Is This The Last Leg of the Race?

Our last full day in Paris started a bit later than the previous ones. The sheer amount of activities is catching up to us and after seven days, it is time to return home. But before we pack our bags, there is more to see, and yes, to eat.

At the suggestion of my friend Wayne, we took in what is one of the best museums I've ever seen - The Rodin Museum. Small, intimate and full of the iconic sculptures of the master himself, the house that holds the creations is a must-see for any person who comes to Paris. From The Thinker, to The Kiss, Rosemarie and I were in awe at the talent that one man possessed. And, yes, I found myself singing Linda Eder's Gold when we saw the works of Rodin's mistress Camille Claudel.

With the sun finally breaking free of the clouds overhead, we headed back to the Montmartre section of Paris to embark on a walking tour of Cinematic Montmartre. Following one of the guided instructions from my aunt's Christmas present to Rosemarie we set out for an adventure on shoes.

First stop, the Moulin Rouge and then for nourishment at the Cafe des Deux Moulins, which was featured in the film, Amelie. Sufficiently filled (A croque madame of course), we set out for the rest of the walk, where halfway through, we saw the warning on the card:

This walk includes many staircases and steep hills.

Strolling through the most charming streets of the city, the guide wound us up and around the city to look at points made famous or used for film locations and art. At the top of an incredibly large hill, like an oasis was the ideal Parisian cafe - and there we sat for an hour as the sun chased the clouds away. With a glass of wine and a hot chocolate, Rosemarie and I sat overlooking the city below us. You can guess who had the chardonnay.

Our walk began again and it wasn't long until we were faced with just one of the many staircases. There were no lifts at any point and up the embankments we climbed.

"You would never have made it up the arc," I said to my mom as we stopped midway for her to catch her breath. The view behind us was spectacular and after a short reprieve we ventured on.

"Is this leg of the race over?" Rosemarie asked as we made our way to the Basilique du Sacre Coeur.

She wouldn't hear of stopping at this point and we walked into the religious behemoth. From the stained glass to the statues of the saints, the church was awe inspiring, and even I was moved enough to dip my finger into the holy water. I had to check with Rosemarie to be sure I'd made the sign of the cross correctly.

The tourist crowds outside the church were a vast difference from the quaint Paris streets our walking tour had taken us through on the way to the last stop. Here were any big town's annoyances - the barterers, the gypsies, the street performers, the cheap garbage on sale. It could be anywhere U.S.A. and was slightly disappointing to see.

With our feet aching and believe it or not, our stomachs relishing our last dinner in Paris, we've arrived at our hotel where you guessed it, Rosemarie is fast asleep.

last day