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The Opera House
I turned up here hoping for a guided tour, but there was a show on, so sadly it didn't happen. Another time maybe.. Well, all is going well, and I'm enjoying myself. But I got off to a rather shaky start here.
I arrived in Paris around 2000 hours on Friday and didn't really know where to start. But since I had all my luggage (a very heavy backpack, and a small bag), it definitely seemed best to get a room for the night asap. Common sense prevails. However, this seemingly simple process ran me into a wall, for some reason every single room was filled in every hotel I went into. This got me a little worried, and after 2 hours I was getting sore and tired, and It was getting dark. Luckily around that time (2200) I checked a hotel called the Hotel California, and they had a room available, and by this time price had ceased to matter...I was about to shell out the full 150euro for the night without a thought, but the guy cut me a deal and I got the room for just under 100 euro. Could have been worse...
Understandably that night was a write-off, and I just went straight to bed after checking in. On Saturday morning I got a great shower, and managed
to find a room in a slightly less expensive hotel for the next 2 nights. So I was all set to do some sightseeing!
The first stop was seeing Notre-Dame, which as everyone should know is a large Cathedral in which Victor Hugo based the story of his classic novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. A novel which is heavily responsible for saving the Cathedral from being torn down, due to it's state of disrepair at one time. Obviously this is a very busy place to visit, and once inside I found it very tight to move around, but I got to see everything, and enjoyed it very much. I only wish there was more signposting in English, and information on the Cathedral. But maybe I should have done more research in advance, or put more effort into my French studies in High School, haha.
Next up was the magnificent Louvre museum. This place is one serious museum, and everywhere you look there are masterpieces. I took about 3 hours wandering through it before being instructed that I had to leave as they were closing. I did see all I wanted in that time though, and saw the three
Me
This is me at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Incredible views from up there! most reknowned pieces, those being the Venus De Milo, The Winged Victory of Samothrace, and of course, The Mona Lisa. Fantastic! It's a little overwhelming at first though, and I found I had to ignore a lot of paintings, and sculptues so as to not overload myself and hit "museum burnout".
At night I grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to my hotel room, very tired. The Eurovision finals were on, so I watched those. To the North Americans who are reading this, the Eurovision Song contest is a big thing in Europe and all countries have one artist/group representing them. They all sing their songs one by one, and at the end, all the people from each countries vote for who they liked best, and the points are tallied. Sort of like American Idol I guess, but MUCH MUCH MUCH better, more professional, and more entertaining. I loved it.
On Sunday I strolled up Champs-Élysées, a famous street with large stores lining it, to the Arc de Triomphe. After staring for a few minutes, I then walked down to the Eiffel Tower. First of all, let me just say that this thing is a lot
A view from the top
Another from up on the Eiffel Tower bigger than it looks on TV, it's HUGE! I wanted to climb the stairs to the top (glutton for punishment that I am), but I lined up in the wrong pillar thing, and had to accept taking the elevator to the top. Wonderful panaoramic views of the entire city from up there.
After the tower, I walked past Les Invalides, admiring it's golden dome, and architecture, and through the Place de la Concorde. This is where the infamous guillotine met with many French aristocrats during the Revolution back in 1793. Notable names of those executed include none other than King Louis XVI and his Queen, Marie Antoinette. There also stands a large Egyptian Obelisk in the center, covered with hyroglyphics (sp?) telling of the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II. Everywhere you look in this city, there is something historic.
The rest of the night was spent wandering the Latin Quarter of the city, near my hotel. This is basically an area filled with little pedestrian streets and hundreds of restaurants, cafes, and touristy shops. Very lively, and fun.
As for Today, Monday, I saw St. Sulpice Cathedral, and climbed the towers at Notre-Dame to enjoy more views
of Paris. Tonight I will be taking the train out of here to head off to my nest destination.... Stay tuned!
PS: Sorry if there are a lot of typo's in this, the French Keyboard is a little confusing!
PPS: I am adding photo's to my Edinburgh Journal right now, so it might be worth a second look.
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anonymous
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christenhusz@home.nl
Hey Ryan, nice to follow you during your trip in Europe! - Soldaan