Unexpected bonus for me: since I didn't go to Sainte Chapelle with the group yesterday, my two day museum pass starts today with our morning visit to the Louvre, so it will also be good tomorrow for my post-tour day museum visits!  We were at the Louvre when they opened, and since there's just no way to see it all in one visit, we were free to choose what we wanted to see and and for how long.  I spent the entire morning mostly in the Denon Wing at the Louvre, then went across the Seine to reach the Orsay Museum where I had a lovely salad for lunch in a very elegant room.  The Orsay was much less crowded and the old train station itself was a very enjoyable space.  My last museum stop for the day was at the L'Orangerie to just sit and take in Monet's Water Lilies.

 

Oh my gosh, is it really already time for our farewell dinner?  I am going to miss these folks, especially my room mate!  We hit it off from the start even though there was a huge age gap.  We didn't spend much free-time together, but we have shared lots of laughs and stories over the last three weeks.  Of course, the dinner itself was delicious, but the best part was being together with each other for one last meal before we part company tomorrow.

 

Jesse led us to the Champs de Mars for our final celebration with a stunning view of the twinkling Eiffel Tower as the backdrop for our farewell toasts with champagne.  I had read about how close the people on the Rick Steves' tours became, but until I felt it for myself, it was hard to appreciate.  I guess eating breakfast together every day for three weeks can make you and a bunch of strangers feel like you are family.