (favorite bridge in Paris) so we could walk past the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais while we waited for the museum to open. The Grand Palais is one of my favorite buildings in Paris. It looks like a huge conservatory made of glass and green metal with a domed top that lets in lots of light. It is primarily an exhibition hall - lots of fashion shows are done here.

Anyway, as we got closer we could see what looked like a parade on the Champs des Elysses so we wandered over and noticed tons of police had blocked the street, lots of marching soldiers and a military band. It was Victory Day in France and President Sarkozy had just laid a wreath on some war memorial. He was just leaving when we got there so we didn't get a picture of him, but his motorcade whizzed past amidst lots of sirens. It was pretty cool, especially because it was so unexpected. Probably the closest I will ever get to a President!

Then, on to the Musee Rodin. Oh my! The outdoor statue garden is filled with his incredibly emotional work amidst huge trees so it is very shady and moody feeling. Of course, The Thinker is the most famous and is surrounded by roses and you can see the Eiffel in the distance. Takes your breath away. The Gates of Hell are very evocative, and the chateau houses many more pieces of his work. Dean, I was thinking of you the whole time and totally understanding why you love his work so much :) After a quick pan au chocolat (see, the mirror had absolutely no effect on my eating habits) and diet coke we set out for the Orangerie. More to follow later...