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Published: February 1st 2010
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Today is the day to see some more of Paris! After a cold New Years Day that was hardly maximized, we decided today would be spent outside all day long. And we were rewarded with sunlight and clear skies!
Our first stop was Les Invalides. The museum and edifice appealed to us enough that we were willing to make it the only museum we planned on visiting. And it was worth it. Just walking around the grounds was neat. The manicured lawn out front, surrounding the building was just what you would picture a French chateau as. The inside courtyard was also a throwback in time, especially because there seemingly was a military event going on that night and there were loads of people dressed up (which is saying something for it being "French dressy"). The cannons all around the premises, as well as the standing guards beneath the gold dome, just was icing on the cake.
Napoleon's tomb wasn't too shabby either. The man's tomb was a whole lot of marble. Under the gold dome, in the eglise St. Louis, resting in a rather impressive, huge, elegant marble sarcophagus amidst some of the most elaborate decor I have
ever seen. I am assuming the French believe Napoleon was an awesome guy. But that's just a guess... :D
The rest of the museum was also interesting. We only saw about 1/2 of the museum aside from the tomb -- arms and armor, and WWI and WWII. As an American, I thought it was very interesting to see the French exhibit about the first and especially second world wars. I wonder what a German museum would be like. Or Poland, Italy, the UK, or Russia. So many differing perspectives.
After Les Invalides, we made our way down the bustling Champs-Elysees, first stopping in a neat little restaurant called Flam, which served flat bread pizza things which were very, very good. I had a traditional one with ham, cheese, and onions (which I picked off!) and Keith had a more Alsace-Lorraine version with beef, onions, and potatoes. We kind of just stumbled on the place after looking for a post office... and we were glad we did. Such wonderful food in Paris.
The Champs-Elysees was packed and pretty much what we expected - a large, French Magnificent Mile. We didn't go in many stores, and did minimal
window shopping. We essentially walked down to Etoile, then headed toward Trocadero. On our way we stopped at a bookstore where I bought my 2-volume copy of Les Mis, en francais (!). We also stopped in a pub where I had un cafe (2.20e), and Keith had a 100cl Guinness.... at 20.00e! Both he and I were stunned!! That is a lot for beer, but then again it was a lot of beer. When on vacation....
The thing I love about France is the cafe lifestyle. Just sititng in a cafe, sipping on an espresso, relaxing and people watching is so enjoyable. It makes the country feel very laid back. It's not the same as sitting in a coffee shop in Chicago or New York or any of the rest of the US. While it's not so different as to be called something totally different -- the concept is the same -- it's just a completely different atmosphere. Paris is meant to be enjoyed while sitting in a rattan chair with a small cup of espresso on your table while you watch Paris be. It's part of the whole experience.
After an hour of relaxing at our French-Irish
pub, we continued down to Trocadero -- a breathtaking terrace right across the Seine and Eiffel Tower. Quel view! We enjoyed the scene for an hour or so, watching the Eiffel Tower light up in thousands of lights during its hourly illumination sparkle show. Such a beautiful effect. It makes Paris all the more glamorous. It was well worth being slightly cold yesterday to be able to come across the pond and enjoy such nights like these, in plain view of the sparkling Eiffel Tower, one of the most famous icons in the world.
Until tomorrow... our last day in Paris... au revoir!
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