In. One. Day. Granted, they aren’t all perfect or even usable, but jeepers! 270 photographs. And still had time to enjoy myself. The downside was I went through batteries like chili through a baby. I didn’t want to have to deal with rechargeables and European electrical outlet conversions so I’m trashing the environment by using throw-aways. Thank heaven I brought a huge pack with me. They want 20 € just for a 4-pack of AA’s @ the Eiffel!
270 makes it hard to pick just a few to describe the day, but I’ll try. We started with a walk to l'Arc de Triomphe. On the way there the Eiffel was visible in the distance spawning the obligatory pinch-the-tower shot.
270 makes it hard to pick just a few to describe the day, but I’ll try. We started with a walk to l'Arc de Triomphe. On the way there the Eiffel was visible in the distance spawning the obligatory pinch-the-tower shot.
Once on the L'avenue des Champs-Élysées it was plain to see and the walk wasn’t bad, especially on a Sunday morning.
Just before the underground crossing to l’Arc, was a big red, open-topped, double-decker tour bus that makes the circuit of the big 9. 24 € gets you a two and one half hour tour and a two day pass to the bus that lets you hop on/off at any of the big 9. What’s that you say? We can take transportation to every site we want to see at any time over the next two days and not have to worry about metro stations and train tickets and turnstiles? Sign me up! Here’s the view from the top of the bus.
We decided to take the entire tour loop just to get an overview and foment our plan of attack. There were statues everywhere…
Lots of old buildings…
Lots of bridges over the Seine (this one is Pont Alexandre III---the one we are on, not the one behind the boat in the picture)…
More statues…
More old buildings…
A horrific plot to embarrass the French government by using a Craftsman ¾ ton floor jack to tilt the Eiffel Tower causing the Italian ambassador to threaten to hold his breath until the tower was restored to an upright position and subsequent copyright infringement suit filed by the concession owning the Tower of Pisa. The two American women who supplied the floor jack are being sought for questioning.
One of the things you really notice from the top of a two story bus is rooftops. I was fascinated by the fact that apparently each and every residence in Paris has its own chimney. (I will deny the total number of pictures I took of chimneys).
After attending a fashion show on the des Champs-Élysées I succumb to the latest craze in hats.
Hearing of the plot to topple the Eiffel, French secret agents stalk one of the perpetrators.
In an effort to escape, the criminal seeks sanctuary at Notre Dame.
Only to find those doors closed.
Fortunately I was able to lose my pursuers in the gardens surrounding the cathedral...
…and dine in peace near the safety of my hotel.
And the church from yesterday is L'église de la Madeleine (Paroisse de la Madeleine). Amber, I'll check that other building tomorrow. Bon Soir!
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P.S. You should see the parking here. It's non-existent and they park right on top of one another when they park parallel.
A woman came out to her car while we dined street-side and we waited to see how she was going to get out of the tight space she was in. Well of course she used braille. Hit the car in back and in front...several times before she was able to leave.
That means I should never complain about the parking in Aggieville or at work. Have you been seeing a lot of smartcars there?
When we were in France years ago we saw one of their micro cars that was only as long as it was wide. It fit into a parallel parking spot by driving straight in. Now THAT'S a smart car!
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