Paris Tuesday 29 April, Day 6

This morning we slept in, which probably means our body clocks are starting to adjust. A beautiful sunny morning in Paris. We wandered down towards the Institut du Monde Arabe stopping off at the medieval style garden at the back of the Musee de Cluny and at the Eglise St Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, the patron saint of chardonnay drinkers. The church had a more cared-for feel compared to the other French Churches we have visited. We later discovered that the Church has been occupied by the Society of St Pius X, the traditionalist group who still celebrate the Tridentine Mass.

The Institut du Monde Arabe has a wonderful collection of artefacts on display. I couldn't quite grasp the underlying organizing narrative, but the collection is stunning. I particularly liked the cabinet of eye wateringly complex and beautifully crafted brass Astrolabes, the complexity and artistry of which were head spinning.

We had lunch in the museum's restaurant which appropriately is Middle Eastern flavoured - felafel, hoummus and tabouleh - much better for our waistlines than the daily baguettes. Walking back we passed through a little street market and bought the best strawberries and raspberries which we ate in the sun back in Le Menagier garden, then shuffled back to the hotel to regroup. From the roof of the museum we had seen the river cruises sailing gaily by in the sun and thought it looked nice, so we booked an hour cruise on the Seine, though by late afternoon the weather had packed up and we wound up sitting inside watching through rain streaked windows.

For dinner we headed down to a little restaurant nearby that we've liked the look of. For one thing it has a very friendly cat who sits in the window when it is closed, for another it has red check table cloths and a general air of serious French restaurant, and it always seems to be full of people happily noshing away, so we thought we'd give it a crack, and indeed the signs did not disappoint - it was delicious and entertaining as well.

It is pouring rain at the moment. I hope we get some good weather for our last day in Paris tomorrow.