expensive cats

Paris - Thursday, April 3 (continued)

I stopped for quiche and coffee at a sidewalk café and got to witness some sort of demonstration. About a hundred seventeen year olds with one small banner walked through the middle of the street chanting (with varying degrees of passion) something.

On my way to the Louvre I stopped in some pet stores. 980 euro seemed to be the going rate for Labrador pups, I saw a 1600 euro Chihuahua, and a 3200 euro (that’s $4800) Siamese cat.

Back to the Louvre. I spent the first 2 ½ hours in the Egyptian section which was even cooler than I’d expected. Sarcophaguses, jewelry, furniture, a tomb, a mummy, a crocodile mummy and several cat mummies were the highlights for me. The last hour I walked around somewhat aimlessly, but did manage to find the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo before leaving. After a night of airport sleeping you can only spend so much time in a museum.

I started to walk towards the Eiffel Tower, but it was further than I’d reckoned so I went to the Arc de Tromp instead. I felt kind of weird about being in Paris and not seeing the ET up close and personal, but I also feel confident that, barring any unfortunate accidents, I will be back to Paris in my lifetime. (I also have a lot left to see of the Louvre).

That evening I went to an internet café near the hostel. I asked (in English) about using a computer, and the guy behind the counter started spouting off some really sassy sounding French. I should have said “hey I don’t speak French so if that’s a problem I can go elsewhere.” But instead I stood there looking dumbfounded until the guy said “you want to use a computer? Ok.” and pointed. I don’t know if he was anti-american, or just anti-anyone who doesn’t speak French in France, but either way he was one of the biggest jerks I’ve encountered in a while.

Ate dinner on the steps of Sacre Couer that night and got to see a much better view of the city. There were a bunch of people hanging out, a guy on an amped guitar singing “Yesterday,” and a kid at the bottom of the steps doing cool soccer ball tricks by himself. I finished my dinner in the courtyard of the hostel, where I met a bunch of guys who were staying there, including Arthur, a 40 year old New Yorker. One of the first things he told me was that I looked too sophisticated to be from Kansas. Then he asked if I was born in February or November. Then he guessed July 14, and when I told him he was close he said he always made that mistake with his ex-girlfriend (who looked just like me). Her birthday was July 15 and he always sent cards on the 14^th. He ended by inviting me to a party with him and four friends in Paris, then giving me his address in NY and a drunkenly tearful goodbye hug.