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Published: July 11th 2011
Paris. How do I describe it.... After a 6 plus hour bus ride from the Hague, what could I possibly expect. Well, it was a rude awakening at 6a.m. I got in to the metro station, and well it smelled like a sewer leak, first impression, not good. After taking a quick metro ride I decided I had enough and that I would just get out and start looking. I knew kinda where I was and figured I'd walk to Notre Dame, and then maybe see some nearby sites before making it the The L'ouvre. The plan was successful. I got to Notre Dame before any crowds (and before it opened), thus affording me the ability to just take it all in. It is quite an impressive building as the pictures indicate. I never made it in because every time I made it back by, there was what appeared to be an over 1 hour wait to get in. The area surrounding the Notre Dame has another equally impressive church called St. Chappelle (with amazing stained glass windows which I never got to see). However, the main objective of the day was to make it to the L'ouvre, which I did,
an hour before it opened (and was still 12th in line). Either way, this was worth it, because by 9:10, when the doors opened, there must have been 500 or more in line. However, any wait to get inside is well worth it. The L'ouvre can not be described so much as experienced. There are literally miles and miles of corridors to walk through; and I got lost numerous times. However, I was able to hit a few highlights, such as the Mona Lisa (with only a few dozen people present; later it would easily be a few hundred)... as well I got to see the Venus de Milo all by myself, with nobody around!! The hall of Italian paintings is impressive to say the least, again, words can not describe.. After the L'ouvre I made the trek down the Champs d'Elysees to the Arc De Triumph (for all you women, there's a Louis Vuitton store on that walk)... I eventually made my way back to my hotel (on the outside parts of the city, but not a bad location and a quick metro ride to anywhere; as almost any place in Paris is with its 16 metro lines)... After
L'ouvre
the famous glass pyramid, as designed by I.M Peia quick recharge of the batteries, I made it down to the Eiffel Tower. It is an impressive structure no doubt. However the crowds and people trying to sell things damper it a bit. I did not go up it (once again, lines lines lines).. oh well, next time... I really cant put it all in to words (plus im running on almost 40 hrs of no sleep, c'est la vie)... enjoy the pics... the next blog will include my trip to Sacre Coeur, Musee D'Orsay and some other what not in Paris
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