Paris 2

I see that I am way behind schedule on my blog. Well how did the Paris adventure end?
Saturday was a wonderful sunny day. I started with an extended hike over Montmartre. It wasn't very touristy until I reached the Place du Tertre (the square of the artists and Sacre Coeur). I couldn't resist the temptation to go into the church. That was a big mistake. Because it was so busy I got really shoved through the church. Once I was outside I took the stairs (Amelie-like) down to the city again.
I bought a Paris Visite card (for two days of unlimited use of the public transport system) and went to Galeries Lafayette to see the glass roof of the department store and I must say that it was really impressive. Next stop was the Île de la Cité. I thought I had to see the Notre Dame but when I came there people were cuing to go in to the cathedral. So instead of going in there I went over to the quiet Île St. Louis, where I bought some chocolates for my friend Pino at Cacao et Chocolat and some marrons glacés for me. (So Pino, now we have to make an appointment to exchange the chocolates :-) )
From the it was only a short walk to the Institut du Monde Arabe. In the yard of the museum I took pictures and visited an exhibition about Qatar. In the museum I saw the "La Méditerranée des Phéniciens" (an exhibition about the Phoenicians). The artifacts were interesting but the whole exhibition was in French, so I didn't understand much of it.
After the exhibition I went did some shopping, went back to the hotel and went out to the Bear's Den to grab a beer.
On Sunday I tried to go to the big FNAC at Forum les Halles, but it was closed. So I went over to the Centre Pompidou. By accident I was there at the first Sunday of the month and the admission was free. Their collection is really fantastic (Picasso, Kandinsky, Klee, Chagall, Matisse but also Alessi and Starck). I spent the better part of the day in the museum and was really pooped when I came out of it.
Next day I had my breakfast in the Thalys and enjoyed a movie on my small DVD-player I had taken with me. I saw "Crash" and I must say that it was an unexpectedly interesting movie.