Our first stop was the Notre Dame - and this was 10am and tourists everywhere! we lined up for one and half hours to go up the side tower (which I thought was a lft but was stairs! 398 of them! Dave counted). It was cold outside, so needed the warmth of climbing I guess. However the stairs were the orgional ones, steep and narrow so hard to stop and take a breath with people behind you waiting. They only let a few up at a time, hence the wait.
When we got there, the view was amazing. You could walk around the top of both towers and then up more stairs to the bell tower (this one was called Emmanuel - they have given the bells names). I wasnt at all scared - amazingly - probably too engrossed at my first real view of Paris. It goes on forever!
After that we climbed down and went into the church itself. the photos are quite dark as no flash allowed, also it was suppossed to be silent inside - yeah right! at least a thousand tourists inside, and yabbering to each other. No real peace and quiet for contemplation etc. The church was built 12-13th century and is on an island. Also it was where Boneparte got made Emperor. (in case you are at all interested!)
So here are some photos of outside, the tower view and inside.
Check out the cool gargoles? (remember the hunchback and hiding in the bell tower? the old movie was quite scary) and also you can see this very old candlelabra inside the church which was once used up high and pulled down to be lighted with candles. Nowdays it is resting on a slab of stone for you to see, but it gives a good idea about how they used to light the church)
Wednesday 6 June 2012
Gay Paree!
We arrived at this huge railway station - nothing like we have met before, and everythi!ng in French. (the others had some English in the main signs). So felt a little bit overwhelmed. We eventually found the information office (i is universal!) and of course the first guy (older) doesnt speak English! poor Dave, so onto the next guy (younger) and he was very helpful about how to get to our hotel by metro.
So here we are lugging our bags around, trying to decipher the signs (again) and eventually Dave has it figured. However - no escalators. Once again Dave is hauling these bags down stairs, and down more stairs etc becoming increasingly grumpy. We get on the trains, and he got us there, but then its lugging them back up the stairs , and more stairs .... because there are not escalators. Then of course we had the joy of trying to figure out the hotel on the map on the metro wall because muggins here didnt down load one before we left. Needless to say, once the hotel was reached we were stuffed.
The hotel is tiny, tucked away like so many, in a back street just one back from Montmarte(Ithink) boulevard, which is a huge, bustling street with lots of shops and cafes etc. Near the Opera House (Phantom of the Opera). We do have a tiny wrought iron balcony like so many, however when we open up our french doors, voila! we have scaffolding! because they are painting the outside of the building. So not much view.
the first night after recovering, we went out on to this main street and had a beer at the Oz Cafe! (Australian beer) but then had dinner at a lovely little French restaurant down a side street by our hotel. the prices actually were quite reasonable, similar to home, so pleasantly surprised. Perhaps because we are away a bit from the main tourist area. Anyway Dave ordered snails, with garlic and I had scallops with lemon sauce. and French wine of course! Dave said the snails tasted like nothing (once he had figured out how to eat them with this gadget they gave him) except garlic. My scallops were yum, but the French rose was vinegary - so disappointed with that.
Anyway nice way to start our Paris adventure. the people are very cosmopolitan, lots of Africans and turks that I can gather, students, and obviously tourists (British with big British flags on their clothes - tho it was the Queenies birthday jubilee) and many, many Asians again.
The first full day was - hopon/off bus again! (yep we like these, as they really give you an overview of where things are and what they look like). Here are some photos of general places around Paris. Lots of lovely buildings with wrought iron balconies, and beautiful museums etc. Also you will see a bridge with lights and statues, that was Alexander the 3rd of Russia's bridge.
The bus went past the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs-Elysees (very busy with all the classy shops on it). The traffic around the Arc de Triomphe is just crazy - no lines on the road, just a big circle with cars going 5-6 lanes trying to get across in front of others, scooting inbetween trucks, at great speed - and then we saw these silly, silly tourists doing this!
Anyway here are some other photos.
Our first stop was the Notre Dame - and this was 10am and tourists everywhere! we lined up for one and half hours to go up the side tower (which I thought was a lft but was stairs! 398 of them! Dave counted). It was cold outside, so needed the warmth of climbing I guess. However the stairs were the orgional ones, steep and narrow so hard to stop and take a breath with people behind you waiting. They only let a few up at a time, hence the wait.
When we got there, the view was amazing. You could walk around the top of both towers and then up more stairs to the bell tower (this one was called Emmanuel - they have given the bells names). I wasnt at all scared - amazingly - probably too engrossed at my first real view of Paris. It goes on forever!
After that we climbed down and went into the church itself. the photos are quite dark as no flash allowed, also it was suppossed to be silent inside - yeah right! at least a thousand tourists inside, and yabbering to each other. No real peace and quiet for contemplation etc. The church was built 12-13th century and is on an island. Also it was where Boneparte got made Emperor. (in case you are at all interested!)
So here are some photos of outside, the tower view and inside.
Check out the cool gargoles? (remember the hunchback and hiding in the bell tower? the old movie was quite scary) and also you can see this very old candlelabra inside the church which was once used up high and pulled down to be lighted with candles. Nowdays it is resting on a slab of stone for you to see, but it gives a good idea about how they used to light the church)
Our first stop was the Notre Dame - and this was 10am and tourists everywhere! we lined up for one and half hours to go up the side tower (which I thought was a lft but was stairs! 398 of them! Dave counted). It was cold outside, so needed the warmth of climbing I guess. However the stairs were the orgional ones, steep and narrow so hard to stop and take a breath with people behind you waiting. They only let a few up at a time, hence the wait.
When we got there, the view was amazing. You could walk around the top of both towers and then up more stairs to the bell tower (this one was called Emmanuel - they have given the bells names). I wasnt at all scared - amazingly - probably too engrossed at my first real view of Paris. It goes on forever!
After that we climbed down and went into the church itself. the photos are quite dark as no flash allowed, also it was suppossed to be silent inside - yeah right! at least a thousand tourists inside, and yabbering to each other. No real peace and quiet for contemplation etc. The church was built 12-13th century and is on an island. Also it was where Boneparte got made Emperor. (in case you are at all interested!)
So here are some photos of outside, the tower view and inside.
Check out the cool gargoles? (remember the hunchback and hiding in the bell tower? the old movie was quite scary) and also you can see this very old candlelabra inside the church which was once used up high and pulled down to be lighted with candles. Nowdays it is resting on a slab of stone for you to see, but it gives a good idea about how they used to light the church)
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I heard that there is only one rule with the round about around the ARc de Triumphe - give way to traffic coming ON. No wonder it looks so manic!!
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