Ruby got in touch with her mortality today at the Paris Catacombs. More than 6 million skeletons were moved to the underground quarries in the 18th century when disease started breaking out near the cemeteries. Now you can examine the remains on a mile-long, winding trek through piles of bones stacked six feet high. I was worried that Ruby might get a little creeped out by the whole thing, but mostly she just wanted to know if she could pry loose a tooth from one of the skulls.
From there, we went to the Luxembourg gardens. Ruby played on the playground. We wandered past the tennis courts and the pond. We found the mini statue of liberty that was used as the model for the French sculptor who made the big one. Ruby said she wished we had a park like it at home.
We both enjoyed a quick stop at Shakespeare and Co., the English bookstore started by an American in the 1920s, when writers were flocking to Paris to get away from Prohibition. The store is filled with little notes written by visitors, photos from literary luminaries, and ENGLISH BOOKS! I was pleased to see how happy Ruby was here.
We sat outside and ate the most incredible Tarte Provencale. Why can’t I made veggies taste this good? Then we procured The Last Crepe, memorializing the sad moment with a photo. Ruby chose Nutella filling; I had the chocolate and banana.
I was hoping to get to one more museum today, but we were delayed by Notre Dame again, the shops nearby and the street performers outside the Pompidou. Ruby enjoyed the beat boys, jugglers and musicians just as much as anything else. And they were free. Well, almost. We dropped a couple of Euros in the hat. This morning in the Metro station, we passed a string ensemble – students from around the world, studying at the Paris Conservatory. We stopped to watch, and Ruby really was hooked. I got a little choked up listening to the beautiful music, watching the cello players, thinking about Ruby and her little cello and how she might have her own adventures like this someday. If only we didn’t have to practice.
The weather finally turned on us this evening. After six great days and a glorious sunny morning, it poured. We ducked into a McDos and had a Le M before making our way back to the hotel. Time to pack and come home. We’re ready. We miss our family!
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