Now that I have had Berthillon ice cream once, I aim to eat it every day I’m in Paris. Because I am an excellent travel host, we waited until Sam arrived and, after 18 hours of flying time and a 9 time zone change, we gave her ten minutes to brush her teeth and throw her luggage down in our room and walk over for a cone:
Before Sam got in, Ron and I went over to the Arab Institute building. I just wanted to see the exterior and I felt a little bad because Ron kept asking me what we were doing there and what there was to see. He uses that tactic not because he wants to know but instead, I think, to convey to me his extreme disdain for some of my touring choices. He had a similar tone to his voice back at the Sewer Museum. Here’s the Arab Institute:
To placate Ron, we went from the Arab Institute to a museum with actual displays and English signage: the Cluny Museum of the Middle Ages. I love the Cluny because the building is so beautiful and Ron did not question me as we approached because he knows it’s full of treasures.
The most famous thing in there, I think, is the Lady and the Unicorn tapestry (pic not mine), from about 1500:
I know it was an important site based on the number of tourists in the gallery. Equally thrilling to me, though, were these earrings – but I was all alone and the only person who seemed smitten. They’re from about 300 BC – they’re 2400 years old!!!!
Likewise, no one noticed this 2500 year old bracelet:
As we headed over to the Cluny Museum, we wandered by a bakery that always seems to have a line and so we stopped for a croissant:
It was good but it was not a Berthillon salted caramel and coffee cone:
In addition to finding Sam in Paris, I also got to spend a couple of hours with my college buddy, Pam! This is just the start of our meet-ups for this trip so stay tuned. But here is my rendezvous with Pam!
Travels with Valerie 