Day two dawned with all of us dead asleep. Sleeping pills will do that to you, but it is a good alternate to not sleeping with the jet lag.   We dragged ourselves up and Ken/I wandered to the local brasserie to start with coffee, while Kim/Aimee finished getting ready.

The little café was typical, with outdoor tables where you could relax, drink, eat and watch the world go past. What more could you want in Paris? So, that is exactly what we did. Strong coffee, fabulous croissants and great people watching.

Then, we got organized and headed to the D'Orsay museum for our fill of Impressionist art. On our way to the Metro, we passed by a photo exhibit along the Seine River across from the Qui Branley Museum. It was interesting to see the various photos of people from around the world and the different interpretations of their culture.   

I had done on-line tickets for Versaille and the D’Orsay, so we were able to skip the lines and walk right in. For those not having been, the D’Orsay is, for me, one of the most beautiful museums in the world. It used to be a train station, so it is wide open and spacious, and houses a huge collection of Van Gogh’s, Renoir’s and Monet’s.    Everyone takes that portion of the museum at the own pace and finds the various pieces of art that resonates with them.

When we finished enjoying art, we took advantage of the beautiful sunny day and walked to the Rodin Museum, for a different type of art…sculptures. Rodin did The Thinker and The Kiss, both are housed in either the Chateau (where he lived) or in the gardens surrounding it. This is my favorite place for a picnic, so we had picked up some baguette sandwiches, a piece of flan, a chocolate torte and some drinks. We found a nice bench in the beautiful gardens and soaked up the sun, while relaxing with our snacks.   Unfortunately, the Chateau was closed for renovation and there was just a small temporary exhibit showing Rodin’s works.    Plus, due to a miscommunication, Aimee and Kim had exited the museum and couldn’t get back in. So, it took some luck for Ken and I to figure out they were out front sitting on a bench!

After a walk back to our flat, it was time for a rest. This time, everyone crashed and got some well-deserved sleep.   It was hard to get moving, but since it was 530p, it was time to get to our evening activities…Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame.   We didn’t plan on art in the morning and churches in the evening, but it seemed to work well!

On the walk from the Metro to Sacre Coeur there are some great little shops, so we stopped by a few to see if there were any "must have’s" to take home. Sacre Coeur sits on a hill overlooking Paris and has great views, as well as a beautiful cathedral. As we walked up the stairs to the church, we passed the people on the steps enjoying wine, snacks and the sun setting over Paris, not to mention the souvenir hawkers. Selfie-sticks seemed to be the hot item for sale, and they were in use everywhere.

Evening Mass was in progress, so it was interesting to listen to the Priest and see the nun’s on the podium as we walked around the beautiful church. Around the corner from the church is a square where artists gather to paint and sell to the tourists. It is a great place to grab a drink, eat a snack and do some people-watching. Three years ago Ken bought a beautiful painting here of the Loire Valley, which is now hanging in the living room!

Kim, Aimee and I did a tutorial on how to navigate the Metro, so they would be prepared on Monday when there were here on their own.   Both passed with flying colors! So, it was now off to Notre Dame. It was a bit tricky as we exited the Metro in an area I am not familiar with…but after a couple of stops asking for directions, we made it to the Isle de Cite, the island in the middle of the Seine where Notre Dame is located.

Since it was around 830p and the sun had long disappeared, it was a stunning sight as we walked up the path, as Notre Dame was lit up and glowing. I hadn’t seen the church in the evening, so this was a special treat and we all walked around looking at the amazing view. Since it was late, the church was closed, but I am not sure the inside would have surpassed the outside.

Kim’s cousin had recommended a restaurant, Le Panis, across from Notre Dame, so we went over for some dinner. And wow! What a meal we had! From the ratatouille, the Croque Monsier, to the Beef Bourgogne everything was amazing. Plus, we had a table with a spectacular view of Notre Dame. What could be better??

Then it was back to the flat, where Ken had hoped for one more view of the Eiffel Tower twinkling…but it was too late and not to be. So Sleep!!!