Paris, Day 8, Kicking Around Before Leaving Town

This was to be our last day, before leaving town. We decided to get out and about, primarily because Doug has not been able to see as much of the city, having been sick four days this week.

We began by making one last trip to Le Centennaire. It had quickly won our hearts and become our "neighborhood hang out. The quality of the food, the wonderful service, and the ever-changing views of community life: all combined to make it a place that we did not seem to tire from. So breakfast at Le Centennaire, then back to the hotel to rest some more.

(Our Le Cetennaire waitress, Charlotte, and the two of us at the front one last time.)

We had a good two-hour nap back at the hotel, indicative of the fact that we got to bed late last night, and I (Doug) did not sleep well. After the nap, though, we were totally energized and ready to go. We headed to and down the Boulevard Beaumarchais, looking for the nearest Metro stop. Once we found it, went into the subway, and with some help from the station manager, we got a day pass for each of us and boarded the train headed to the Champs d'Lysee, nearer to the Arc du Triomphe. We boarded the train headed in the wrong direction -- of course we didn't realize that in the moment. Later, we hopped off, went to the platform on the other side, resumed our journey, now headed in the correct direction.

We got to the Charles de Gaulle-Etoile metro station, emerged up to the street. The Champs d'Lysee will always draw large crowds. Today, with the temperatures being in the low 80's and the sunshine out in full force, the street was likely busier than it had been all week.

(The river Seine, break dancers beginning a performance near the Arc du Triomphe.)

We walked to a local cafe, Cafe de Paris, ordered and ate a delicious lunch.

After lunch, we wandered back to the metro station, in order to return to the hotel by 5:30. That would give us 1-1/2 hours to rest and get dressed for the closing night dinner.

Once we got the Bastille metro station, the location nearest our hotel, we dropped into a shop along Boulevard Beaumarchais, to buy a small suitcase. (We didn't have a lot of souvenirs, but those we did have may have made packing and luggage weight problematic. I thought it would be prudent, to get ahead of the potential problem, rather than take a chance, arriving at the airport, only find out we would have had a problem.)

Once we procured the small suitcase, we made our way back to the room, to relax before preparing to leave for the evening. The bus would be leaving for the closing dinner at 7:15pm.

The combined choral group, along with the staff of MidAm (the production company), gathered in our various states of finery and went by bus to the restaurant Au Chien de Fume, The Dog who Smokes. Patrise and I sat at a table with Tim and Helen with two the Albany Pro Musica singers, Emma and Quinn. Here are pictures of the table company, the broader group and the restaurant.

After an evening of good food, good conversation, and laudatory comments from the entire APM staff and from the guest conductor, Jose-Daniel, we made our way back to the bus and to the hotel.

Tomorrow, we load the bus at 5:15am, to head to the airport and return home. It as been a rewarding concert tour road trip, even if it wasn't the best trip for touring Paris. Still, Patrise and I enjoyed the time together, and I truly enjoyed the expereince of performing with other musicians, to perform great works by classical and modern composers. I hope that the Trey Clegg Singers will other such opportunities in the future.