http://theglutengal.com/legion.php Church bells were on delay today and in anticipation we set the alarm. After showers and a quick breakfast of cereal, we headed over to the Sunday market at Bd Grenelle, under the elevated metro to show Karen all the food and other vendors. We found silk and pashmini scarves for 5€, a wide array of vegetables, meats, game (some with fur or feathers and most with all parts intact!), fruit, cheeses, olives, spices, household items, clothing, and bakery items. We wandered up and down the aisles until it was time to go back and get Karen to the train station. Her train was scheduled to leave at 12:13, but delayed until 12:36. Once she checked in, we weren’t allowed to stay with her in the departure lounge, so we caught the RER to head back to the apartment.
Manglaur On the way back we cruised through the market again and were amazed to see how many vendors were displaying severely depleted supplies. The Cheval butcher was out of everything!
Eiffel Tower viewed from Trocadero
We decided to complete one of the walks from our Walks Through Paris book: the Trocadero, Tour Eiffel, and Invalides. We discovered the best viewpoint for the Eiffel Tower. From the Trocadero Metrostop, take the Avenue Kleber exit, and once above ground, cross Avenue Kleber and Avenue President-Wilson toward the Palais Chaillot. Walk into the plaza between the two structures and see the fabulous viewpoint of the Eiffel Tower! We learned that the Eiffel Tower was despised by many Parisians at first and that it was made up of steel and cast iron, further if it were melted down into a square the size of its base, it would be only 2 1/3 inches thick. We also discovered that a 20K run was held today and it began on/near Pont Iena, the bridge we crossed over to get to the Eiffel Tower.  After the tower, we continued south on the Champs de Mars toward the Ecole-Militaire, where Napoleon studied as a young officer. The parks were filled with people on this warm, partly sunny day, playing ball, picnicking, playing boules, just spending family time. We went around the side of the Ecole toward Invalides.  Invalides was built by Louis XIV for disabled veterans. It houses two magnificent churches: Eglise du Dome and Eglise St Louis des Invalides. We discovered that Invalides is still used as a home for disabled veterans as well as a highly visited tourist attraction. From there the tour crossed into the cour honneur to the front façade facing the Seine. We turned and looked back, seeing a statue of Napoleon over the arch. There are military museums in Invalides, but we chose to pass them by. The walk includes walking over Pont Alexandre III, the highly ornate art nouveau bridge built in 1898 to check out the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, two exhibition halls built for the 1900 Exposition. We headed for the Metro, to return to the Apartment. On the way back we stopped at a corner café for a glass of rose. Then, home for dinner.
