As I mentioned in my last post, next on the agenda for Emily and Tim's European vacation was a trip to Paris. Daniel was going to be there for work, and I went along to show Tim and Emily around the city. Now for those of you who have been following our blog since the beginning, you may remember that I also posted about Paris last August. I will try not to be too redundant with this post, but please forgive me if I repeat a few things here and there. However, since we bought a new camera right before the trip, I took tons of pictures while we were there, so at the very least I promise not to use any of the photos from my last Paris blog :)
On Monday, July 27th, while Daniel was flying to France, the three of us took a speedy 4 hour train ride into Paris. Once we arrived and got settled in a bit, we were off to explore the Montmarte section of town. The major attraction of the area is the Sacre Couer, a beautiful white basilica that sits at the highest point of Paris... which, of course, means it is a hike to get up there. It is worth it though to take in the church as well as the great view of the city. Plus around the corner, there is also a nice vantage point of the Eiffel Tower.
Not far from the Sacre Couer is a cute little square where a bunch of painters congregate and display a myriad of different types of art. Several blocks to the south is the infamous Moulin Rouge. After exploring Montmarte, we met up with Daniel... and then we got together with a friend of Daniel and Emily's from North Carolina, Casey, who now lives in Paris and recently married a French citizen, a very nice guy named Antoine. We met up with both of them, and they took us to a great sushi place near their apartment. Then we enjoyed dessert and wine at their place afterwards... everything was delicious and it was such a pleasant evening.
Since Emily and Tim were staying in a different hotel, on Tuesday I planned to meet up with them to show them more of the city. On my way to meet them, I stopped by a bakery for a fresh crossiant and then saw this pretty church aglow in the morning light. Soon the three of us were off to check out the Arc de Triumph. Walking down the Champs Elysees, we strolled past elegant cafes and saw the Arc peeking out from behind the trees lining the avenue. Once there, we walked around the base of the Arc, where France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located... you can also go to the top of the Arc, but Tim and Emily decided to go up to the top that evening to enjoy the view during sunset.
Next we headed towards the most famous of Parisian landmarks... the Eiffel Tower, of course! Along the way, we past some tasty looking pastry shops... yum. In a short while, we were enjoying the view from the Trocadero. Personally, I just can't enough of Paris' "Iron Lady" :)
After thoroughly admiring the Eiffel Tower, we continued on to Les Invalides, where Napoleon's tomb is located. While we didn't feel like paying the fee to see the emperor's final resting place, we still enjoyed seeing the historic building, especially its striking golden dome. Just outside there is a rather picturesque view of the Eiffel Tower too.
The next sight on our list was the Notre Dame. After grabbing some food, we headed in to see the interior of the church. Though it is rather dark in there, it is quite lovely too. After our tour inside, we head around to the back of the cathedral, and then we were off to get a bit more to eat... some Berthillon ice cream to be exact, which is widely considered the best in Paris. Nearby there was a shop overflowing with cheese... but we were already too full to partake :)
To wrap up our whirlwind day, we enjoyed some afternoon sun along the Seine River. As you can see, it was a lovely little stroll.
With barking feet from all the walking, Emily and Tim decided to head back to their hotel to rest up... and that evening they enjoyed a romantic evening, just the two of them. Since Daniel was going to be working late that night, I wandered around enjoying the city by myself for a while. As I got closer to our hotel, I found myself in the Garden of the Tuileries. One section of the garden is a fun little carnival, and just beyond the garden is the Place de la Concorde, home to a giant Egyptian obelisk and some stunning green and gold fountains. With our hotel less than a block away, I headed back to rest a bit and then got a quick bite to eat before Daniel finally was done for the night.
Wednesday was the day we set aside to check out Versailles, the gorgeous palace that served as the home to the nation's kings before the French Revolution. It is about a 30 minute train ride from Paris, and though we got there shortly after it opened, there was quite a long line. When Daniel and I visited Versailles back in 2002, there was hardly anyone touring the palace... not this time! Before going inside, we admired the front of the palace, gilded and ornate.
Shortly after making our way into the palace, I realized that my camera battery was dying... one of the perils of a new camera with a rechargeable battery! Thankfully, Emily and Tim's camera was fully charged, so I'd like to thank them for sharing their pictures with me, some of which you will see below. Now back to the tour... our first stop was the palace chapel, which is incredibly beautiful. As we continued through Versailles, we saw numerous stately hallways and luxurious bedrooms as well as glimpses of the gardens outside. Toward the end of the tour is probably one of the most opulent rooms in existence... the Hall of Mirrors.
Once outside, you see that the extravagance wasn't just contained to the palace. The vast, green gardens of Versailles seem to extend all the way to the horizon. Too bad it was overcast the day we were there... when it's sunny, the gardens seem almost heavenly. We took a stroll through the gardens and enjoyed a sandwich sitting along the canal, but soon it was time to head back to Paris.
When we got back to the city, we visited another famous attraction... the Louvre Museum. Though I had been twice before, I am always happy to go back as it seems that you could literally wander through the huge museum for days on end. The highlights of our visit included statues of all shapes and sizes and the Code of Hammurabi, the famed law tablet from ancient Babylon. Also, since I'm a fan of Dan Brown books, I just had to get a picture with the inverted pyramid that is featured in The Da Vinci Code... you'll have to read the book to find out why it's so special :)
Before long, we were all pretty tired... and not surprisingly with all the sightseeing we had done in the last couple of days! Emily and Tim decided to call it a night since they had to catch the train to Salzburg early the next morning. Thankfully, Daniel was done with work early that evening so we were able to go to dinner together. Afterwards, we followed Tim and Emily's example and headed to the Arc de Triumph. After climbing up an insanely long spiral staircase, we made it to the top. Although it was too cloudy to enjoy the sunset, it was neat to watch night fall over Paris. Then, at the stroke of 10 o'clock, the Eiffel Tower lit up with thousands of glittering lights... it always takes my breath way for a second when I see it sparkling like that. It was a wonderful way to end the evening.
Since Emily and Tim were on their way to Austria for a couple of days, I was on my own on Thursday... so I decided to check out a part of the city I'd never seen before, the Latin Quarter. Before I headed south of the Seine though, I visited the Petit Palais, which was originally built for the 1900 World Fair and now is home to a free museum. It had some beautiful art on display, including a very life-like portrayal of the Good Samaritan. It tickled me pink to see a sweet old man creating a spot-on copy of one of Monet's paintings... and even the staircases looked like works of art.
Following a short trip on the Metro, I found myself in the Latin Quarter... and within minutes, I was trying a Parisian specialty, a crepe with Nutella and bananas. Man, was it good! Feeling quite satiated, I headed into the St. Germain des Pres Church. It is one of the oldest churches in Paris and a rare example of Norman architecture. With its flickering candlelight and shadows, I thought it was very peaceful.
Not far away was another church, St. Sulpice, which sharply contrasts to St. Germain des Pres with its white stone and wide open feeling. It is also featured in The Da Vinci Code as the meridian line crosses Paris here at its sundial. My next stop was not another church but the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens, a verdant, colorful retreat in the midst of southern Paris. When I saw how pretty it was, I couldn't believe I had never made it down there before. Just because I could, I sat and read a book for an hour while soaking up the sun... it was delightful.
A couple of blocks away from the gardens is the Pantheon. Originally built as a church, after the French Revolution it became a burial place to honor the French "Greats," including Voltaire, Rousseau, and Victor Hugo. I figured there was no way it could trump the amazing Pantheon in Rome, so I just admired its exterior and then headed on my way.
Surprise, surprise... next I decided to check out another church around the corner, St. Etienne du Mont. Its most striking feature was definitely the intricately carved stone screen around the choir balcony. For the rest of the day, I just wandered aimlessly, snapping pictures and being enchanted by the city with every step. I passed quiet side streets, cute cafes, brimming wine shops, flower covered balconies, and gushing fountains... it all felted so quintessentially Parisian. It was a great way to end the trip.
Friday morning I was back on a train to Frankfurt, and Daniel was not too far behind me... he arrived home just a couple hours after I did. It had been my third trip to Paris and it has must have worked like a charm because I have decided that it is my absolute favorite city in the world to visit. So if anyone is interested in a Paris tour guide, just let me know :)
Well, it seems that I have finally caught up with all the blogging! The summer is also quickly winding down, and all of our traveling is slowing down as well. Daniel is busy with work as always, and I start my coaching duties in just a few days, which is exciting! Since the next few months are going to be non-stop soccer for me, I'm thinking there won't be much to post about, but I will definitely try to come up with something :) Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer!
