Paris day two and another zoo

When we started planning this trip, Alec said that we should do castles - knights and princess ones. Instead we seem to be doing zoos of the world. The large Paris zoo has been closed. Perhaps for reconstruction, we dont know. (it's a shame, the last time I was there they had a baby Pygmy hippo.). But, Paris has the menagerie, which was the king's zoo.

We went to the salon du tea around the corner for breakfast. When we finished the guy explained that he was closing for vacation, but that the brasserie down the street was good. There are three in a block. The first one was sort of OK, the second one was bad, the third one was the good one that we should go to.

This zoo is small enough to see all the animals, but after the snakes, Branwen pooped out and wanted to just sit. Calder and Alec went on so that he could see the biterong, his necessity for this zoo. Climbing on the hippos was very popular, and we all thought of Chuck, since this was his favorite animal.


We had a quick bite at McD and then walked along the river to the isle St. Louis for Bertillion ice cream. The actual shop closes for the whole summer, and all school holidays, which is more than strange! Now, other places on the island have it in the summer so we could still get our fix.

We chose our flavors and wander up the street. We had just finished when we came upon another shop with some different flavors. We got those in a cup for sharing.

We split up at this point. Jef and I went to some foodie stores, the famous knit shop and Fauchon. Alec and the kids walked along the Paris plage (beach). In August, they turn a major highway that runs along the seine into a beach, with sand and chairs and umbrellas and misters and games and entertainment. A wonderful thing to do for the people who cannot leave the city. The plan was that they would go a short distance and take the metro home. Instead, they ended up seeing the pyramid at the Louvre, the ferris wheel in the Tuilleries and the obelisk at the place de la Concorde, then they took the metro home.

We went to the good brasserie for a very late dinner. The kids were very adventurous. Calder had smoked salmon, and Branwen had quiche. We ordered 6 escargots so they could see them - Branwen thought she would try it, but gave up at the last minute when it didn't come out of its shell easily.



Fell into bed.