06/17/12: Good intentions fail to overcome exhaustion

As good a start as our trip to Montparnasse Cemetery was, it was about all that we could reasonable do in a single day. We took a walk past the Luxembourg Gardens, crossed the Seine, and eventually arrived at the old Roman amphitheater, the Arènes de Lutèce. It was worth seeing, but the heat and jet lag caught up with us.

Here are some pictures of the arena. People were setting up a stage for the Fête de la Musique later in the week.

 Earlier in the day, when we stopped to rest and talk, we sat beneath the statue of Marshal Ney, still striking a heroic pose after all these years. If only he had been as good at command as he was at theatrics.

We also passed this striking staircase, with a devilish face leering from the fountain.

And we passed this very inviting display of seafood...

And the Pantheon....

And the very Romanesque church of St. Etienne.