Paris - Pere Lachaise

Tuesday 30 December

Good news – our neighbours have managed to get our power pole replaced, however there still seems to be some problem getting Energex to re-connect the lines to the house. We just keep hoping that the power will get switched on again soon.

Altogether today was frustrating and disappointing. Although drizzly (and still freezing cold – apparently a gulfstream from Russia is sweeping across Europe & causing freezing temperatures), we head back towards the Louvre to get tickets for a concert we saw advertised. No queue’s outside the louvre, and as it is getting quite damp we decide to head in for a visit. Unfortunately, it’s Tuesday – the louvre is closed on Tuesday’s.

Next change of plans is to catch the Metro out to the Pere Lachaise cemetery – home to Jim Morrison, Yves Montand, Oscar Wilde, Abelard & Heloise among others. We have a steep learning curve with the Metro as we need to change lines 3 times. Finally we get there and head back into daylight. It is now raining more heavily, very cold & quite miserable. The cemetery is closed. No signs informing why it is closed, but a lot of tourists are milling about each of the entrances all looking confused. Nearby businesses don’t understand “the cemetery should be open”. Eventually we find a sign posted on one of the gates “cemetery closed due to inclement weather”. Another change of plans: we head back to the Metro, change lines twice & head to the Museum of Music.

By now it is sleeting and very cold & wet. A HUGE queue is snaking all through the lobby of the museum. Information informs us that the queue is for a temporary exhibition in the museum as the permanent display & rest of the museum is closed until March. Current waiting time to get to the temporary exhibition is one a half to two hours. Everyone is now tired, and quite disenchanted. We decide to head back towards home, try and get our concert tickets & some food for dinner. Walking back to the Metro on slippery icy ground it starts to snow – the world looks magical again. Another 2 changes of trains and we are back, wandering around in the snow & wet before deciding to head back to the Museum of Modern Art to have another quick look. A large gathering of people outside – it’s Tuesday – the gallery is closed (apparently) on Tuesday. We head back to purchase our concert tickets, some pasta for dinner & retire to watch the weather from the warmth of our stunning bit of Paris. Tomorrow we will hopefully be able to get in to see something!