I actually made the 10:00 Sunday-morning rendez-vous just outside of the Gobelins Metro station, which rather surprised me (though I literally had to run more than half of the way). Once all three groups had made it, we began to walk north, towards the Parisian market on the Rue Monge, which Bruno had described as a very traditional Parisian market, somewhat more low-key and less ephemeral than the market I had visited with him.
Riddle: How is it possible that to walk down the entire length of the Rue Monge without passing a single fromagerie?
Answer: Bring your parents!
Really, the fromageries were quite wonderful looking, and could be smelled from several meters' distance. Not to say that the fresh fruits and vegetables weren't appetizing; far from it! Everything looked good, even the red meat and the crustaceans! However, it was a morning of touching only with our eyes (as the French say). We eventually sat down in a cafe for hot drinks, coffee for everyone else and cocoa for me.
After we were warm again, we continued north (it really was a gorgeous morning), and arrived at the Arenes de Lutece, the 2nd-century Roman arenas which I have already mentioned I visited with Nick. There was a soccer game going on at the moment, and we watched the players for a few minutes, from the upper levels of the arena. From there, we headed west, walking towards the famous Pantheon, which I had strongly recommended that my parents not leave without seeing. Just before entering, we stepped into the Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, a beautiful church which is right in the Place du Pantheon. The Pantheon itself did not fail to impress, and I felt like a real Pantheon expert, being able to show and explain to my Mother all of the scenes painted on the walls of the main floor, and the byzantine political process behind Pantheonization. We descended into the crypt, and that's where I let Bruno take over, who, understandably, knows French history much better than I do! It was nice to finally get a general idea of just who Leon Gambetta and Adolphe-Sylvestre-Felix Eboue were (among others). I really need to learn my contemporary history ("contemporary" means "since 1789" in France). I was very glad that Dad got to visit the Curies, and I know that Mom was very happy that she had the opportunity to visit the graves Dumas, Zola, and Hugo, who are all interred in the same vault.
Next stop was a monument with which I am quite familiar -- the Sorbonne! Although it was closed, there really isn't much to show, except the Cour d'Honneur, and the confusing corridors. To be honest, academically and physically, the Sorbonne is much more impressive from the outside than from the inside. We decided to stop for a late-afternoon lunch (although it sounds as if we barely did anything, it was already about 2:30 pm by this point), and Mom chose to eat one of the restaurants right in front of the Sorbonne. I hadn't realized quite how cold I had become, and I had completely lost my appetite because of the cold. I needed to put my hat and gloves on inside the restaurant, and borrow Bruno's coat, in order to warm up. I'm not normally cold when I'm outside, but our walking pace was far more leisurely than usual, which prevented my movement from warming my limbs. No serious harm done: it was a good lunch, and a good afternoon. I handed Mom a few of the books I had accumulated since then (I worry that I won't be able to fit everything in my suitcase) in the restaurant, and then the four of us headed to the closest Metro station. I was walking back to my dorm, and didn't want to become cold again: the goodbyes were necessarily short (unusual for our family), and I ran (literally) back to my dorm, where I stayed for the rest of the evening, mostly because of the rain.
~JD
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