June 14, 1968
June 14, 1968
Have our continental breakfast and set out to take our boat trip along Siene. Because of the taxi strike there is no 10:00 am ride, so rather than waste time we walk and grab metro again in the direction of the Louvre. Get a guided tour, but she is unsatisfactory - voice doesn't carry and accent to strong to understand words. 1/4 the way through we leave her and wander around. At least the boys see Venus, Mona Lisa, Napoleon charming Josephine, some Raphael, etc. and the Renaissance paintings but should have seen more.
We eat at Louvre in same place as last year. It's so-so but cheap and that makes it O.K. to us.
We are supposed to catch Fountainbleau tour at 1:45 pm. We wait then supposed to follow woman guide but we lose her and are disgusted. Tourists and gang takes no to her and are fondly on our way. There are only a half dozen more people on bus but I for one am glad as it is more peaceful. We are supposed to be back about 6:00 pm.
We see a lion statue made by same sculpterer that did our statue of liberty - grand.
Weather not good. Rain on and off and overcast. Sun comes out infrequently.
See wild poppies blooming along highways.
Forests of Fontainbleau so very very beautiful and thick and old. Famous painters painted here.
We go to a town called Barbizon (wonderful, I love it).
Here at little Inn painted.
Millet, Charles Jacque Corot Roisseau, our lead is sign same Tableau.
Enjoyed this very much. Then on to Fountainbleau. Rains real hard. Wait and get out finally.. Of course it is a magnificent palace. The grounds with the original Diane the Huntress on pool. See many Napoleon things, and Frances I, and Louise 13, Louis 14, Louis 16, Ann of Austria, Medici Queen Mary, Marie Antoinette, Marie Thersa of Hapsburgs, Napoleon, etc.
Back again to Paris. See some of the important sights again. Try to buy shoes - no luck. Find a restaurant and suspect it is German. Have Weinerschnitzel. Very good. Wine too. Get two helpings of Kirsch on Pineapple (desert). Cherry is loaded with booze. Tom makes a funny about carrot juice and I get to laughing so hard I cry. This sounds silly but something did strike us as funny. Nice French girls wish us a happy stay in paris. Time to go back to hotel and bed and write this. am just about done in now. Good night.