Impressionists and Gardens

I snuck out early this morning alone to go to the Musee d’Orsay, an art museum in a beautiful former train station.  The collection includes art from 1848 to 1914, including all of my favorites!  Nik and the kids walked through the Jardin des Tuileries and visited l’Orangerie, where Monet’s huge water lily paintings are showcased:

Madeleine, Henry, Sullivan, Puppy & Monet.

We met up for lunch in the Tuileries next to a classic fountain/pool, where the kids, ducks and fish were fed and the pigeons harassed.  I then took my turn in l’Orangerie while Nik and the kids found a playground nearby.  (Tomorrow Nik will get his turn at solo museum-going, don’t worry!)

We had a nice long walk from l’Orangerie/ Jardin des Tuileries to the Jardin de Luxembourg.  This is a special kid-centric garden that has been on our list.  Today we met my college friend and former fencing teammate, Yuri, and her lovely family there.  They are in Paris for a week for vacation.  

We all headed to the deluxe “pay to play” playground, where there was something for all ages.  Madeleine and Henry especially loved the “vine swing” where you sit or stand on a hanging disc and swing along a track.  Sully loved the slides and sand. 

After ice cream AND candy (what?!), it was time for the old timey carousel.  Henry and Sully rode this, with Sully opting for the lounging compartment, avec une jeune fille francaise, and Henry opted for one of the hanging horses.  Riding on the outside of the carousel, he was one of the lucky kids to get a wooden stick with which to collect metal rings each time he went around.  We were confused at first and told him to try to hit the hanging metal thing with the stick.  After he nearly took out the nice young lady, he figured it out.  The ride stopped when the kids had collected all the rings.  A very sweet and timeless ride.

Get that ring!

At last it was time to rent a model sail boat to sail on the pool in front of the Palais du Luxembourg.  This apparently has been a pastime for many years.  Along with the boat, the kids get a long stick to push the boat toward the middle of the pool.  Thanks to the wind, the boats really do not get stuck in the middle.  They always end up at the side of the pool, ready for another launching.  All the kids have plenty of energy, chasing their craft all around the pool.  We loved the old-time fun of the carousel and the boats.  The garden itself was gorgeous too, with lots of trees all in a line, and beautiful flowers.

Sully and I took the fast way home on the RER train, while Nik and the big kids found a couple more geocaches in the Jardin and then walked home. 

Nik says:  I was really impressed but not surprised today by how strong the kids are, walking/riding all over the place.  It's a good thing as one of my greatest pleasures so far is wandering the streets by foot.  I estimate we walked between 4 and 5 miles during the day.  They're all in good shape, so if anyone out there is ever considering a trip like this, walk your kids!  During the school year, M & H each usually walk about a mile to school in the morning, counting dropping off Sully at his school.  Here, rare complaints are usually easily curtailed by bribery with the promise of ice cream or occasionally tender blackmail or threats (I guess we'll let a French kid find and keep your bike).

Our tired-out crew are fast asleep, getting ready for tomorrow, when we tackle… the Louvre! 

A demain,

-E