30 Hours in Paris

Well we are back in London from our worldwind tour of Paris. I have to say I was a little worried about going there because of everyone telling us they the French not really liking Americans and also the whole idea of not knowing how to speak french.

We got off the EuroStar at about 10 AM Paris time. We at first where going to take the metro to our hotel and see where it was at but instead decided to go straight to sight seeing and the hotel can wait. So we took the metro to the Museu d' Orsay. This musuem was filled with so much stuff. Everything from Cezanne', Renior, Seurat, Degas, Klimt,and Monet. It was really cool. We also stopped for a bite to eat in one of the many cafe' inside the museum. After being there for about 2 hours we headed to Cathedrale de Notre Dame.

Notre Dame was really cool. The stain glass inside was amazing and I also was suprised that you could take pictures inside. So we walked around this for a while. We then continued to walk through some neighborhoods and just take in Paris. Buy this time is was around 4 PM. The bookbag that I had been carrying was starting to take a toll on me so we went to the hotel to check in. The hotel that we stayed at was amazing. They could speak english and were very nice. We went up to the room and relaxed for just a few moments. After that we talked to the man at the front desk and asked him for some suggestions for dinner. He told us about a cool place inside the Modern Art Museum so we were sold.

We left the hotel striaght for the Arc de Triomphe. This was very cool to see in person. I have only seen it in movies and pictures. It's huge. After walking around it for a while we went up to the top of it. Climbing the stairs was very tough. They seemed to never end. But finally we made it and boy was it worth it. A beautiful 360 view of Paris. You could see forever up there. We stayed up on top for a while and just took it all in. As we were up there Maya saw this place on top of a hill that she had read about. It was call Monte Mare. So well walked down the stairs of the Arc and we were of to Monte Mare.

We traveled to a certain point and got off the tube. We then had to walk to get to Monte Mare. Monte Mare is an area of the city that has very narrow streets that are very steep as well. So we painfully walked upwards towards Sacre' Coeur. It was a tough walk but much like the Arc once you got to the top it was amazing. Another beautiful view of Paris. We again sooked it up for a little while and rested our legs.

Next we went to Moulin Rouge. We got there and we both were a little disappointed. It really wasn't that great. But oh well we saw it.

After the Rouge we took the metro to the Effiel Tower. Wow it is something to see in person. We got there and it was still light outside so we walked around it for a little while and decided to got to the restaurant that the front desk guy suggested.

We got there and the restaurant was very hip and trendy. They atleast had a english speaking menu so that was good. Our waiter was very nice but I think he knew how to speak english but wasn't really implying that he did. Anyways we got through other than me spilling my glass of wine all over the table. I was so embarrassed, but it happened so fast that I don't think anyone knew it happened. Ha. We then finished dinner and took in the modern art at the musuem. It was a great break from the other museums that we had been into. We have been seeing only so very taditional art and know we were seeing rooms filled with newspaper and pieces that were more about the viewer being invloved with the piece rather than just looking at it.

By this time it was already 11 PM. So we went back to the Effiel Tower and spent some time there with it all lit up. That was so cool. Every hour they have a short light show with the tower. I think I remember when they installed it for the year 2000 celebration. It was really amazing and what was really funny is that we met a couple from Cinncinnati. Very small world. We finally had enough for the day and headed to the hotel. I think we got back there pretty close to 1 AM.

We woke up around 9 and headed to our first stop the Louvre. The hot thing there right now is obviously the stuff with the Da Vinci Code. It was packed. Luckily on our way to Paris we bought a musuem pass so we got to go to the front of every line. Very good research done by Maya. We saw some great works of art and of course the Mona Lisa. It is very surreal to see that in person. It is incased in glass with just a mob of people around it. We walked around for a little bit and decided to sit down for some food. Once again we stopped and had some food in one of the many cafe' within the museum. I had a baggete and Maya had a great chocolate crossiant. After food we walked around some more and tried to see things we wanted to see because you could seriously spend 5 days in this place and not see it all. It was enormous.

Next after the Louvre we went to the Musee' de l'Orangerie. This musuem wasn't very big but it had Monet's WaterLillies. Those where so cool to see and be upclose to. We walked around there some more and saw some Picasso and some others.

After that we went to the Bastille. I was hoping for some cool stuff on the history side of things but other than a monument there was nothing else there. So we moved on from there pretty fast. We headed back to this street called Champs Elysees. We walked it for a while and headed back to one of our favorite parks that we had walked through to get to the Louvre. We got a chocolate crepes and headed to this amazing fountian area to relax for our last hour and a half in Paris. At this fountain kids could rent sail boats and put them in the fountain and watch them sail around. It was so much fun.

We finally got back on the EuroStar and headed back to London. We had an amazing time in Paris other than the language barrier. I'm glad we went.

Today we are going to take it easy I think. Take things a little bit slower. I think both Maya and I are feeling a bit rushed because we want to see so much. Til then.

Cheers.

Don't forget to read Maya's blog as well. www.laurentfiles.blogspot.com