Le Petit Parisien

On Sunday we got a guided tour of Paris with our friend Adrien. Chris met him at an insect chemical ecology course that he took in Sweden 4 years ago.  As we were snapping photos (and likely embarrassing him with our touristy ways) we came across this little restaurant and made him pose under it's sign.  We all giggled a little because Adrien towers over me and Chris.

We asked Adrien to take us to some of his favorite places, and to just be our guide - we've been making so many decisions lately, so it was nice to have a break from planning!  We met him at one of the Northern-most metro stops, in the Montmartre District.  Getting around Paris, specifically the metro, with our stroller is sometimes a pain so we decided that we would try carrying Lilah in the Ergo (baby back/front-pack) for the day.  Good thing we did, because first stop on our tour was Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart Cathedral), which is located at the top of a huge hill.  The walk up to the Cathedral was awesome in itself - the steps were filled with people and street performers.

This guy scaled the lamp post with his basketball balanced on his head.

Half way to the top overlooking Paris

Sacred Heart Cathedral

After walking through the inside of the cathedral and rubbing elbows with french nuns, we meandered our way through the neighborhood of Montmatre, eventually ending up at Moulin Rouge. This is the neighborhood that once was home to Picasso, Vlamenck, Derain, Soutine, Modigliani, Van Gogh, and Hemmingway. The narrow cobblestone streets are picturesque, but it has become commercialized, and it is hard to imagine modern Picasso's hanging out here. But among the watercolors and caricaturists inhabiting this outdoor painter's square, Place de Tertre, there might hang a masterpiece...

Could it be? A Bansky?

Want to buy some art from this guy?

It's so small in real life!

Then we took the metro to Le Jardin Des Plantes, and walked around there for awhile.  There is a zoo located within the garden, and some of the animals are visible without going into the zoo.  We got to see Chris' favorite creature, the red panda!  Afterwards we went to dinner at a restaurant that specializes in Pommes Aligot... cheesy garlicy mashed potatoes.  Yum!

These are mashed potatoes!

Thanks for the fun day, Adrien!