This afternoon, I didn’t even go out until after Marie left. When I did, I didn’t have any particular agenda, just more flaneuring. I didn’t want to go to another museum, was feeling pretty museumed out. I did want to buy a beret at one of the souvenir shops, something I’d never had the inclination to do in the past. I do like hats, would never wear a beret here, but will surely wear it at home. And then I just wandered through the Palais Royale gardens, which I don’t think I’d ever been to before. And into one of the little covered passages that are like the original shopping malls, but very beautiful. I stumbled upon Galerie Vivienne, which I had been to on a previous trip. Found a wonderful store that just sold paper flowers, beautiful ones, of all colors and sizes. The store itself was beautiful, especially from outside it, with the wonderful original mosaic floor of the Galerie. I bought a couple of small buds in purples and greens, with the intention of using them to make hatpins for my new berets! (yes, I confess I bought two, a purple one and a green.) Made in China, but I am not going for authenticity here. And I discovered a couple more beautiful little stores - a very nice toy store, and a store that made and sold exquisite and expensive miniatures of all kinds. There were many military type figures, but also cars, comic book characters, a Monet in his Giverny garden with the Japanese bridge, even a Josephine Baker in her famous banana skirt which had been discussed at The American University Josephine Baker symposium. And also some of the grotesque creatures depicted In Hieronymus Bosch’s paintings. Oh, and one of Trump holding a MAGA sign. I was good and didn’t buy any, but if they were much less than the 40 and plus euros each one cost, I probably would have. time to head home, back here to my abode for the last two weeks. I tried to eat as much food as I had left in the house, and succeeded in eating most of it – a half grapefruit, some smoked trout, some camembert, a half baguette Marie had picked up this morning, and a little of the very rich, delicious almond chocolate croissant she’d also picked up at the local bakery where I’ve been buying my baguettes and patisseries. Did I mention the raspberry eclairs I discovered this trip? With fresh raspberries of course. I sat out on the balcony eating the last of my Paris food and waiting for dark and for the illuminated Eiffel Tower. You can’t see it from the street, and I don’t think you can see it from most of the neighborhood apartments either. One would have to be on one of the higher floors, like this converted maid’s room I’m in. And you’d have to have a balcony too. I wonder if most people in the fancy abodes below know that you can see it from some of the high up lower rent district apartments like mine. I think I’ve seen my last of the Eiffel Tower alight. I am exhausted and ready to go to bed. And also have to wake up early to make sure to get to the airport on time and fly back to Barcelona. Not that I want to leave. Maybe I'll miss my flight. Last night abroad: I went back to the same hotel I’d stayed at with the mosaic group. It was a nice place with a wonderful breakfast buffet. And I was able . And I was able to leave my mosaic pieces and a few other things there while I went to Paris. It’s the Astoria Hotel, if anyone is looking for a Barcelona accommodation. It was about a fifteen minute walk from Livia’s mosaic studio, where we worked every morning, and also in walking distance of the Casas Battlo and Mila. I’d hoped to go to the Picasso Museum, but in fact was exhausted when I arrived at the hotel, even though it was still midafternoon. So I wound up sleeping the afternoon away. In the evening I went out for a walk, and then back to the same little outdoor café where I’d eaten the evening I’d originally arrived for the mosaic program. It was on the corner of the street the hotel was on, just a few doors away, and my tapas there and superb chocolate dessert (like a chocolate molten lava cake on steroids) were the perfect way to end my stay