La Día Final de Paris

Ah, my last day in Paris. After last night's glorious meal I even managed to get up early at about 9 this morning. Nolw checked out of the hostel, I mst find things to do before I return to get my stuff and leave at about 6. I might go back to Wadja if I can at 4:30 or 5, for now I am visiting the French National Middle Ages Museum and I'd like to revisit the Pompidou, maybe even get a chance to go in this time, St. Sulpice and see the Museé Guimet.
(later) After the very beautiful and interesting middle ages mseum, I found a place nearby claiming Tapas - French tapas. Out of curiosity I went in for a little snack. It turns out that the place was a very snooty French place wanting to be ultra modern, but all it was was a fashion statement with not very nice waiters, no culinary love at all. So I ate what I could of my two not very good dishes and hit the road.
I saw today the only two lingerie stores yet in Paris, this was surprising to me as there are at least a million clothing stores and given the reputation of France in the love department, I would have expected more. But I did get to see St. Sulpice. Of course the only reason I wanted to go there is because it was mentioned in the Da Vinci Code, but it really was a very very beautiful place. Right now part of the North West tower is being worked on, but that didn't mean anything because that whole bit is separate from the main space - a lot of it was, it makes me wonder what all there is that the average visitor can't see up on the higher floors and in he towers. It was very beautiful with an extraordinarily elaborate speaker's podium and an intimidating looking organ high above the entrance.

(later) So I got to see the Pompidou! Inside! and I discovered soemthing about my artistic tastes - they mostly lie in function. For example one of my favorite things I saw there was this one piece that demonstrated a 'some-construction-needed' chair which included just a bunch of wooden pieces that looked basically like boomerangs with holes in them, and it came with pipes to put through the holes as you like. It seemed to me such an interesting way to produce a chair - with easily replaceable parts, changeable, and pretty cool looking. I also really enjoyed loking at the architectural models that maximized efficiency and ecological positivity. In the gift shop there were several culinary pieces that cuaght my eye - mostly art springing out of normal utensils - pretty cool. Also while in the Pompidou, I sketched a girl's boot because I liked it so much - it reminded me of an Italian equestrian boot: very rustic brown leather with a strong heel and attractive upper calf straps, attractively seamed outside and zipper on the inside. You know, I've seen two people in the past couple of days on the metro who looked like they just hopped off a horse - very curious... where would you find a horse in Paris other than the Police at the Versailles Gardens (I could spend forever there)? Also in the metro I have seen lots of musicians - violin players, saxophones, guitar players - but today has been an especially good day for Metro Music. On my way around I heard a VERY good duet of trumpet and saxophone playing In a Sentimental Mood by Ellington (or Strayhorn?) and at 4pm today at the Le Châtelet stop I came across a 7-piece String Ensemble playing sonatas and classical music! A bass, two cellos, one viola and three violins. I couldn't believe it! I had time to stop and sketch them a little and they sounded fabulous! Better than groups at JMU... through perhaps that doesn't say too much.

So I will go get myself a Grand Marniére and Nutella (they love nutella here, it's everywhere! And dead tasty - hazelnut + chocolate = yum) crépe and then it's off to Spain for me! Au revoir, Paris! Je t'aime!