So sorry for the delay in updating the blog, but so much going on I literally have not had any free time. We are up for breakfast and then off to see the sights, only returning late at night. Dinners have been after nine at night and we are not getting to bed until at least eleven. Days have been well spent however. Time is flying and our feet are hurting, but we are taking in as much as we possibly can with the time we have.
So, where did I leave off...
THE LOUVRE! Holy crap, this place is huge! It is just so impressive both inside and out that it really is something you have to see in person. Words can't really do justice to the place and I won't try here. I'll just say we really enjoyed the tour and probably would not have seen half of the famous works of art we did without someone showing us the way. Ear phones were issued out to everyone and we went from room to room listening to the descriptions and backgrounds of the different art pieces.
Next day we get up and head out to Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame and Musee Orsey, and finished the day by ascending to the top of the Eiffel Tower at dusk. The first two are really impressive churches. The stained glass and architecture was very impressive, with Sainte Chapelle having the most impressive stained glass and Notre Dame just being beyond impressive. It is a massive church, no hunch back that I could see however. Disney may have mislead me! The Musee Orsey is an old train station that has been converted in to a museum and it really is wonderful. It may have been our favorite museum to date. While the Louvre is crazy big and has probably the most impressive art collection in the world, the Musee Orsey has smaller display spaces and a more personal feel to it. You can tell it was once a train station, but it must have been one hell of a station! There are at least five stories, and you can look down on the first floor from the top.
We took a Fat Tire tour up to the summit of the Eiffel Tower that night and the view of Paris was every bit as good as the tower itself. I loved the old feel of the tower and it really looked like it has been there for a long time. While I am sure it is structurally sound, you are almost taken back 70 or 80 years by the feel and smell of the place. The tower itself is painted a brownish color, but they put something in the paint to make it stand out at night when the lights come on. While it might be touristy, it is absolutely something you need to do when coming to Paris. Don't miss seeing the sights from such a lofty vantage point.
Okay? Tired yet?
The very next morning we get up early and and head out to the town and palace of Versailles. Again we took a Fat Tire tour, this time on bicycles. We met up close to the Eiffel Tower and boarded a train to the town of Versailles where we picked up our bikes. From the bike shop, we headed over to the towns open air market to grab our lunch supplies. There was everything there and we ended up with some Lebanese food and crepes. From there, we took off to the palace grounds and rode around the open fields to different locations and finally to a large canal in the form of a cross. It is a mile long, a kilometer across and surrounded by grass and trees. It is here we spread a tarp on the grass and have our lunch while admiring the palace in the distance. After lunch we continue around the canal and back to the bike shop to return our bikes. We are then lead back to the palace and given our tickets to tour the palace itself without having to wait in line. The palace is world famous and it is very nice, but when you have seen one castle, you have seen them all. Personally I enjoyed the bike ride around the grounds more than the palace itself.
Still hanging in there? Not done yet, but we are almost caught up. Deep breaths!
This morning after our daily breakfast buffet at our hotel, we took the metro (more about the metro later) over to give our regards to Napoleon Bonaparte at Les Invalides. There is also a military museum and exhibits in the same location that we decided to walk through. Even with all that, my wife and daughter were more impressed with the cute little bunny rabbits running all over the grass there. They were completely unafraid of people and you could get within just a couple of feet of some of them.
On the metro again to arrive in the district of St Germain. This is a cute little area over by Notre Dame with lots of shops and places to eat. There is also a very large park called Jardin du Luxembourg that we walked over to so we could sit and relax. The park is packed with Parisians and tourists hanging out and enjoying the day. There are plenty of seats and benches about that you can use to get off your feet for a while. Kids are playing and people walk about just taking it easy. It is like a painting.
So we finally take the metro back to our hotel, close to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées where we go have a quick dinner out. Each time we cross the street, we are rewarded with a beautiful view of the Arc de Triomphe just down the street a few blocks. The Champs-Elysées is a very busy street with lots of shops and restaurants and it is also where we catch the metro. Tonight is probably the earliest we have been back to the hotel and it is still after 9 before we finish dinner.
Whew, I think that is enough for the night. I will upload photos in the morning.
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