We started the day out by packing our bags in preparation to change rooms in the hotel; even though we never fully unpacked, it takes longer than you might think to stuff everything back into the luggage. A few days ago, we decided we didn't have enough time and info to go to Dordogne, so we are going to remain in Paris. Therefore, we had to see whether our hotel had any room for us - they do, but we have to move upstairs. To the sixth-floor garret (cue the ominous music). Remember, this is where I predicted that Jackie would probably die of consumption. And she's still coughing, you know. Just about spit up a lung last night. (I wonder if Les Catacombes would take her off my hands? I should look into that. Maybe they'll give me a free femur for each new deposit!)
Turns out we aren't moving rooms until tomorrow. Night-time-desk-garcon thought we were, but daytime-garcon says no, we're changing on Sunday. Oh well, at least most of the hard work is done.
After our standard breakfast of baguette, croissant and tea, we went to Pére-Lachaise Cemetery, which is not far from our hotel.
It is a very large, walled cemetery, with tree-lined cobblestone roads that can be difficult to walk on at times, but it is a beautiful place. Several famous people are buried here. We went to see Jim Morrison's (of "The Doors" fame) tomb - it was surprisingly humble. Somehow, I'd expected something a little more elaborate from the write-up in our Paris book. No graffiti around the grave, so the city must have cleaned it up. Nevertheless, there were a number of people around it, so it wasn't too hard to find. We also saw Edith Piaf's tomb - there were flowers there, and a picture of her, but it was also quite humble in comparison to the monumental 18th century tombstones.
The other tomb we went to see was that of Oscar Wilde. His wasn't what I was expecting at all: a large stone, with a very modern-art style angel partially carved out of one side. It must be quite the draw for tourists, for it was fenced off with a notice that it is a monument and should be respected (translation: no graffiti!) On the back of the stone there was a long inscription, and one of his poems:
When we left the cemetery, we'd spent quite a while walking, and so decided to stop for lunch at "Paristanbul", which was a Turkish restaurant. I ordered some kind of chicken thing - it was very good.
We then spent a while circling Place des Vosges before finding the way in, and tracking down Victor Hugo's home. Admission was free - yay! Victor Hugo was very famous in his time, so they have lots of items saved for exhibits: some of his drawings, samples of his writing and first editions of his books, along with paintings by other artists illustrating scenes from his books. Jean Cocteau described Victor Hugo as "a madman who believed himself to be Victor Hugo." Hee hee!
After that, we walked back to the hotel. Jackie wanted to Advil herself up (cause her knee was bothering her) before we returned to the Eiffel Tower. This time, we took the Metro to ensure that we would be there before the stairs closed.
And I forgot to mention about the train buskers. People will get on the trains, play a musical instrument, then pass around their hat for spare change. On the way to Versailles, there were two accordion players (who were very good, in spite of what you think of when you hear the word accordion), and there was a man playing the fiddle and singing on our way to the Eiffel. I wonder if they frequent the tourist routes?
Shelda, if you ever get tired of working in HR, perhaps you and your accordion would like to frequent the Metropolitain in Paris? Then I could say, "Hey, see that busker? I knew her when..."
So it is only 3.5€ to climb the stairs. I am not really fond of heights, so I wasn't sure how well this was going to go. Keeping my eyes in front of me and not looking down seemed like a good strategy at the start. However, after a few minutes spent contemplating the low-rise jeans of the girl in front of me, I changed my mind. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you've got even a little jelly roll, then don't wear low-rise pants. It's just not a pretty sight. Duh.
We got to the first level quite easily, and the climb wasn't as unnerving as I thought it would be since you are fenced in and the steps are not see-through. Jackie and I didn't stay here too long, and quickly started up towards the second level, where we were climbing behind a french girl who was wearing 3-inch heels. She slowed us down a little. Overall, the climb was much easier than we'd anticipated, and maybe that was because we were forced to go slower than we would have otherwise.
The second level was quite crowded and windy. Again, we took a quick look around and then got in line to buy tickets for the elevator to the top. You are not allowed to use the stairs from the second level to the top, and you have to take the elevator. It's just as well. When we were in the elevator heading upward, you could see the stairs - they are not fenced in the way the others are, and they are see-through, like a fire escape. Jackie opined that we would have to climb down those stairs in case of an emergency. A few people turned green and thanked her for that happy thought.
It is very crowded at the top, quite cool and windy, and a truly spectacular view. I took a few pictures, being careful not to drop my camera down on some unsuspecting passerby. We spent quite a while at the top, then went back down to the second level, where there was a gift shop and phone booth. Jackie unsuccessfully tried to call her parents (the pay phones require a card to work).
We walked back down to the first level and bought some overpriced food. There was also a little museum about the building of the tower, a gallery of photos, and a little movie theatre where you can watch a film about the tower. All tower all the time!
By the time we left, the tower was already lit up for the evening. The twinkling we saw the other night is done by strobe lights placed throughout the tower.
We decided to take a cruise on the Seine, so walked down along the docks. Bateaux Parisiens was too expensive and usually featured a meal, so we kept going. A man walked up to me speaking french, so I had to "Parlez vous anglais?", and he said, "Oh, you're Americans!" (Not quite.) "Where're ya from?" He was from North Carolina, also looking for boats. I think if all the tourists in Paris suddenly vanished, the population would halve.
We decided upon Bateaux-Mouches - a double-decker boat with lots of exterior seats. And at 7€, the price was right. Unfortunately, lots of other people thought so too. The upper level was filled with large, rowdy tour groups who were quite annoying. I eventually wandered down to the main level and stood by a railing, while Jackie stayed up top. It was night by now, so all the buildings are lit up.
The Seine certainly has a lot of traffic. Tour boats trolling up and down the centre of the river, and smaller boats rented for special occasions (there was a wedding party on one) sailing closer to shore. And a number of restaurant boats, from the cheaper ones to what looked like very expensive cruises.
Lots of people on the shore and on other boats would wave to the boats. However, passing under bridges can be perilous. Jackie told me that two kids were spitting onto the boats from one of the bridges.
The cruise lasted about 90 minutes, going down the Seine past the Ile-de-la-Cité, around the other side, then past the mini Statue of Liberty (not sure if that's what it's called, but that's what it is) at the other end. There were a few moments where you could get a photo of the Statue of Liberty with the Eiffel Tower in the background, which would have been cool, but I wasn't quick enough and we missed it.
However, when the boat was returning to dock, the Eiffel Tower suddenly started its twinkling phase again, and almost simultaneously, the whole boatload of people said, "Ahhhhh!"
It was raining when we got off the boats (so we timed our excursion well), but it only seemed to last a little while. After a little wandering, we found a metro station near Invalides and rode back to the hotel.
Turns out we aren't moving rooms until tomorrow. Night-time-desk-garcon thought we were, but daytime-garcon says no, we're changing on Sunday. Oh well, at least most of the hard work is done.
After our standard breakfast of baguette, croissant and tea, we went to Pére-Lachaise Cemetery, which is not far from our hotel.
It is a very large, walled cemetery, with tree-lined cobblestone roads that can be difficult to walk on at times, but it is a beautiful place. Several famous people are buried here. We went to see Jim Morrison's (of "The Doors" fame) tomb - it was surprisingly humble. Somehow, I'd expected something a little more elaborate from the write-up in our Paris book. No graffiti around the grave, so the city must have cleaned it up. Nevertheless, there were a number of people around it, so it wasn't too hard to find. We also saw Edith Piaf's tomb - there were flowers there, and a picture of her, but it was also quite humble in comparison to the monumental 18th century tombstones.
The other tomb we went to see was that of Oscar Wilde. His wasn't what I was expecting at all: a large stone, with a very modern-art style angel partially carved out of one side. It must be quite the draw for tourists, for it was fenced off with a notice that it is a monument and should be respected (translation: no graffiti!) On the back of the stone there was a long inscription, and one of his poems:
'And alien tears will fill for himThere were lots of birds in the trees - Jackie and I were undecided as to whether the black birds were ravens or crows. I saw one and said, "Caw once for crows and twice for raven - what are you?" He cawed four times, which I think means raven. (Jackie eventually conceded that there were some ravens among the crows.)
Pity's long-broken urn,
For his mourners will be outcast men,
And outcasts always mourn.'
When we left the cemetery, we'd spent quite a while walking, and so decided to stop for lunch at "Paristanbul", which was a Turkish restaurant. I ordered some kind of chicken thing - it was very good.
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| Place des Vosges |
We then spent a while circling Place des Vosges before finding the way in, and tracking down Victor Hugo's home. Admission was free - yay! Victor Hugo was very famous in his time, so they have lots of items saved for exhibits: some of his drawings, samples of his writing and first editions of his books, along with paintings by other artists illustrating scenes from his books. Jean Cocteau described Victor Hugo as "a madman who believed himself to be Victor Hugo." Hee hee!
After that, we walked back to the hotel. Jackie wanted to Advil herself up (cause her knee was bothering her) before we returned to the Eiffel Tower. This time, we took the Metro to ensure that we would be there before the stairs closed.
And I forgot to mention about the train buskers. People will get on the trains, play a musical instrument, then pass around their hat for spare change. On the way to Versailles, there were two accordion players (who were very good, in spite of what you think of when you hear the word accordion), and there was a man playing the fiddle and singing on our way to the Eiffel. I wonder if they frequent the tourist routes?
Shelda, if you ever get tired of working in HR, perhaps you and your accordion would like to frequent the Metropolitain in Paris? Then I could say, "Hey, see that busker? I knew her when..."
So it is only 3.5€ to climb the stairs. I am not really fond of heights, so I wasn't sure how well this was going to go. Keeping my eyes in front of me and not looking down seemed like a good strategy at the start. However, after a few minutes spent contemplating the low-rise jeans of the girl in front of me, I changed my mind. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if you've got even a little jelly roll, then don't wear low-rise pants. It's just not a pretty sight. Duh.
We got to the first level quite easily, and the climb wasn't as unnerving as I thought it would be since you are fenced in and the steps are not see-through. Jackie and I didn't stay here too long, and quickly started up towards the second level, where we were climbing behind a french girl who was wearing 3-inch heels. She slowed us down a little. Overall, the climb was much easier than we'd anticipated, and maybe that was because we were forced to go slower than we would have otherwise.
The second level was quite crowded and windy. Again, we took a quick look around and then got in line to buy tickets for the elevator to the top. You are not allowed to use the stairs from the second level to the top, and you have to take the elevator. It's just as well. When we were in the elevator heading upward, you could see the stairs - they are not fenced in the way the others are, and they are see-through, like a fire escape. Jackie opined that we would have to climb down those stairs in case of an emergency. A few people turned green and thanked her for that happy thought.
It is very crowded at the top, quite cool and windy, and a truly spectacular view. I took a few pictures, being careful not to drop my camera down on some unsuspecting passerby. We spent quite a while at the top, then went back down to the second level, where there was a gift shop and phone booth. Jackie unsuccessfully tried to call her parents (the pay phones require a card to work).
 |
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We walked back down to the first level and bought some overpriced food. There was also a little museum about the building of the tower, a gallery of photos, and a little movie theatre where you can watch a film about the tower. All tower all the time!
By the time we left, the tower was already lit up for the evening. The twinkling we saw the other night is done by strobe lights placed throughout the tower.
We decided to take a cruise on the Seine, so walked down along the docks. Bateaux Parisiens was too expensive and usually featured a meal, so we kept going. A man walked up to me speaking french, so I had to "Parlez vous anglais?", and he said, "Oh, you're Americans!" (Not quite.) "Where're ya from?" He was from North Carolina, also looking for boats. I think if all the tourists in Paris suddenly vanished, the population would halve.
We decided upon Bateaux-Mouches - a double-decker boat with lots of exterior seats. And at 7€, the price was right. Unfortunately, lots of other people thought so too. The upper level was filled with large, rowdy tour groups who were quite annoying. I eventually wandered down to the main level and stood by a railing, while Jackie stayed up top. It was night by now, so all the buildings are lit up.
The Seine certainly has a lot of traffic. Tour boats trolling up and down the centre of the river, and smaller boats rented for special occasions (there was a wedding party on one) sailing closer to shore. And a number of restaurant boats, from the cheaper ones to what looked like very expensive cruises.
Lots of people on the shore and on other boats would wave to the boats. However, passing under bridges can be perilous. Jackie told me that two kids were spitting onto the boats from one of the bridges.
The cruise lasted about 90 minutes, going down the Seine past the Ile-de-la-Cité, around the other side, then past the mini Statue of Liberty (not sure if that's what it's called, but that's what it is) at the other end. There were a few moments where you could get a photo of the Statue of Liberty with the Eiffel Tower in the background, which would have been cool, but I wasn't quick enough and we missed it.
However, when the boat was returning to dock, the Eiffel Tower suddenly started its twinkling phase again, and almost simultaneously, the whole boatload of people said, "Ahhhhh!"
It was raining when we got off the boats (so we timed our excursion well), but it only seemed to last a little while. After a little wandering, we found a metro station near Invalides and rode back to the hotel.
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