It was with a heavy heart that I said goodbye to Blackrock, and even though it wasn't my final goodbye to Ireland itself, it was time to say goodbye to the people I met there. I don't think that I will ever get used to saying goodbye, but I'd like to think that's a good thing.
I arrived in Paris around midnight. Although I was exhausted from the flight and time change, I saw this face waiting for me and was instantly re-energized.
Okay, so this picture was taken the next day, but you get the idea.
Reunited: This man knows how to travel
If you've ever been to Paris, then you know that it has a lot going on. The city itself is divided into 20 "arrondissments" that spiral out from the center in the shape of a snail. However, throughout the centuries many distinct neighborhoods have formed that don’t abide by these boundaries. They each have their own flavor and identity, while maintaining that typical Parisian feel.
Colin and I stayed in one such neighborhood called the Bastille. This area is named after a fortress called Bastille Saint-Antoine.
If there's one thing that I learned about Colin, it is that he is exceptionally good at almost everything (seriously). Traveling smart ranks as one of his most valuable talents, and I got to witness first hand just how resourceful he can be. Exhibit A- OUR PLACE WAS AMAZING. We stayed at a furnished flat called Maison Zen. If you ever go to Paris, STAY HERE. We stayed in the red room pictured in the website (studio 3).
After arriving to our room, we feasted on Bordeux, baguette and some cheese ( all French)- It was beyond perfect.
Our Room:
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| view from our window |
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| little kitchen; little feast |
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| covering all our bases |
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| tuckered out |
Exploring Paris: Day 1- Notre Dame, Louvre, and Eiffel Tower
After a breakfast of croissants and café au lait we began exploring Paris. As always, Uncle Rick was a big help and suggested a route which began with Notre Dame.
French for " Our lady of Paris," Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral which was one of the first churches in the world to use the famous " flying buttresses" for structural support. It is also famous for some pretty sick gargoyles. ( Anyone else watch this show?)
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| posterior view |
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| Notre Dame |
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| Front facade of Notre Dame |
After Notre Dame, we then crossed the Seine and were amazed at what we saw covering the bridge:
Regarding the padlocks:
" On the Pont de l'Archevêché, a bridge which crosses from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Left Bank of the Seine, thousands of ribbons and padlocks attached to its railings create a brightly-coloured mosaic that can be seen glimmering in the sunlight from the banks of the Seine.
Over the past year, lovers from around the globe have come to add their own testimony of love, engraving their initials on the padlocks – be it a pretty pink bike lock or a heavy duty brick of steel – fastening it to the railings, and tossing the keys into the Seine in a declaration of undying love.
Love-locks started appearing in European cities in the early 2000s, and the original favoured Paris spot was the Pont des Arts, a footbridge crossing the Seine from the Louvre. But a year ago, those love-locks disappeared overnight, without explanation."
Full article can be accessed here.
While I can imagine why said city officials weren't thrilled about the padlocks adding huge amounts of extra weight to bridges, we thought they were a pretty cool idea. Unfortunately, neither of us had a padlock...
We then did a little more walking, passing some government buildings as well as one which is referred to as the "French Pantheon," or "Pantheon of Paris." Do you remember learning about my adventures in Rome and the original Pantheon which was built thousands of years ago as a worship place for all gods? Well, how cool is it seeing such a literal example of Roman influence in Paris ? Check it out:
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| French Pantheon |
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| Roman Pantheon |
Next stop- the Louvre. The Louvre is the world's most visited art museum and houses over 35,000 objects in an area of 652,300 square feet.
Although we didn't enter the museum this trip, I had seen most of the impressive collection six years earlier during a two week journey through Spain and France during high school.
Colin and I checked out the exterior of the colossal museum which first began as a fortress built in the late 12th century under Philip II. We've determined that we're not really " museum people," but enjoyed it nonetheless.
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| exterior of the Louvre |
We returned to our flat for dinner before taking on the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair, it has become both a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. As per Uncle Rick's advice, Colin and I hiked up to the 2nd of 3 levels. Now, I use the word " hike" purposely, as I was wearing heels. Not my smartest move...
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| wahhh |
Eiffel fun facts: (because history is tedious)
1. Maintenance of the tower includes applying 50 to 60 tonnes of paint every seven years to protect it from rust.
2. The height of the Eiffel Tower varies by 15 cm due to temperature.
3. In order to enhance the impression of height, three separate colours of paint are used on the tower, with the darkest on the bottom and the lightest at the top
4. More than 200,000,000 people have visited the tower since its construction in 1889.
5. The tower is the most visited monument in the world.
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| Eiffel Tower at night |
Since 2000, after the Millennium celebration, the Eiffel tower has hosted a nightly light show which features some 20,000 flash bulbs. The picture doesn't do it justice- Romantique!
Part deux to come!
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