Tuesday we awoke to gray skies and wet streets. After a fast breakfast we jumped onto the RER C and journeyed to Versailles located on the outskirts of Paris. Tom did some research and found a package that included round trip train fare and admission for 21 euros. We figured we saved about 4 euros per person purchasing this way. It also saved us some time as we didn't have to stand in line at the train station and again on the longest line at the chateau. There are other packages too: Parc Disneyland, Parc Asterik; so if you come, be sure to check for these bargains.
A short 10 minute walk from the train station in Versailles is the chateau. We admired as much of the facade as we could but several areas, including what I assume were statues, were covered up; I guess they are doing some restoration. None of the founntains were on either.
The King Louis XIV built the chateau to function as a hunting lodge and get away from everyone in Paris. However, everyone followed. So he built the Grand Trianon and then the Petit Trianon (for Marie Antoinette). Originally the estate was over 7,800 hectares in size with a wall all the way around it. Today it is a mere 800 hectares.
The tour started in the front interior. Since there were so many people, we decided to start in the back of the estate and work our way forward. A large majority of the other visitors were entering the chateau first. This turned out to be a very good decision.
While we could have walked, we decided to take the mini-train from the chateau to Marie-Antoinette's estate. We exited at the Petit Trianon to tour the house and rest of the Queen's Hamlet. The estate included a small village that is said to have been a playground for the royals to pretend to be peasants. Judging from the houses and yards, the royals were very out of touch as the homes not only had glass windows, solid doors and full roofs, but had marble floors and tables as well. No wonder the people revolted!
We walked the garden paths checking out the plants, the Queen's Theatre, the Rock and Grotto, and the Chapel. The mix of flowering plants with a variety lettuces, artichoke plants, squashes, and rhubarb gave the yards a wonderful texture.
A short two minute walk down the road is the Grand Trianon which is located near the Grand Canal. What struck me was the red marble pillars in the front. The gardens were exquisite and well maintained. Lots of flowers in bloom. It must look incredible with the fountains on.
We headed back to the Chateau and the crowds were minimal by this time. The grandeur of the King's Chapel, the State Apartments and chambers were impressive. Seemed like everything (walls, ceilings, and floors) were decorated. The paintings on the ceilings were very detailed and reflected the king's focus at the time and the function of the room.
Our decision to tour the trianons first was good because the sun was out while we were there. While we were inside the chateau, dark clouds rolled and the rain came down hard, with the wind blowing it nearly horizontal.
The chateau closed at 6:00PM. We headed back to Paris and exited the train at the Eiffle Tower for one last close up look and a boat tour on the Seine. The tour gave a brief history of 22 bridges of Paris as well as a description and history of some of the buildings on the bank. This was a great way to end our day.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: Wonder if that is where Hugh Hefner got the idea for his grotto. (Karen De Lora looking at the Rock with waterfall and pond on Marie Antoinette's estate)
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sacre Bleu! A busy few days.....
Friday was our Day at the Musees. Thursday had been a late night so we did not head out until 12:30PM, hopped on the RER C, and one stop later we were at the Musee d'Orsay. The Orsay used to be a railroad station so it is much more open and airy than the other museums. Bertha and Sydney loved the ballroom with lights of glass flowers and the beautiful statues made of different types of marble. The bodice of one woman was made of red marble with white veining, carved so it appeared like a ball gown -- it looked like real fabric! My favorites were the impressionists on the 5th floor - Monet, Matisse, Renoir, and Sisley. Whistler's Mother was much larger than I thought it would be, as were the two works by Toulouse-Lautrec.
Afterwards we took a short walk across the Seine to the Musee de l'Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuileries to see my favorite -- Monet's Les Nympheas (The Water lilies). They are in two oval rooms, which are connected and form the symbol of infinity, which was Monet's intent when painting the water lillies. He wanted to give the viewer a sense of peace and timelessness by removing all land references (no pathways are visible). The series depicts the pond through the day. I'm fond of Water lillies in the Morning and Morning Waterlillies. The rooms are all white expect for the paintings and really bring out a sense of calm.
Downstairs is a collection of works by Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume. It included works by Cezanne, Renoir, Rousseau, Picasso, Matisse, and Derain. There was also a video depicting the installation of the Monet's. Dad was amazed that the paintings were each moved as a single piece. Crates were hung on the walls and when the panels were removed, there were the paintings.
We ended the day with another ride on the ferris wheel. In the evening, Tom and Kim when out for a late dinner while the rest of us dined in.
Saturday we headed out on the Metro and exited at Anvers. Walking a narrow, cobblestoned street, we eyeballed the souvenier shops and arrived at Sacre Couer. As we rested at the base of the mountain, Syd and I rode a small carousel that was there. We climbed the stairs admiring the view as we went along. Tom had been concerned that Syd would struggle with the steps. She was up them so fast, practically skipping the entire way; pausing briefly on occasion to taunt Tom "I'm ahead of you" and "You can’t catch me!"
Joining the steady stream of visitors, we walked through the church, admiring the architecture, gold works, and stained glass. Picture taking was not allowed and visitors were closely monitored. I managed to take a couple (I know.... tsk tsk tsk).
After another brief rest, we headed behind the church and toured the village of Montmartre, stopping for pizza and gelato. We admired the Lapin Agile, a cabaret where Toulouse-Lautrec and other artists were known to frequent. Winding through the streets, we ended our walk at Moulin Rouge, which brought big smiles to Bertha and Dad. Hopping on the Metro, we headed back to the apartment.
Dinner at the apartment then Tom, Kim and I headed out around 9PM to enjoy the nightlife in the Latin Quarter. We got in around 1:30AM; I felt like we were lightweights heading home to bed as there were so many people STILL out in the streets!
Sunday was an easy day as we did not leave until 2PM. We all slept in VERY late as Saturday we had walked so much and most of us were out late. We headed to Notre Dame -- it was PACKED!!! Many more people than last week. We headed to the crypt to see what the archeologists had dug up.
Afterwards we headed to the back of Notre Dame, admiring the flying buttresses along the way. There is a garden in the back where both Kim's mother and grandmother had their pictures taken. Tom and Kim have taken their picture on the same spot in their two previous trips here and now did it again with Sydney. Great family tradition!
The group split up around 4PM at the bridge that connects the two islands. Tom, Kim, and Syd headed to dinner with one of Tom's coworkers who resides in Maison-Laffitte. Dad, Bertha, and I walked Ile St. Louis a bit longer, checked out a couple of local churches (St. Louis and Saint Gervais) then headed back to the apartment to change for dinner.
We dined at le bar a huitres, poisson du restaurant; we were very pleased with the food. Dad and Bertha started with mixed salads, then Dad had steamed cod and Bertha enjoyed grilled sardines. I started with a seafood platter that consisted of oysters, mussels, escargot and winkles, and had filet of beaman on pasta as my main course.
We walked a bit more and took pictures of the back of Notre Dame at night. Continuing our late night stroll, we checked out the city hall where a large screen was set up for everyone and anyone to watch the Rugby World Cup. Despite the hour, there were lots of people (I think it was Ecuador vs. New Zealand).
Monday was another easy day. It was supposed to be a shopping day, but the heavy rain slowed us down and we took our time leaving the apartment. Dad and Bertha headed out first, the Tom, Kim, Syd and I jumped onto the Metro and shopped at Le Bon Marche.
Monday evening, Tom and Kim headed to their favorite restaurant to celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary. Le Grand ve Four treated them VERY well, and they were seated at Victor Hugo's table. The chef, Guy Martin, met them at the door! They dined on the chef's classics of ravioli stuffed with fois gras, and creme brulee with artichokes! Yes...artichokes! It was different but delicious. Kim said to talk about the CHEESE course -- two huge platters of cheese, each platter a good 2-1/2 feet in diameter with at least 20 different varieties on each platter! One platter had the soft cheeses and the other the hard ones Now THAT's a lot of cheese!! They each sampled four different cheeses and said all were excellent!
Dad, Bertha, Syd and I headed into the Latin Quarter and dined at Baladin Rive Gauche located on rue St Severin. Our plan was to take an evening cruise on the Seine, but due to an obvious mix up on our meals at the restaurant, we were there for 2 and a half hours. By the time we finished it was 9:45PM. Getting very late for Syd. Dang, we were really looking forward to the boat ride. Hopefully we can squeeze it in tomorrow or Wednesday.
We kept things easy Sunday and Monday for two reasons. First, the anniversary; I’m sure Tom and Kim will make a full night of their celebration and probably will not return until around midnight. I hope they get in sooner because of the second reason. Tuesday is our trip to Versailles and we need to head out early! It will be a full day of walking so we all need to be well rested!
TTYL!!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: One more week is all we ask..... (Tom, Kim, and Karen)
Afterwards we took a short walk across the Seine to the Musee de l'Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuileries to see my favorite -- Monet's Les Nympheas (The Water lilies). They are in two oval rooms, which are connected and form the symbol of infinity, which was Monet's intent when painting the water lillies. He wanted to give the viewer a sense of peace and timelessness by removing all land references (no pathways are visible). The series depicts the pond through the day. I'm fond of Water lillies in the Morning and Morning Waterlillies. The rooms are all white expect for the paintings and really bring out a sense of calm.
Downstairs is a collection of works by Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume. It included works by Cezanne, Renoir, Rousseau, Picasso, Matisse, and Derain. There was also a video depicting the installation of the Monet's. Dad was amazed that the paintings were each moved as a single piece. Crates were hung on the walls and when the panels were removed, there were the paintings.
We ended the day with another ride on the ferris wheel. In the evening, Tom and Kim when out for a late dinner while the rest of us dined in.
Saturday we headed out on the Metro and exited at Anvers. Walking a narrow, cobblestoned street, we eyeballed the souvenier shops and arrived at Sacre Couer. As we rested at the base of the mountain, Syd and I rode a small carousel that was there. We climbed the stairs admiring the view as we went along. Tom had been concerned that Syd would struggle with the steps. She was up them so fast, practically skipping the entire way; pausing briefly on occasion to taunt Tom "I'm ahead of you" and "You can’t catch me!"
Joining the steady stream of visitors, we walked through the church, admiring the architecture, gold works, and stained glass. Picture taking was not allowed and visitors were closely monitored. I managed to take a couple (I know.... tsk tsk tsk).
After another brief rest, we headed behind the church and toured the village of Montmartre, stopping for pizza and gelato. We admired the Lapin Agile, a cabaret where Toulouse-Lautrec and other artists were known to frequent. Winding through the streets, we ended our walk at Moulin Rouge, which brought big smiles to Bertha and Dad. Hopping on the Metro, we headed back to the apartment.
Dinner at the apartment then Tom, Kim and I headed out around 9PM to enjoy the nightlife in the Latin Quarter. We got in around 1:30AM; I felt like we were lightweights heading home to bed as there were so many people STILL out in the streets!
Sunday was an easy day as we did not leave until 2PM. We all slept in VERY late as Saturday we had walked so much and most of us were out late. We headed to Notre Dame -- it was PACKED!!! Many more people than last week. We headed to the crypt to see what the archeologists had dug up.
Afterwards we headed to the back of Notre Dame, admiring the flying buttresses along the way. There is a garden in the back where both Kim's mother and grandmother had their pictures taken. Tom and Kim have taken their picture on the same spot in their two previous trips here and now did it again with Sydney. Great family tradition!
The group split up around 4PM at the bridge that connects the two islands. Tom, Kim, and Syd headed to dinner with one of Tom's coworkers who resides in Maison-Laffitte. Dad, Bertha, and I walked Ile St. Louis a bit longer, checked out a couple of local churches (St. Louis and Saint Gervais) then headed back to the apartment to change for dinner.
We dined at le bar a huitres, poisson du restaurant; we were very pleased with the food. Dad and Bertha started with mixed salads, then Dad had steamed cod and Bertha enjoyed grilled sardines. I started with a seafood platter that consisted of oysters, mussels, escargot and winkles, and had filet of beaman on pasta as my main course.
We walked a bit more and took pictures of the back of Notre Dame at night. Continuing our late night stroll, we checked out the city hall where a large screen was set up for everyone and anyone to watch the Rugby World Cup. Despite the hour, there were lots of people (I think it was Ecuador vs. New Zealand).
Monday was another easy day. It was supposed to be a shopping day, but the heavy rain slowed us down and we took our time leaving the apartment. Dad and Bertha headed out first, the Tom, Kim, Syd and I jumped onto the Metro and shopped at Le Bon Marche.
Monday evening, Tom and Kim headed to their favorite restaurant to celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary. Le Grand ve Four treated them VERY well, and they were seated at Victor Hugo's table. The chef, Guy Martin, met them at the door! They dined on the chef's classics of ravioli stuffed with fois gras, and creme brulee with artichokes! Yes...artichokes! It was different but delicious. Kim said to talk about the CHEESE course -- two huge platters of cheese, each platter a good 2-1/2 feet in diameter with at least 20 different varieties on each platter! One platter had the soft cheeses and the other the hard ones Now THAT's a lot of cheese!! They each sampled four different cheeses and said all were excellent!
Dad, Bertha, Syd and I headed into the Latin Quarter and dined at Baladin Rive Gauche located on rue St Severin. Our plan was to take an evening cruise on the Seine, but due to an obvious mix up on our meals at the restaurant, we were there for 2 and a half hours. By the time we finished it was 9:45PM. Getting very late for Syd. Dang, we were really looking forward to the boat ride. Hopefully we can squeeze it in tomorrow or Wednesday.
We kept things easy Sunday and Monday for two reasons. First, the anniversary; I’m sure Tom and Kim will make a full night of their celebration and probably will not return until around midnight. I hope they get in sooner because of the second reason. Tuesday is our trip to Versailles and we need to head out early! It will be a full day of walking so we all need to be well rested!
TTYL!!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: One more week is all we ask..... (Tom, Kim, and Karen)
Thursday, September 20, 2007
L'endroit le plus heureux sur terre
Today we split into two factions. Dad and Bertha went out on their own. After spending the morning relaxing, they headed out midafternoon and ended up on a docent tour of Notre Dame (english-speaking). The tour lasted over two hours and gave them a good behind-the-scenes view and in-depth history of the building. They were totally thrilled!
The Choir Area is close to the main alter. When they attended mass last Sunday, Bertha says the voices of the singers sounded like angels. The pieta of Mary and the crucified Jesus on her lap was carved in marble and was so lifelike that one can really see the suffering on Mary's face over her dead son. The gold cross behind the pietra was so shiny that it illuminate the entire area.
After the tour ended, they strolled across the pont at the end of rue du Notre Dame crossing over from Ile de la Cite to Ile St. Louis. On the pont was an accordian player, making the entire stroll very romantic. As they walked, they admired the beautiful buildings and visited with other tourists. One Swiss woman recommended a cafe in a local neighboorhood. So they wandered a bit more, checking out the neighborhoods, and dining at the recommendation. Sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon.... strolling the Seine and doing a bit of sightseeing.
Tom, Kim, Syd and I headed to Parc Disneyland! (hence the title of this blog: "L'endroit le plus heureux sur terre" means "the happiest place on earth"!) We noted lots of similarities between all the Disney parks. With Syd, we rode Star Tours, Pirates of the Carribean, Teacups, Dumbo, Small World (twice), Peter Pan (twice), the Carousel, and the Haunted Mansion. The "adults" rode Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. Syd was thrilled with the parade, especially the section with all the Princesses. Everyone had a great time and felt it went way too fast.
Today is Thursday, which means we have been here a week. Hard to believe we are halfway through our vacation! Our list of things too see is still too long!
We have settled in nicely to the apartment and have adjusted to its idosyncrasies. Our first impression was a bit less than positive as it was apparent that the pictures on the website were taken when things were new. The furniture is well broken in and the carpets could use a good cleaning. The bathrooms function well enough but the water when showering can go from good to freezing to scalding in a matter of minutes. Guess that is one of the drawbacks of a flash water heater! But, we are VERY comfortable with enough room for all six of us to eat together, and easily visit together in the living area. Best of all, all but one room has a great view of Paris rooftops.
If I was offered the opportunity to come back, would I? In a heartbeat. Would I stay here again? I wouldn't think twice about it and do recommend it to everyone.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: How long until we get there? Why is the train stopping? How many trains do we need to take? When are we going to get off? (Sydney De Lora, all in the first 5 minutes of our journey to Parc Disneyland)
The Choir Area is close to the main alter. When they attended mass last Sunday, Bertha says the voices of the singers sounded like angels. The pieta of Mary and the crucified Jesus on her lap was carved in marble and was so lifelike that one can really see the suffering on Mary's face over her dead son. The gold cross behind the pietra was so shiny that it illuminate the entire area.
After the tour ended, they strolled across the pont at the end of rue du Notre Dame crossing over from Ile de la Cite to Ile St. Louis. On the pont was an accordian player, making the entire stroll very romantic. As they walked, they admired the beautiful buildings and visited with other tourists. One Swiss woman recommended a cafe in a local neighboorhood. So they wandered a bit more, checking out the neighborhoods, and dining at the recommendation. Sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon.... strolling the Seine and doing a bit of sightseeing.
Tom, Kim, Syd and I headed to Parc Disneyland! (hence the title of this blog: "L'endroit le plus heureux sur terre" means "the happiest place on earth"!) We noted lots of similarities between all the Disney parks. With Syd, we rode Star Tours, Pirates of the Carribean, Teacups, Dumbo, Small World (twice), Peter Pan (twice), the Carousel, and the Haunted Mansion. The "adults" rode Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. Syd was thrilled with the parade, especially the section with all the Princesses. Everyone had a great time and felt it went way too fast.
Today is Thursday, which means we have been here a week. Hard to believe we are halfway through our vacation! Our list of things too see is still too long!
We have settled in nicely to the apartment and have adjusted to its idosyncrasies. Our first impression was a bit less than positive as it was apparent that the pictures on the website were taken when things were new. The furniture is well broken in and the carpets could use a good cleaning. The bathrooms function well enough but the water when showering can go from good to freezing to scalding in a matter of minutes. Guess that is one of the drawbacks of a flash water heater! But, we are VERY comfortable with enough room for all six of us to eat together, and easily visit together in the living area. Best of all, all but one room has a great view of Paris rooftops.
If I was offered the opportunity to come back, would I? In a heartbeat. Would I stay here again? I wouldn't think twice about it and do recommend it to everyone.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: How long until we get there? Why is the train stopping? How many trains do we need to take? When are we going to get off? (Sydney De Lora, all in the first 5 minutes of our journey to Parc Disneyland)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Her Mysterious Smile...
No, I'm not referring to Sydney!
Today was spent at the Musée du Louvre. Before entering the magnificent palace of art, a ride on the ferris wheel was at the top of the agenda. The view from the top showed that we were really in the middle of everything; the Louvre and Notre Dame on our right, the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower to our left, and Sacre Cour behind us.
A stroll through the Jardins des Tuileries offered the perfect location to eat our lunch and then a short walk to the pyramid to enter the Musée du Louvre. We opted to focus on the Denon wing as the immensity of the museum would limit how much we could see.
The first highlight was the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the top of the stairs. We wandered in awe through the hall of Large-Format French Paintings to salon 7 to view the Mona Lisa. We could tell where the painting was by the volume of people in the room. It was pretty packed but we still managed to push our way to the front and admire de Vinici's work.
Tom found out that Kim's favorite painting (La Jeune Martyre) was back so we found it salon 77 and spent time admiring it and several other works nearby. (NOTE: In November 2005, Tom and Kim were at the Louvre and La Jeune Martyre was on loan to a Tokyo museum.) Moving on, we meandered to the Spanish Paintings by way of the 16th-17th century and 17th-18th century Italian Paintings. Exiting the hall of 13th-15th century Italian Paintings we headed downstairs.
The next main artifact we admired was the Sarcophagus of a Married Couple. Afterward we crossed into the Sully wing and found the temporary location of the Venus de Milo.
From there, we headed back to the pyramid. I made a detour through the Pre-classical Greece section to admire the sculptures. After browsing the gift shops, we spent a few minutes admiring and photographing the buildings exterior. We headed through the Passage Richelieu to the Palais-Royal (one of Tom's favorite spots).
Dad says it was a great day and is looking forward to another great day tomorrow. Bertha says she was very disappointed in the day because she wanted to be able to see the entire Louvre in one day and cannot!
We opted to have dinner in and unwind. Tomorrow is an early day!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: WWWHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! (Sydney De Lora on the ferris wheel)
Today was spent at the Musée du Louvre. Before entering the magnificent palace of art, a ride on the ferris wheel was at the top of the agenda. The view from the top showed that we were really in the middle of everything; the Louvre and Notre Dame on our right, the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower to our left, and Sacre Cour behind us.
A stroll through the Jardins des Tuileries offered the perfect location to eat our lunch and then a short walk to the pyramid to enter the Musée du Louvre. We opted to focus on the Denon wing as the immensity of the museum would limit how much we could see.
The first highlight was the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the top of the stairs. We wandered in awe through the hall of Large-Format French Paintings to salon 7 to view the Mona Lisa. We could tell where the painting was by the volume of people in the room. It was pretty packed but we still managed to push our way to the front and admire de Vinici's work.
Tom found out that Kim's favorite painting (La Jeune Martyre) was back so we found it salon 77 and spent time admiring it and several other works nearby. (NOTE: In November 2005, Tom and Kim were at the Louvre and La Jeune Martyre was on loan to a Tokyo museum.) Moving on, we meandered to the Spanish Paintings by way of the 16th-17th century and 17th-18th century Italian Paintings. Exiting the hall of 13th-15th century Italian Paintings we headed downstairs.
The next main artifact we admired was the Sarcophagus of a Married Couple. Afterward we crossed into the Sully wing and found the temporary location of the Venus de Milo.
From there, we headed back to the pyramid. I made a detour through the Pre-classical Greece section to admire the sculptures. After browsing the gift shops, we spent a few minutes admiring and photographing the buildings exterior. We headed through the Passage Richelieu to the Palais-Royal (one of Tom's favorite spots).
Dad says it was a great day and is looking forward to another great day tomorrow. Bertha says she was very disappointed in the day because she wanted to be able to see the entire Louvre in one day and cannot!
We opted to have dinner in and unwind. Tomorrow is an early day!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: WWWHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! (Sydney De Lora on the ferris wheel)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Tuesday's Triumph
Today we again jumped onto the Metro (I love the metro!) and headed across town, exiting at Charles de Gaulle-Etoile. A short walk later we were at our destination: Arc de Triomphe. After watching the craziness of the drivers around the arc, I certainly understand why access to it is underground!
While the day was gray and cool with some rain sprinkling, we certainly were not after walking the 1,000 steps up a tight, circular staircase to the top of the arc. After a short respite to catch our breathe, we stepped out onto the top for one of the most spectacular views of all Paris. Despite the strong breeze, one could easily look down the street and see the Eiffel Tower, La Defense, Montmartre, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, all the sights one comes to Paris to see. The most intriguing was the layout of the streets. With the arc in the center of a circle, all streets around come straight in like the spokes on a wheel. Sydney spotted the ferris wheel located in front of the Louvre and began happily shouting "The ferris wheel! The ferris wheel! I can see the ferris wheel!"
We strolled the Champs Elysees to the Franklin D Roosevelt station (I love the metro!). Doesn't that sound nice....let me say that again.... we strolled the Champs Elysees.... A short train ride later, we exited at Chaussee d'Antin La Fayette and did a bit of shopping at the Galleria La Fayette. While the store was basically a Macy's, the architecture and glasswork of the dome was exquisite. The former City of Paris store in San Francisco (I believe it is now a Neiman Marcus) is patterned after this store. Well worth a stop in to check out if you are ever in the area.
Taking the metro, we started back to our temporary home (I love the metro!). Tom and Kim headed out to the Taillevent restaurant (one of the premier restaurants in Paris). Dad, Bertha, Syd and I kicked back at the apartment, picking up pizza from the corner restaurant.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: If you do not finish your fois gras, you do not get dessert. (waiter to Tom and Kim at the Taillevent)
P.S. Did I mention that I LOVE THE METRO!?!?!
While the day was gray and cool with some rain sprinkling, we certainly were not after walking the 1,000 steps up a tight, circular staircase to the top of the arc. After a short respite to catch our breathe, we stepped out onto the top for one of the most spectacular views of all Paris. Despite the strong breeze, one could easily look down the street and see the Eiffel Tower, La Defense, Montmartre, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, all the sights one comes to Paris to see. The most intriguing was the layout of the streets. With the arc in the center of a circle, all streets around come straight in like the spokes on a wheel. Sydney spotted the ferris wheel located in front of the Louvre and began happily shouting "The ferris wheel! The ferris wheel! I can see the ferris wheel!"
We strolled the Champs Elysees to the Franklin D Roosevelt station (I love the metro!). Doesn't that sound nice....let me say that again.... we strolled the Champs Elysees...
Taking the metro, we started back to our temporary home (I love the metro!). Tom and Kim headed out to the Taillevent restaurant (one of the premier restaurants in Paris). Dad, Bertha, Syd and I kicked back at the apartment, picking up pizza from the corner restaurant.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: If you do not finish your fois gras, you do not get dessert. (waiter to Tom and Kim at the Taillevent)
P.S. Did I mention that I LOVE THE METRO!?!?!
Monday, September 17, 2007
The Marais District
After picking up sandwiches at the neighborhood Paul's, we took the metro, exiting at the Bastille stop. After admiring the Colonne de Juillet, we walked up rue St Antoine to rue de Birague and ate our lunch in Place des Voges. We took pictures and let Sydney run around a bit to burn off some energy.
Bertha and I were chatting on one of the benches when a very strange man appeared about 20 feet from us, stood there staring. When we looked up, he said "What do you want?" in a very heavy french accent. We looked at each other and said nothing. Again he asked "What do you want?" We just looked at him, trying to figure out what he was talking about as we did not even see him walk up. The thought was that my camera (on the tripod) was pointed in his direction and maybe he thought we were filming him. (Kinda hard with the lense cap on!) I rotated the camera so it was pointing in another direction and he huffed loudly and stormed away. We decided he was an ecentric and let it go.
Walking the arcade around the park, we window shopped the various stores and galleries, and admired the knockers on doors 4 and 17 (as noted in one of the many books). We located the entrance to Victor Hugo's residence in one corner. The opposite corner is where Cardinal Reichleau lived.
As we passed the perfume shop, a police car with lights flashing pulled up and three gendarmes jumped out. A couple of shop owners rushed out and pointed them into the park. They ran to the far side and began frisking someone. I guess they decided to arrest the person as they lead him back to the car. Lo and behold, it was the "ecentric"!! From the little we saw of the discussion, it appears that he may have stolen something from the perfume shop. French justice in action!
Leaving the Place du Voge, we strolled the rue des Francs Bourgeois passing the Musee Carnavalet and National Archive to our destination, the Centre Georges Pompidou. The building itself is an attraction as all the mechanics are on the outside. The escalators were fun as they are in clear tubes which provided a great view of all of Paris. When you first walk in, there is an exhibit with pulleys and large "body parts" in netting. Periodically they suddenly drop, much to Syd's quel surprise (her favorite was the three "boobies"). What an interesting mix of modern art. New included indian metal plates, plastic inflatable chairs; old had Salvador Dali, Henri Matisee, Picasso, and Man Ray.
Around 7PM, Dad, Bertha, Syd and I jumped on the metro and headed back to the apartment. Tom and Kim walked back, stopping at a grocery store for some supplies. They arrived about 10 minutes after we did. Things are a lot closer together than they seem!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The knockers were disappointing; they were only about an A-cup." (Tom De Lora at Place du Voges)
Bertha and I were chatting on one of the benches when a very strange man appeared about 20 feet from us, stood there staring. When we looked up, he said "What do you want?" in a very heavy french accent. We looked at each other and said nothing. Again he asked "What do you want?" We just looked at him, trying to figure out what he was talking about as we did not even see him walk up. The thought was that my camera (on the tripod) was pointed in his direction and maybe he thought we were filming him. (Kinda hard with the lense cap on!) I rotated the camera so it was pointing in another direction and he huffed loudly and stormed away. We decided he was an ecentric and let it go.
Walking the arcade around the park, we window shopped the various stores and galleries, and admired the knockers on doors 4 and 17 (as noted in one of the many books). We located the entrance to Victor Hugo's residence in one corner. The opposite corner is where Cardinal Reichleau lived.
As we passed the perfume shop, a police car with lights flashing pulled up and three gendarmes jumped out. A couple of shop owners rushed out and pointed them into the park. They ran to the far side and began frisking someone. I guess they decided to arrest the person as they lead him back to the car. Lo and behold, it was the "ecentric"!! From the little we saw of the discussion, it appears that he may have stolen something from the perfume shop. French justice in action!
Leaving the Place du Voge, we strolled the rue des Francs Bourgeois passing the Musee Carnavalet and National Archive to our destination, the Centre Georges Pompidou. The building itself is an attraction as all the mechanics are on the outside. The escalators were fun as they are in clear tubes which provided a great view of all of Paris. When you first walk in, there is an exhibit with pulleys and large "body parts" in netting. Periodically they suddenly drop, much to Syd's quel surprise (her favorite was the three "boobies"). What an interesting mix of modern art. New included indian metal plates, plastic inflatable chairs; old had Salvador Dali, Henri Matisee, Picasso, and Man Ray.
Around 7PM, Dad, Bertha, Syd and I jumped on the metro and headed back to the apartment. Tom and Kim walked back, stopping at a grocery store for some supplies. They arrived about 10 minutes after we did. Things are a lot closer together than they seem!
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The knockers were disappointing; they were only about an A-cup." (Tom De Lora at Place du Voges)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Easy Sunday
Today being Sunday, Dad and Bertha headed to mass at Notre Dame. They thoroughly enjoyed the mass which was presented in several languages.
Tom, Kim, Syd and I headed to a Farmer's Market on Blvd Raispel. Very much like the farmers markets back home. In addition to fruits and vegetables, we picked up baguettes and cheeses and munched on crepes.
By the time we returned, Dad and Bertha were back from mass. After a brief rest, Dad, Tom, Kim and I headed to the Palais du Luxemborg. I was there yesterday with Bertha but the camera chip malfunctioned when trying to download the shots, so I was very eager to go back. Since the building is only open to the public once a year, Tom, Dad, and Kim decided to tour as well. The crowd was much heavier today than yesterday, but there were no hassles which I found unusual in such a large gathering.
We cleared security and strolled across the Cour d'Honneur. Once inside we went up the Escalier d'Honneur, passed the Chambre de la Reine, Salon des Messagers e'Etat and into the Bibliotheque (which has a great view of the the Jardin du Luxemborg). The tour continued through the Salle des Seances and the Salle des Conferences into the Salon Victor Hugo (which was recently restored). This lead us into Annexe de la Bibliotheque where the photo on the right (Dad, Tom, and Kim resting) was taken. The tour contined through quite a few more rooms, including Salle du Livre d'Or. One day I will complete the translation of the flyer to truly understand what we saw! The inside of the Palais was stunning with all the gold and marble. A true monument to French granduer, and it wasn't a movie set!
After a second rest at the apartment, Tom took Kim and Syd to dinner. Dad, Bertha and I had supper in then headed out for a late night stroll. We headed down Blvd St Germain, cut through an alley that deposited us near Rue Seine. After walking a short distance, we cut through an archway which placed us directly in front of Institue de France. We crossed the Pont de Artes and strolled a bit admiring a building, wondering what the magnificent structure was. Turned out to be the Louvre! I can't wait to go!
Tom, Kim, Syd and I headed to a Farmer's Market on Blvd Raispel. Very much like the farmers markets back home. In addition to fruits and vegetables, we picked up baguettes and cheeses and munched on crepes.
By the time we returned, Dad and Bertha were back from mass. After a brief rest, Dad, Tom, Kim and I headed to the Palais du Luxemborg. I was there yesterday with Bertha but the camera chip malfunctioned when trying to download the shots, so I was very eager to go back. Since the building is only open to the public once a year, Tom, Dad, and Kim decided to tour as well. The crowd was much heavier today than yesterday, but there were no hassles which I found unusual in such a large gathering.
We cleared security and strolled across the Cour d'Honneur. Once inside we went up the Escalier d'Honneur, passed the Chambre de la Reine, Salon des Messagers e'Etat and into the Bibliotheque (which has a great view of the the Jardin du Luxemborg). The tour continued through the Salle des Seances and the Salle des Conferences into the Salon Victor Hugo (which was recently restored). This lead us into Annexe de la Bibliotheque where the photo on the right (Dad, Tom, and Kim resting) was taken. The tour contined through quite a few more rooms, including Salle du Livre d'Or. One day I will complete the translation of the flyer to truly understand what we saw! The inside of the Palais was stunning with all the gold and marble. A true monument to French granduer, and it wasn't a movie set!
After a second rest at the apartment, Tom took Kim and Syd to dinner. Dad, Bertha and I had supper in then headed out for a late night stroll. We headed down Blvd St Germain, cut through an alley that deposited us near Rue Seine. After walking a short distance, we cut through an archway which placed us directly in front of Institue de France. We crossed the Pont de Artes and strolled a bit admiring a building, wondering what the magnificent structure was. Turned out to be the Louvre! I can't wait to go!
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