. . . when you're a stranger

Ah, the day yesterday was weather perfect.  Off we went to see more dead people.  We don't have a fixation with cemetaries, but I have to admit we like to explore them.  Hopped on the metro to Pere-Lachaise Cemetary - the oldest and most notable in Paris.  You've got your painters, sculptors, singers (opera, pop, rock), composers, authors, playwrites, dancers, and people you don't know what they did but they were still famous.  The most visited grave (and probably the least important) is Jim Morrison of The Doors.  There you found the most people hanging around.  There, and by some guy who invented spiritism.  People hung around trying to commune with him.  I think he might have had a little shock when he met death.  Some of notables were Chopin, Edith Piaf, Isadora Duncan, Bisset, Moliere, Oscar Wilde, Delacroix.  It is actually a beautiful place -- an art gallery on a hill full of statues, interesting architecture, chestnut trees, and stories.  There were many moving memorials to French citizens who died in prision camps.

We came back home and ate at a neighborhood cafe -- Turkish.  Good food and nice people.  The server wanted to talk and we thought he was understanding us.  He's answer yes to the same question asked several different ways to make sure he understood --but then a minute later we'd realize he didn't get it at all.  He basically told us what we were going to order.  Brought us the beer he thought we should have (it was good).  And wanted to serve us Turkish tea on the house.  I think he felt bad when we refused, but Ernie doesn't like tea and I can't have the caffeine.  Too hard to explain, so we had to leave him with a sad face.

After resting up for awhile, we walked over to the Seine to take a night cruise to see the lights of the City. City of Light, you know.  We sat on the upper deck and had a great view.  Tres romantic.  Walking home we ran into a couple of street musicians performing in front of Notre Dame and enjoyed that for awhile.  By then it was after 11 pm and people were still milling around everywhere.  I'm convinced nobody in this city sleeps.

Today was another art museum day.  The d'Orsay is the next art age after the period covered in the Louvre.  Gaugain, Degas, Monet, Manet (I still can't keep those two straight), Van Gogh, Rodin, & many more.  We were able to cover the entire museum but were getting a little punchy.  We might have given up but the last exhibit we came to was furniture from the art deco era and it was fascinating.  Not exactly Ikea.  We walked home rather than take the metro, ate at home, and I don't think I've moved from the couch for about 3 hours.

One thing I've learned about myself is that I'm scarf challenged.  I brought a few scarves to wear to try to blend in (good luck there) and I just can't get that thrown on but laying perfectly look.  I look like I have a water hose around my neck.  I see women (and men) walk by with their scarves perfectly in place through wind and rain, but I can't even walk across the street without having to adjust it.  It must be a genetic thing the French have evolved to over the generations.  I am so tempted to stop some woman in the streets and ask for lessons.

Off to Versailles tomorrow.