Monday June 25th, had me catching a flight a 6am to Beauvais Airport, Paris France! Thought i was just over tired from the packing and excitement of going to this beautiful city but as the flight wore on, i realized i was very sick!! I still had the excitement when the plane landed and i caught a shuttle bus into the city. I had no idea where i was in this big place and was determined to walk to my hotel. Showing my map, asking directions and 1 hour and 30 minutes later i made it. Along the way, i walked right past the Arc de Triomphe, strolled down the Champs-Elysees, glimpsed the Eiffel Tower. They say that Paris is made for walking but what they fail to say is how big this city really is!
My hotel was in the Opera area, the 9th arrondissements. The city is divided into 22 distinct areas, each with their own flair and amusements. Such as Montmartre, that houses the Sacre Coeur and Moulin Rouge! Unfortunately, my camera died on the 4th day so did not get all these sites captured in photo. The Latin Quarter was neat with it's lively narrow cobbled lanes, lots of cafes and smartly funkily dressed Parisians. The youth here know no bounds when it comes to dressing but they seem to carry it off with style. Saw what i would call a "typical" Parisian woman. She was walking her little poodle, thin as a waif, wearing ridiculously high heels and smoking! I wanted to take a picture so bad. I must learn to be more discreet with my photos.
The first day was spent at the Eiffel Tower. 2 hours queuing and 2 hours exploring all three levels. It really did live up to it's reputation I'm glad to say, maybe it was just me and having wanted to see it all my life! The views are amazing and the photos really don't do it justice. In fact, i think this is the worst set of photos i have ever taken. I think the combination of being sick, dark grey clouds and the wind and the rain didn't help! All of the major monuments have Army men walking around with machine guns. At first it seemed strange, have only seen that in Mexico, but you get used to it after awhile. In fact you couldn't walk two feet with out seeing 5 or 6 police. All nice and always smiling and saying hi!
A cruise down the Seine, seeing the Mona Lisa in the Musee du Louvre, cruising past Notre Dame, visiting Jim Morrison's (the Doors) and Oscar Wilde's grave at the Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise , walking under the arch of the Arc de Triomphe, seeing the view of the city form Sacre Coeur and having the best dam food at the Relais that i ate all week. If it weren't for my travel buddy, Karen, i probably would have not seen and done all this, all i wanted to do was curl up in my hotel room and sleep til i felt better. Although she was a little to enthusiastic and kept me out to late and wouldn't let me have a mid day rest. Don't think i was in bed before 1am each night! Hence, a week and a bit later, i am still sick and must recover in time for my bevy of friends and family coming to visit me this summer.
My hotel was in the Opera area, the 9th arrondissements. The city is divided into 22 distinct areas, each with their own flair and amusements. Such as Montmartre, that houses the Sacre Coeur and Moulin Rouge! Unfortunately, my camera died on the 4th day so did not get all these sites captured in photo. The Latin Quarter was neat with it's lively narrow cobbled lanes, lots of cafes and smartly funkily dressed Parisians. The youth here know no bounds when it comes to dressing but they seem to carry it off with style. Saw what i would call a "typical" Parisian woman. She was walking her little poodle, thin as a waif, wearing ridiculously high heels and smoking! I wanted to take a picture so bad. I must learn to be more discreet with my photos.
The first day was spent at the Eiffel Tower. 2 hours queuing and 2 hours exploring all three levels. It really did live up to it's reputation I'm glad to say, maybe it was just me and having wanted to see it all my life! The views are amazing and the photos really don't do it justice. In fact, i think this is the worst set of photos i have ever taken. I think the combination of being sick, dark grey clouds and the wind and the rain didn't help! All of the major monuments have Army men walking around with machine guns. At first it seemed strange, have only seen that in Mexico, but you get used to it after awhile. In fact you couldn't walk two feet with out seeing 5 or 6 police. All nice and always smiling and saying hi!
A cruise down the Seine, seeing the Mona Lisa in the Musee du Louvre, cruising past Notre Dame, visiting Jim Morrison's (the Doors) and Oscar Wilde's grave at the Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise , walking under the arch of the Arc de Triomphe, seeing the view of the city form Sacre Coeur and having the best dam food at the Relais that i ate all week. If it weren't for my travel buddy, Karen, i probably would have not seen and done all this, all i wanted to do was curl up in my hotel room and sleep til i felt better. Although she was a little to enthusiastic and kept me out to late and wouldn't let me have a mid day rest. Don't think i was in bed before 1am each night! Hence, a week and a bit later, i am still sick and must recover in time for my bevy of friends and family coming to visit me this summer.
Inside the Louvre
Spirals-again!!!
Arc de Triompe
Sacre Coeur
Musee du Louvre
Champs_Elysees
View from Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
Is this where the expression" grabbing the bull by the horns" comes from?
Notre Dame
On the Seine
Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise
The Metro underground
