Paris- City of Lights and Rude French People

Due to time constraints, I find that I have an amazing ability to get into a city, see a few very specific things and get out of the city in 3 days. I did this with New York two Octobers ago, where we flew in saw Equus, the Statue of Liberty, ate at Angelo's, saw the Lion King and got back to Vegas. My Paris trip was very similar. This time I didn't have to plan it, instead I went with International Friends on a three day Paris tour by coach.

Sara decided to join me on this trip just last week, (I had the plans to do it since Feb) and boy am I glad that she did. We had to be at Embankment Station at 6:20am, we got to see the sun rise over St. Paul's before boarding the bus for a two hour ride to Dover, an hour and a half ferry across the English Channel to Calais, and then a three hour ride to Paris. If you thought New York or LA was bad as far as traffic goes- it's the same in Paris! it took us an hour just to get through the traffic to our hotel in the Bercy area of Paris. After we dropped off our bags and freshened up the bus took us around to all the big sites before dropping us off at the Eiffel Tower for a boat cruise.


We cruised along the Seine, and then rode the Elevator to the very top of the Effile Tower. You can appreciate why Paris is called the city of lights when standing at the very top of this large metal contraption 1000 feet in the air.












The next day we hiked to the top of the hill that Sacre Coeur stands upon, and get a morning view of the city we had seen the night before. I honestly don't know which one is better. We walked around the artist area behind the church where I bought a Moulin Rouge Mug and a painting, then walked down to the Moulin Rouge.

Our next stop was Notre Dame. I was tempted to yell out for sanctuary but I restrained myself... I wonder how many times a day the people that work there hear it. Notre Dame is a beautiful church, it almost makes me want to be Catholic... almost. The sun was out by then, and Sara and I got a bit of a tan as we walked around the giant stone church. After that it was off to the Palace of Versailles, built by King Louis the XIV - also known as the Sun king, who I'm pretty sure was compensating for something.

The palace is unbelievably beautiful and I could get lost in the gardens for days. I expect I would be angry as well if I were starving and the King and Queen were living in that Heaven on earth.  The Hall of Mirrors (a simply corridor between rooms) is so magnificent it took my breath away (pictured above).

I'm still not sure why, but it seems that French people really don't like Americans. We got dirty looks when speaking English, and even dirtier looks when I attempted French. I'm aware that my French isn't all that great but at least in American and Mexico when you struggle with the language people do their best to help you along with a smile instead of scowl at you.

We had dinner at a nice French restaurant that night, then a crepe for desert before back to the hotel room for a restful night sleep before we tackled the Louvre the next morning.

As far as museums go, you could hate ever one you've ever been in, and still love the Louvre. Home to Da Vinci's Virgin on the Rocks, and the Mona Lisa, Michangelo's Dying slave, The Venus de Milo and Winged Victory. The Louvre is filled with nothing but amazing works of masterpiece. After seeing the required pieces Sara and I ventured outside to enjoy the warmest day I've felt since I left Redlands, and walk amongst the glass pyrimids, the "Argos" plated Rose line, and the beauty that is the outside of the Louvre on a sunny day.



After the Louvre it was time for a return bus trip to London, back across the channel and back to speaking English. Paris was beautiful, but London is home. (for now at least- 18 more days before home becomes Lake Havasu)