Last Day in Paris

My last day in Paris and yet I still have so much to see. I start the day off with the same walk through the city, but take a few different streets and alleys, but yet end up in the same spot. What great city planning. Like a maze, except it always leads you right back to the center if you get lost.

I first go to the Louvre. So much great artwork to see. Once I get inside I understand why they say you can spend a lifetime in the Louvre and still never see it all. I decided to pick out the famous pieces and head straight to them, admiring other pieces as I went. Of course the highlight was the Mona Lisa. I feel privileged to have seen it in the flesh. But in truth, it was very small and uninspiring. I appreciated more that I was looking at a work of Leonardo Di Vinci more than the work its self. Still worth it.

After this I wander from famous piece to famous piece, which are properly spread out giving me a pretty full tour. After about 2.5 hours I am exhausted and ready to leave. From the Louvre I wander to Notre Dame. I don't go inside, but I buy a crepe and eat it outside! It is on this walk I have my adventure with the scam artist. For more on that, read my post on getting scammed. One of my favorite memories from my trip by far.

After Notre Dame I walk to the modern art museum, which looks awesome and completely out of place in this city. It is a series of colored tubes and pipes sticking out of an industrial looking building made of glass and steel. I didn't go inside, but outside was fun enough. You have artists all over, musicians, cheap back massages, and anything else you can think of. It was just fun to sit in the sun and take it all in.

While wondering I found that there is a "history of video games expo" in town. I don't know if you know me, but I kind of love video games. A lot. So I head there, which is not as easy as it seems because I am an idiot. After walking to the wrong buildings all over town, being completely exhausted, feeling like my legs are dead and the sun setting I find the place. I pay the overly-priced fee and go inside. It was pretty cool I must say. I ran through the history, while allowing you to play famous games from every era of gaming. but the exhibit was pretty short, which was sad and made the cost-benefit even lower, but oh well.

After this I head back to the apartment. Tonight I am going out to dinner in a real Parisian restaurant with Isabel and her husband. It is a small place and we sat there for hours on end, eating amazing food and drinking french wine. What better French experience could I ask for? What a perfect way to end the trip and I am glad we did it.

Sadly, the next morning I return to Hungary. I say good-bye to everyone, which is sad. Even in the small time I spent with them I grew to like the family, very, very much. I plan to stay in touch with Paul and Clemence through Facebook. I told them they can keep practicing their English with me until I finally convince them to visit the States.

No post on the trip home - it was uneventful, but great to be back in my apartment after 20 days on the road.