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UK/Ireland/France holiday, 2009

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(Week 6) Sunday 13 September 2009
Our third whole day in Paris. We decided to visit the Eiffel Tower today, and arrived 45 minutes before it was due to open. To our surprise, the queue had not formed, but when it did a few minutes later, we were in the first 10 in the queue for tickets. We even had a Canadian couple to chat to. 9:30am came and we were in the first elevator to the top - magical. We had quite a while at the top with very few people. It was almost cloud free, but there was a bit of smog. We got some good photos, but the memories will last forever. We came down to the second level, and had a coffee and pastry, just because we could, and took more photos. Down to level one via the stairs, and more photos, and more perusing of the gift shops. We finally came off the tower after two and one half hours. This was as exciting as anything we have yet seen. Even being on the ground next to it, there is a feeling of a massive structure, with metal everywhere.

We had to keep going, so we walked down the Champ de Mars, past the Hotel des Invalides (former military hospital), and visited the museum of Rodin. We saw 'The Thinker', and lots of other rock he had hacked into! Nice for a museum.

The Museum D'Orsay next, still walking, and getting sore feet. This is the station I think is featured in the famous poster with a steam engine hanging out of a window (rather precariously!). The museum was large, full of paintings and statuary, but I could not get immersed in it. We wandered around for quite awhile. We stumbled upon the exquisitely decorated dining room, so stopped for afternoon tea - cappuccino and pastry. This week is terrible for our diet. We are finally eating less food, but all the wrong kind. Oh well, only one week to go!

One leg of the Eiffel Tower, fron the ground. I was amazed at how much metal is in there? A view through the ironwork as the rises ever closer to the top. Just one of the views from the top.

A view up to the top from the second level. A view down one leg from the first viewing level. Different! the interior of the Museum D'Orsay.

(Week 6) Monday 14 September 2009
We slept in a bit today, but it did not matter. The Arc de Triomphe opened at 10:00am, and we were one of the first up without having to queue. Got lots of photos as usual, looked at the inside chamber, and at the carvings on the outside. Another monument etc ticked off. We watched the chaos of this massive roundabout for a while, too. We then walked the length of the Champs Elysees, just looking at the chaos and the people who use this thoroughfare.

We walked around The Place de la Concorde (another chaotic roundabout), and on to the Saint Marie Madeleine church. a quick look inside, and on to Boulevard Haussmann. We diverted to see a couple of the old covered arcades along the way. Along the Boulevard and around the Paris Opera building. We saw a cutaway model of this amazing place in some museum somewhere, but the tour had been canceled because of rehearsals. We walked on to find several more of these old covered arcades, mostly in some decline, but a few were well maintained. Caught the underground back the the Eiffel Tower, where we finished with a boat trip using our Paris Pass. A lot of walking, but we saw a very different part of Paris today.

Close up of the Arc de Triomphe A view westish, towards La Defense district. One of the great little covered arcades. This one near the Paris Opera building.

(Week 6) Tuesday 15 September 2009
Good morning! There is a 60 storey building just around the corner from our Paris hotel, and we went up to the viewing level as our first outing today. Unfortunately it was hazy and the photos are not good. Then it was time to descend below the streets to visit the Musee des Egouts de Paris, the Museum of the Sewers. I expected it to be a showcase of what happens underground. I did not expect to see actual sewer tunnels, with sewerage and storm-water running close below our feet. The smell was quite evident, but we became accustomed to it after a while. We saw examples of the equipment used, the different size of tunnels in use, and saw short videos of the stuff we could not see in person. It was nice to get back up to fresh air.

Then it was to the Montmartre district of Paris. We walked past the Moulin Rouge, caught the funicular to the top of the hill, where we walked in and around the churches there. We visited (briefly) the Dali museum, and some of the narrow streets on top of the hill. Were returned back to our accommodation early, before going back to the Left Bank to see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night.

The sewers! Let's be civilised and say there was waste water flowing less than a metre below the grill we were walking along. Quite informative! Had to include a photo of the Moulin Rouge, and yes, there were lots of sex shops near by. We climbed to the highest point of Montmartre, and this is a view of the Montpanasse Tower we visited first.

Eiffel Tower at night (1). Eiffel Tower at night (2). Eiffel Tower at night (3).

(Week 6) Wednesday 16 September 2009
We made a list of things we still wanted to see today, so went to see the Cemetiere du Pere Lachaise, where many famous people are buried. We tried to find Chopin and Maria Callas, and while were were in the right area, the graves are not identified from the pathways. We were close I am sure. We then caught a train to see one of the Canals in Paris, but there were no boats or any sign of activity. We walked along the canal for a kilometre or so, then wandered to Gare de L'est and Gare de Nord, where our train leaves from tomorrow.

Next we caught the Metro to La Defense, on the other side of the city. This is the business district of Paris, and has a large shopping centre and the Grande Arche. We were sick of looking at shops so did not stay long, and did not visit the Arche either. Instead we caught a Tram from La Defense to Issy Val de Seine, then a mainline train to St Michel Notre-Dame, and finally the Metro to Vavin. This is just around the corner from our Hotel. Now we need to see if we can fit everything into our cases!

A view in the Cemetiere du Pere Lachaise. Chopin is buried close to this area. A canal in Eastern Paris. Not at all busy, but we saw a number of Lock chambers. The Grand Arch in La Defense.

(Week 6) Thursday 17 September 2009
We went out early for an hour for one last look at some local shops. Unfortunately, they were mostly not going to open till 10:00am. We found one 'Department' store open around the corner, and bought a few things. We got a taxi to the Eurostar departure station, Gare du Nord. Vastly more pleasant in a taxi than negotiating the stairs of the underground system, especially when our cases weigh so much. Plus we saw some new parts of Paris.

We arrived at St Pancras station after a nice lunch on the train. We are back in our London hotel for a last night before the journey home. No photos today.

(Week 6) Friday 18 September 2009
The plane does not leave till 10:pm tonight, so we left our bags at the hotel and heading to London with a wants and must do list. We found the books we wanted in Waterstones near Piccadilly Circus, and then walked the back streets to Convent Gardens. Spent ages in the area, especially looking at the touristy shops, before giving up and wandering around the Thames and some tube stations to see areas we missed at the beginning of our trip. We got back to collect our bags about 6:00pm, then caught the Heathrow Express. We successfully negotiated the check-in and security processes, and are now waiting quietly for the boarding call, This will probably be my last entry, but you never know.

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