Our first day in Paris we went straight to the Eiffel tower. It is so breathtaking to see it for the first time. Much bigger than the one in Las Vegas :)
We waited in a long line to take the elevator to the top so we had plenty of time to appreciate the architecture.
As we came down it was just getting dark and the lights came on, so pretty!
Every morning started out at this little bakery around the corner from our hotel. Crepes and chocolate croissants were my faves.
Shopping on Champs Elysees. Everyone was friendly, everyone wears black. Look at that sea of black down on the street. Everyone can speak english, Harlan says they learn it starting in kindergarten.
The Louvre
So huge, so ornate and beautiful. And all the famous art pieces of the world are pretty much here.
Remember this from Davinci Code?
The ceilings are unbelievable.
Mona Lisa
Napoleon
Whistlers mother
Arc d Triumph on Champs Elysees
The arch that Napoleon had built in his honor for his triumphs at war.
Harlan and Jay on the Alexandre III bridge.
It is the fanciest bridge in Paris, and there are a lot of them. It has these big pillar, statue things with lights on top all across it. They were photographing a wedding while we were there.
Cobblestone everywhere that has been there for centuries. On the streets they have put asphalt over it but as it wears you see it. cool.
Sacre Coeur
A Roman Catholic church that sits on the highest point in Paris so the view is awesome. And it was the best souvenir shopping we found.
We took a tour of the city in this double decker bus, Harlan would rather have walked it all but Jay's knee would never have made it.
The little island on the Seine river.
All the buildings look like this, old, ornate carved stone. The buildings just go on forever, not an ugly one anywhere. We did see some ugly ones about 10 miles out on the train ride.
The Seine. See that tour boat on the river, we did that at night. It was really pretty.
My favorite of all the Paris landmarks. The Eiffel!
The thinker (middle left), don't blink or you'll miss it.
Invalides, the hospital for wounded soldiers, built in the 1600's, still a military facility. Lots of uniformed young people around.
The dome over Napoleon's mausoleum at Invalides.
The mausoleum
carved marble every step
fleur de lis everywhere, love it.
A really big coffin thing for a little man.
Versailles
Harlan saved it for our last day because it's his favorite place.
He had us watch a documentary on Marie Antoinette before we left so we would be would have a better appreciation for what we would see.
We took the train about 15 miles outside of Paris to get here. We took the subway everywhere we went, Harlan really knows his way around Paris. It was like having an art history professor/tour guide every day.
Unfortunately, it rained all day and we didn't get see all of the beautiful, expansive grounds at Versailles. Harlan was disappointed because the same thing happened last May when he was here. He actually stayed longer than we did, I was freezing and Jay's knee hurt.
I really found these stairs interesting, you can see the stone has worn down over the years. I felt really off balance, more than it probably looks.
Restoring the gold facade.
I like everything about this moss covered stone window.
Harlan told us the artist that painted this and then put it on the ceiling, killed himself from the stress of it all.
The king's bed chamber, the room was huge, I didn't capture it.
We waited in that long line and it was raining and the wind was blowing. Blowing hard enough to turn umbrellas inside out.
Paris was really beautiful in the fall. Jay thought the city was old and dirty :) I loved it and thought everything was gorgeous and ornate and amazing that it is so old. I have lots more pictures.....just call me :)
