I'd just like to start off by saying that the length of this post will be inversely proportional to the number of activities we did today. Today was anything but a rest day and Penguin has solemnly declared that he is excited to ride to Versailles tomorrow because at least it means he won't have to walk any more on aching feet.
Today, we got up at 7.30 and despite feeling like road kill from jetlag, we ignored our bodies and set about seeing as much of Paris as possible in one day on foot. We began by walking to Notre Dame to take in mass. On the way there, we walked through the strangest market I've ever seen- it was a budgie and canary market and there were hundreds of birds in little tiny cages and a whole bunch of old men smoking cigarettes buying and selling them. There was also a very handsome blue-eyed duck amongst the small birds that I was quite smitten with. Fortunately (for Penguin) there are no souvenirs this trip on account of the fact that we simply can't carry them.
Notre Dame did not disappoint. I loved everything about it. We even made it for the Gregorian mass, so it felt that much more authentic. I'd like to go on and on but it's late and we're exhausted, so I'll leave it by saying goes you just have to go yourself. You won't regret it.
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| Notre Dame, Paris |
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| Check out this great article about the west facade of Notre Dame |
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| Inside Notre Dame, just before Sunday mass began. |
After Notre Dame, we went to find Scarlet's chocolatier, La Mere de Famille. Best chocolate we've ever tasted. Highly recommended.
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| Best truffles we've ever eaten. Definitely wish we'd bought more! |
Next, we walked to the Louvre. On the way, we stopped at a boulangerie for lunch and a market to pick up groceries for tomorrow.
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| Getting in line for Le Louvre |
Once in the Louvre (there was the expected epic line up), we walked every floor and saw nearly every exhibit. And, if you are like me and have no idea how big the Louvre actually is, let me inform you now that it is enormous. Epically enormous. We saw, among hundreds of other works of art: the Code of Hammorabi, statue of Hermes, the moat of the Louvre, tomb of Ramsey, the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and a self-portrait by Albercht Druer. Some of these things are works of art that I never imagined I'd ever get to see in person. It was very humbling and totally worth the 5 hours it took us to walk the whole thing.
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| Saroja and a Mesopotamian lion. |
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| Penguin and an Egyptian monkey. |
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| The Venus de Milo |
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| Ramsay's sarcophagus and mummy |
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| The Code of Hammurabi |
After the Louvre, we needed to rest our feet briefly, so we found a creperie on the shore of the Seine and shared crepes and French wine.
Finally, we walked to the Eiffle tour and went as high as we could get, which was only the 2nd level (the 3rd was closed). The view was wonderful but it was very, very crowded and the line was longer than the one for the Leuvre.
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| Both of us at the top of the Eiffel tower |
Following our adventure up the tower, we sought out dinner and then, having watched the sunset, made our way back to the tower to see it lit up at night. I thought the iconic image of the tower at night was much better than the hassle of seeing the panorama of Paris from its height.
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| The Eiffel Tower at night. |
Overall it was a spectacular day and we had a wonderful time. That said- we are really very sore and both of us were gimping back to the hotel tonight on sore feet with aching legs. Tomorrow we're going to sleep in (until 8!) and the enjoy a leisurely bike to Versailles. Wish us luck with Parisian traffic part 2!
Saroja
Yay! Glad you liked it :)
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