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With a gradual heat wave approaching, we spent the latter half of the week looking for more opportunities to do more lounging and less walking. And on that note, I should acknowledge how fabulous the Paris metro system is in connecting everything so efficiently. In general, we can easily get to places within one transfer (except for our park on Thursday), the stations are relatively clean and, granted we are not riding during peak hours, I have never felt like a sardine.
Wednesday we made a trip to the Hotel Biron just a 15 minute walk from our apartment. Hotel Biron had a special place in my heart long before we arrived since this was the name of the wine bar in San Francisco where Mark and I had our first date. The Hotel Biron Paris, on the other hand, is neither a cute wine bar nor a hotel. It is more commonly known as the Musee Rodin where the 19th century sculptor, Auguste Rodin, lived and worked in the last 10 years of his life. In return for a state owned flat and studio Rodin left all of his work to the country and most of it is exhibited here. While the Mansion (old hotel) was closed due to some sort of massive remodel while we were there, the gardens were still open to the public. These gardens are not only beautiful and peaceful, but they display some of his greatest works including the famed "Thinker". We enjoyed hanging out in the garden for awhile admiring the statues and even let 3 somewhat capable looking statues watch over A for a little.
On Thursday we traveled to the 19th Arr. to check out the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. This was the only destination we've traveled to that required 3 different subways. Once we arrived, though, we knew it was worth it. In the far NE corner of the city boundaries, this little piece of paradise is a little bit of everything - rolling hills, a lake, bridges, hiking trails, ambitious runners and a fantastic view of the skyline depending on where you're sitting. We picked up some picnic treats at Rosa Bonheur located right inside the park and found a spot to spread out and take it all in for a few hours.
The people watching was delightful. As I took A for a short walk to help him fall asleep we came across an old couple sitting next to eachother on a park bench, books open in their laps, both asleep, holding hands. Too cute. I didn't take a picture but the guy walking behind me did. Lots of musicians practicing their instruments - we heard guitars, bongos, clarinets.
Andrew particularly enjoyed the added challenge of laying on an incline and now that he's got the turning over thing mastered, Mark and I were extra vigilant. We couldn't help but wonder, however, how far he would make it if we didn't intervene. This park is probably my favorite outdoor place we've been to so far in Paris. When you visit, come here immediately with a bottle of rose and some good company. You will not be disappointed.
Finally, on Friday as the 90-degree day set in we knew we needed to include shade in our plan. We crossed over to the Right Bank and landed in small park near the Petit Palace that was described by one blogger as the rabbit hole that Alice discovered. While it was apparent that we were not the first ones to discover this place, it was pretty fun to see the old, windy staircases leading down from the busy city street into a quiet, little grassy area with a stream and a few benches for those lucky enough to get there first. After a little down time we ended up inside the Petit Palace to find the cafe courtyard where we snagged the last table and a few beers to cool off. Andrew chose to sleep it off instead. Not bad for a Friday afternoon.
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