Yesterday morning I went to the Pont de Grenelle, where there is a replica of the Statue of Liberty. Pont means bridge.

The best view is from the water.

After that I decided to go to Jardin des Plantes, a botanical garden. After all the effort to go there I found it wasn’t that great. In June it should have been green with a lot of plants flowering. Many of the plants looked half dead. Not wanting to waste my time, I left.

The next stop was Montmartre. This is the highest point in Paris. On a nice clear day you can get incredible views. It was crawling with people. After taking the funicular up to Sacre Coeur I walked around Painters Corner to see if I would find a small watercolor I couldn’t live without. We buy watercolors on our trips as our souvenirs and have a gallery wall of our travels on our great room wall. We’ve bought two here on different trips. I didn’t find anything, but I did stop for a break and liquid refreshment.

I picked up a few things to take home, then had time to kill before meeting Susan for dinner. It’s her last night in Paris and we thought it would be nice to spend it together. Even though most of my time here was at the apartment we shared we really didn’t see much of each other. She chose a restaurant near Luxembourg Gardens, her absolute favorite place. I decided to go to LG and enjoy the beautiful summer day. I took a book with me that I’m trying to finish so I don’t have to take it home. I headed for the nice shady area next to the Medici Fountain. Guess who I found there! We didn’t hang out together because she just wanted to soak in her last moments there. We later walked around the park and she reminisced about her childhood spent there, and then later taking her son, Ryan, for extended trips when he was young.

She showed me an even smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty right there in Luxembourg Gardens. I never knew it was there. Next to it is a plaque describing the long friendship between France and the U.S. There’s an American Oak tree planted as a tribute to those lost on 9/11.

The small oak tree is to the right of the statue

Dinner was good.

I walked Susan back to Notre Dame, not far from her hotel. We said our goodbyes. I know she doesn’t want to leave, but is ready to go home. I feel the same.

Today is my last full day in Paris. I’ll be spending tomorrow night at an airport hotel. What to do on my last full day? Rush around and see as much as possible? Or just enjoy the beautiful day? I enjoyed the day. I went to Musée Marmottan – Monet in the morning. They have the largest collection of Monet’s anywhere. The museum is located in an old mansion. It was more crowded at opening time that I thought it would be. A large class of about 30 kids who looked to be 5-6 years old were there at the same time I was. They weren’t misbehaving, but they did act like kids, as kids do. It took some of the pleasure out of being there. I looked and looked, going around the ground level twice and upstairs twice. I only saw one Monet. What the hell? Jim and I went there in 2014. I I know they had more than one. Finally I asked someone. He instructed me to go all the way through a special exhibit and at the end I’d find stairs leading down to the Monet’s. I think signs might have been nice. When I found the Monet’s I also found the kiddos. I spent some time and then left.

Now where should I go? Hmmm…maybe I should go back to the hotel and take a nap! And that’s what I did.

I spent the rest of the afternoon at Luxembourg Gardens, hanging out by the fountain and reading. It was a nice relaxing afternoon.

Around 6:30 I started thinking about dinner. Where should I eat what will probably be my last dinner in the city on this trip? First I walked to a restaurant that Susan W. recommended. They were closed and there wasn’t a sign indicating when they would open. Strike 1. Then I walked to a place that Betty G. had recommended for their soufflés. Closed. Strike 2. Then I walked to a place someone else had recommended. I didn’t put who it was in my notes for Paris. The menu wasn’t appealing to me. Strike 3. I ended up walking to Susan R.’s favorite restaurant, Le Flore en L’Ile, on Ile Saint Louis. I was first there on her recommendation in 2016 when Jim and I took Philippe there. I was there with Susan last week, but I wasn’t up to eating. I think we ate there another night. It’s hard to remember with the days all running together. Anyway, my dinner was delicious.

Chicken Satay with Basamati rice. It wasn’t like what I normally think of as chicken satay, but it was really good.

I got crème brûlée for dessert in honor of my dad and my sister, who both loved it. Yum!

I walked back to the hotel to call it a night. I needed to completely repack in preparation of checking out of the hotel in the morning and storing my luggage there until I’m ready to go to the airport hotel. Instead I’ve spent the evening on the blog. It takes a long time on my phone, especially adding the photos. I’m sure I’ll add more pictures and information after I return home. I’ll have time to repack in the morning.

This picture was taken outside my hotel room window at a little after 10:00 p.m. tonight. It’s still so light out.