BFF Trip - Paris, France - Day 7

A pre-booked bus tour to Giverny is a change of pace for us. Not the usual crazy and harried, metro-hopping from one museum to the next, but a relaxing bus ride with a nap and an audio guide.

The house is pretty, a clean-cut country estate.

The kitchen is gorgeous.

The front gardens are full of lush greenery.

And fields of colorful flowers, some of which I've never seen before. 

Still, I've never seen anything more inspiring than the water lilies. 

But I do have a weak spot for weeping willows. 

I rarely advocate for organized tours, but Paris CityVision to Giverny is quite nice. Unlike most groups, they do allow for ample time, even on a half-day tour. 

Off the bus and back to the grind. This relaxing morning saves us some strength for conquering the stamina-sucker known as...the Louvre.

I hate the Louvre. It's beautiful and it's grand, but it's just too much. A cleaner, more organized version of the British Museum, it is vast and takes at least 3-5 days to fully appreciate. We have three hours. Still, there are amazing things, like the Code of Hammurabi.

And the riddling Sphinx.

Venus de Milo is gorgeous up close.

But this lady has wings. 

I gain a new appreciation for the Dutch masters - Rembrandt's use of light is...illuminating, and his work stands out amongst so many greats. There's even Hans Holbein's portrait of Anne of Cleves tucked away in a random gallery, but my favorite work is this bronze panther. His vacant, derp-alicious expression is one of utter confusion, and it fully captures what most tourists are probably feeling as the wander the endless halls of the Louvre. 

I cannot get out of the Louvre fast enough. I'm exhausted, but our day doesn't end when the museums shut their doors. We make our way towards the Palais Garnier for a dance performs by the Martha Graham Dance Company. 

Our tickets are shockingly affordable, and we sit comfortably in Box 2, right next to the stage. If we dropped anything, we would have hit an orchestra musician directly on the head. 

For Phantom of the Opera fans, box 5 is right ahead. 

The vibrant ceiling is a work by Chagall, a surprisingly modern depiction of watercolor dancers against the palette of deep red velvet and gold below. 

I'm not the biggest fan of modern dance, but to see the work of a pioneer is a privilege, and I left knowing and appreciating it so much more.

A day of beauty...with the Louvre in between. A long day and a longer night...and I wouldn't have it any other way.