Here it is, our last Sunday in Paris. Over the last few days we have noticed that words we thought, even hoped, we had forgotten were resurfacing. You know the words, flights, customs, confirmation of flights, etc. We've tried not to think about it, but this morning being our next to last day, and tomorrow being taken up with all of the usual chores associated with leaving a flat (cleaning, laundry, returning of keys) it has been hard not to think of Australia. This was compounded when the mobile phone went off in the middle of the night and one of our enthusiastic friends had kindly texted us to let us know that Australia had won the ODI world cup.
Well, "early to bed and early to rise" they say, will make one "healthy, wealthy and wise." We're still hopeful-particularly about the "wealthy" part. What it did do, was get us an early start to go to the Musee de Montmartre. The guide books told us that it was open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00. We got there to discover that a printed piece of paper hanging from the door advised that it was open from Wednesday to Sunday with an opening time of 11.00; very French. We killed an hour wandering around and "people-watching." It was hot today although in the later afternoon the weather cooled down dramatically and we had the first real rain since we left Australia. But back to the Museum.
We were somewhat dissapointed since we hoped to see an exhibition of the wonderful Montmartre life, particularly the period from the middle of the nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth. Instead we were treated to an exhibition of the impact of the Armenians who had settled in Monmartre. Not really what we were hoping for. Nonetheless interesting and we did manage to talk our way through getting the "seniors" rate. The French are very good about this. All you need to do to get this concession, where it is available, is to ask for it. It may be that the two of us look old enough so that we are never asked for evidence, but we prefer to believe it is just French generosity. We find it particularly interesting since we have Australian (Tasmanian) seniors cards and are denied most of the concessions these are good for in Sydney because the cards have not been issued in New South Wales.
Before going to the museum, we had tried to book for lunch at Chez Plumeau and been told they were taking no more bookings but that if we showed up at noon, on the dot, we were likely to be able to get a table. We did - and we did! In fact we sat at the same table this time as we had last time. It hardly seemed nearly three weeks since we last dined here. Once again food and service were excellent. Virginia had a double roasted lamb shank with thyme. The meat is served with a piece of dried thyme stuck in it which in turn is set alight by the waiter. The smell is wonderful and Virginia thought the taste first rate. We sat there having a very French, Sunday mid-day meal, enjoying the food and watching the people for several hours.
This is probably the end of our April in Paris blog, but it will be on the Internet at least until, hopefully, we add another segment to it in 2008. Until then, au revoir.
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