The Left Bank

After our morning self guided walk of historic Paris, we headed back over the Siene to the right bank and headed to the Pantheon. Don't forget it is raining and my feet are killing me! My fashion Pumas were so uncomfortable. I had thought they would be perfect! I will admit I was a bit of a complainer and poor Eric had to put up with me. We stopped for lunch along our walk to the Pantheon at Rick Steves' recommended place called Le Pre Verre. His review boasted a great lunch menu including a starter, main course, glass of wine and coffee for 14 euros. This was honestly one of our best meals. The starter was a cold vegetable soup (not my fave but was good) and the main course was pork cheek in a star anise sauce on fresh pasta. It was so good! We both really enjoyed it! And it came with a glass of wine! Win win! I got to rest my feet and recuperate a bit and we headed on.

 This is the Pantheon. This state-capital style Neoclassical monument celebrates France's history and people. The building is hugeand inside there are monuments tracing the celebrated struggles of the French people.

 The building is 360' by 280' by 270'.

 This is Foucault's pendulum tht swings at the end of a 200 foot cable suspending from the dome. It was here in 1851 that the scientist first demonstrated the rotation of the earth. You can watch the pendulum's arc shift as you and the earth rotate beneath it.

 Rainy Day!

 We next headed over towards the Jardin du Luxembourg, which is Paris' most beautiful, interesting, and enjoyable park/garden/recreational area.  

 Another umbrella shot!

 Luxembourg Palace where the French Senate meets.

 Panoramic View

 After the gardens, we headed to the Rodin Museum. It is filled with works by the greatest sculptor since Michelangelo. Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) sculpted human bodies on an epic scale. Here is one of his most famous works, Thinker.

 The Gates of Hell was a monumental work by Rodin depicting a a scene from "The Inferno", the first section of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.

 The museum is actually the house Rodin lived in with Henri Matisse, Rainer Maria Rilke, and dancer Isadora Duncan. I believe this is a Matisse above.

 Funny thing while we were there - Land Rover was having some event. Tons of guys in suits came in and went to this tent in the gardens.

 From the Mussee Rodin, we walked over to the Army Museum and Napoleon's tomb. The Hotel des Inavlides, a former veterans' hospital, is topped with a golden dome and houses Napoleon's over the top tomb as well as Europe's greatest military museum.

 Napoleon's Tomb

 Part of the military museum - I can tell you Eric enjoyed it much more than I.

 An artsy view of the Eiffel Tower.

 The building was huge and surrounded by a large moat.

Can you believe that we are only on day two and I am still not done?! Stay tuned for the Champs-Elysees and The Arc de Triomphe.  I can tell you by the end of day two we were exhausted, but we are having a great trip!