Day 21 September 5, 2008
Visit #2 to the Opera Garnier was remarkably different than the first. This time, I managed to take photos of the exterior which is non-stop crazy time. I do like Beaux Art style, but I'm glad not every building here in Paris looks like it's lost its marbles.
We were able to go out on the front balcony where opera-goers have a smoke. There's a library in this Opera, too. For real, when do you have time to read a book at an opera house? Oh ya, when you don't want to watch (or hear) the show. Ok, so every time. I see now.
For a rainy afternoon, we headed to the free museum all about the history of Paris called Carnavalet. It's housed in two former mansions so the flow of traffic kinda confusing. Maybe it's just me. There are neat-o items inside, most memorably locks of Marie-Antoinette's hair EVERYWHERE. They loved to keep her hair. Her head, eh, not so much.
At night, we assaulted the Louvre. After making Britton see the Mona Lisa (you can't NOT see it), he took us on death march through French painters, Italian painters, Flemish painters (I saw 24 Rubens in 16 seconds), and lots and lots of Egyptian stuff. There was more, but I think my eyes fell out. Good thing my video camera was still working. As we were leaving, we came upon this beast.