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Published: December 31st 2006
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Paris
It was a bit of a quiet start, mainly due to the night before ;-) We were meant to go for a look at the Versailles Palace and Gardens, but our tour guide never turned up. This wasn't a bad thing as most of us were a bit toured out and were keen to investigate Paris on our own. We got dropped off at the Louvre and everyone went their own way.
As it was the first Sunday of the month, admission to the Musée du Louvre was free. This was a big bonus as it meant that there weren't any queues to get in (as these were formed when people were paying).
We entered via the Glass Pyramid (which I recognised from the movie 'The Da Vinci Code') and me and Georgia headed straight to the Denon Wing of the Louvre where Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo lives :-)
Surprisingly (seeing as it was free to get in) there weren't so many people around. We found out that was because everyone had flocked to see the Mona Lisa. I had been prepared for it's size, but I don't think Georgia expected it to be
Venus de Milo
Otherwise known as the Aphrodite of Milos which dates to about 130-90 BC so small. Even though there were heaps of people around it and there was a big piece of bullet-proof glass in front of it, it was still amazing to see. I don't think I appreciated the actual artistry of it, but I've seen it so many times on tv and in books, I felt stoked to see it for real.
We spent a wee while exploring some of the other exhibitions, including the Raft of the Medusa and Venus de Milo (my favourite). Fresh air beckoned so we decided to head out. This took us at least 40mins, as we got lost and couldn't find the exit :-)
We left via the glass pyramid and headed towards the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and into the Tuileries and Carrousel gardens. It was autumn and the leaves of many of the trees were red and golden. We stopped for a hot drink in the gardens and watched the kids playing with the conkers that were all over the place.
We then strolled over to the Place de la Concorde and saw the giant eyptian Obelisk of Luxor. Then we went onto followed the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de
From the Egyptian section
Well, you're not allowed to take photos of the Mona Lisa Triomphe, passing the Grand Palais (a large glass exhibition hall which used to be a big palace) on the way.
We were fortunate that Red Bull had told us about the underground tunnels that allow you to get to the Arc de Triomphe safely without negotiating the crazy traffic around it. The Arc de Triomphe stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle and was commissioned by Emperor Napolean I. The detail on it is amazing and underneath the Arc is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War. It has an eternal flame which burns in memory of the dead who were never identified from both World Wars. We had a good laugh at the number of tourist trying to cross the traffic. Another brownie point for Red Bull.
Next we decided to hunt down the Cathédrale Notre Dame. We walked along the banks of the River Seine stopping at the many stalls. Georgia and I both bought a number of souvenirs and posters. It was a long walk to the Notre Dame but it's an awesome sight. It was starting to get on in the day, so we just admired it
from across the river, then went in search of a Metro station to head back to the hotel for a snooze before yet another big night out. I managed to utter some VERY bad french and was amazed when the metro ticket lady appeared to understand me. I'll have to learn some more!
I think Georgia and I did very well not only finding our way out of the Louvre, but also making our way around the sites of Paris and then sussing out the metro to get back. This may not sound much of an achievement, but we had no Gav with us this time. He was doing his own tour of the city, while Amy was having a nice quiet day.
Back at the hotel, we caught up with Amy and had some quiet time before getting ready for the Moulin Rouge. I'd read about Moulin Rouge so was very excited about tonight. Everyone dressed up and we were all looking forward to the caberet show. We'd been warned the food could be very average but the show was going to be good. And it didn't disappoint. The costumes and the backdrops were fantastic and the
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
Built between 1806-1808 by the Emperor Napoleon I and is just outside the Louvre girls all gorgeous. And yes, we got to see the Can Can! Everything was so colourful and glamourous. I definitely recommend it. Unfortunately you're not allowed to take photo's so you'll have to go see it yourselves. It was definitely a great end to a fantastic holiday.
The next morning was quite sad as we had to say goodbye to some of the group as they were staying in Paris. We drove back to Calais passing the Somme Battlefields on the way. Our ferry back to Dover was a completely different experience to the trip coming to France. It was very stormy and it was difficult walking around the ferry as it was buffeted by the big waves. I spent most of the trip up top where it was very exhillarating. You could see the bow of the boat lifting right up and there were waves crashing around us. Once in Dover we were met by a coach which drove us into London. It was pouring with rain when I got off and said my quick goodbyes to everyone. It was sad leaving the tour but it was an amazing trip and I was lucky to meet people who
Champs Elysées
Strolling towards the Arc de Triomphe I will remain friends with for a long time to come.
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