Day 4 - Paris expanded

We all enjoyed the privilege of sleeping in a bit on Friday. The day started with our typical buffet break at. The Novotel was a great place to stay with comfortable rooms and good food. Before we got on our way we caught up on the scavenger hunt questions. Kudos to the students who outscored the adults. We left the hotel and headed for the Metro around 10:00. First stop was the Tuilleries Gardens. After a leisurely stroll through the farces we made our way to the Louvre, Europe's first art gallery. Originally a fortress, then a palace, the musum houses a wonderful and priceless collection of the world's masterpieces. In the words of our students: huge, overwhelming(Emily C.), huge, magnificent (Alex G.), impressive (Alex R.), incredible (Collin), fascinating (Alaina), and AWESOME.

Bags were stowed and we set off to explore. We marveled at the Winged Victory of Samothrace that greeted us at the stop of the marble staircase. Then on to the Madonna of the Rocks, made famous most recently in the DaVinci Code and the Mona Lisa. The crowds were unbelievable surrounding the painting. It was interesting to see how David's painting of the Coronation of Napoleon differed from the one we saw at Versailles. The ever graceful Venus de Milo was another highlight.

We left the museum around 15:00 and headed for another one of Paris' magnificent sights, Notre Dame. We arrived as Mass was being said and were awed by the solemnity of the place as well as the grandeur of the building. Travelers said: big, beautiful, breathtaking (Jackie), peaceful (Mrs. Barber), awe (Ms. Montrois), ethereal (Ms. Barber), spiritual (Mrs. Milos)' and majestic.

A short walk through the Latin Quarter before dinner yielded some hats and pastries. On to dinner and then a boat ride on the Seine.