Journal no. 3

continuing with the back log for Paris:

on 10 June 2012, we went to Montmartre.
i based our excursion on the self-guided walking tour posted here : http://www.paris48.com/montmartre-walk.html.

 following the guide, we took the metro to Lamarck, essentially going to Sacre Coeur from the back instead of the front where the funiculaire trains are.

went up the stairs to Rue Caulaincourt. it is certainly less crowded here.
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec rented an apartment with a studio there.

 we had lunch here, sitting outside - french onion soup, escargots, pasta, coffee... tourist-grade bland food.

 walked up to Sacre Coeur. many tourists, many souvenir shops, many people offering to draw your portrait.

 i didn't go see past the edge - auntie said it was glorious. :(

 here's the cathedral - no photos allowed inside. the interior was huge and richly decorated with enormous frescos of stained glass and ....it was gorgeous!
cousin bought some little dogs made out of fuzzy wire made on the spot for a peddler with a mike.

we walked, eating ice-cream bought from the parlor.
in the end i didn't sense the artistic history of Montmartre - wasn't sure where it was actually.
will have to explore more thoroughly next time.

 we went down the hill - cousin and i exchanged lame knock-knock "jokes".
we saw a brown windmill cafe, which was cool.
it was just a glimpse of the interesting alleys and backstreets of the area.

 auntie bought some fruits from a green-grocer. here are some white asparagus sticks.

 and we found Moulin Rouge. lol. that is my exuberant cousin posing on top of a air vent.
the area seems to be full of modern "dance halls".

then we took the train to uncle E's house. he lives in a nice neighborhood, about 30 minutes train ride from the city center. his lovely wife served us drinks and macarons.

 uncle E took us to Domaine de Sceaux.
the museum is in a grand country house, but was closed and completely covered up due to renovation work.
we walked around the park in the drizzling rain.
the park was designed by Andre Le Notre, who designed the Versailles gardens as well.
it's very expansive and very devoid of visitors that day.

 just look at the greenery! the conical trees!

good for a jog. or golf.
and we did see some joggers.

after that, we went to uncle E's home where a lovely home-cooked dinner (mozzarella+tomato, beef carpaccio, roast beef, roast potatoes, chocolate pudding, cheesecake, cherries) awaited us.
very nice. :)