Paris trip in May 2001
Wednesday, May 23rd
We went to the Arc de Triomphe.
We went to the Arc de Triomphe.
Another 250 more marches upward on tight spiral stairs with no breaks or landings in between. But again, once we arrived at the top, the view was
breathtaking.
breathtaking.
They started building the Arc in 1806. It was intended to honor Napoleon’s soldiers. Napoleon died before it was completed, but it was done in time for his
funeral procession to be held there. The Arc sits in the middle of a wagon-wheel of 12 streets, with each street being a spoke of the wheel. It is one of
those famous round-city streets where all the cars merge, go around the Arc and come out on the other side (hopefully in one piece) to join another street-
spoke of the wheel. After walking around the top of the Arc and looking at the wonderful view, it was quite entertaining to look down and watch the cars,
trucks, busses, and cycles all vying for their place in the circle.
funeral procession to be held there. The Arc sits in the middle of a wagon-wheel of 12 streets, with each street being a spoke of the wheel. It is one of
those famous round-city streets where all the cars merge, go around the Arc and come out on the other side (hopefully in one piece) to join another street-
spoke of the wheel. After walking around the top of the Arc and looking at the wonderful view, it was quite entertaining to look down and watch the cars,
trucks, busses, and cycles all vying for their place in the circle.
Anyone entering the circle has the right of way, those cars already in the
circle must yield. But motorcycles and scooters seem to be able to ignore
all the rules. They recommend no pedestrians walk through here and they
built underground tunnels to help people get across. Any accidents that
happen here aren’t even reported except to insurance companies who split
everything 50-50.
circle must yield. But motorcycles and scooters seem to be able to ignore
all the rules. They recommend no pedestrians walk through here and they
built underground tunnels to help people get across. Any accidents that
happen here aren’t even reported except to insurance companies who split
everything 50-50.
After descending the Arc de Triomphe, we stopped to
look at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Then we
walked down the Champs-Elysees. This is a street of
unusual shops and outdoor café’s. If you like to shop,
this is the place to go. We did a lot of window-shopping,
but are not great shoppers. So we walked to the end of
this street, and onto “place de la Concorde”. It is a 21-
acre park with an obelisk in the middle. The obelisk is
2300 years old and was imported from Egypt in 1829 as
a gift to the king. We didn’t explore this area too much,
only to the point of finding out this is where 1300 people,
including Marie-Antoinette lost their heads during the
Revolution. At the edge of this park, we did stop in at the
Corillon Hotel, Paris’ most exclusive and expensive hotel.
look at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Then we
walked down the Champs-Elysees. This is a street of
unusual shops and outdoor café’s. If you like to shop,
this is the place to go. We did a lot of window-shopping,
but are not great shoppers. So we walked to the end of
this street, and onto “place de la Concorde”. It is a 21-
acre park with an obelisk in the middle. The obelisk is
2300 years old and was imported from Egypt in 1829 as
a gift to the king. We didn’t explore this area too much,
only to the point of finding out this is where 1300 people,
including Marie-Antoinette lost their heads during the
Revolution. At the edge of this park, we did stop in at the
Corillon Hotel, Paris’ most exclusive and expensive hotel.
Next we walked through the Tuileries Gardens. These gardens are considered the
Central Park of Paris. It was interesting because there wasn’t much grass, but lots of
trees. The trees were all trimmed very tightly and were very uniformly planted. There
were a couple of ponds complete with statues and fountains, of course. But the
footpaths were all gravel. And the areas around the trees and ponds were all gravel.
There were very few flowers planted anywhere in Paris…and not in these Gardens
either. It was still beautiful (and cool) with lots of outdoor café’s and places to sit.
Central Park of Paris. It was interesting because there wasn’t much grass, but lots of
trees. The trees were all trimmed very tightly and were very uniformly planted. There
were a couple of ponds complete with statues and fountains, of course. But the
footpaths were all gravel. And the areas around the trees and ponds were all gravel.
There were very few flowers planted anywhere in Paris…and not in these Gardens
either. It was still beautiful (and cool) with lots of outdoor café’s and places to sit.
Wednesday evening, after our now-routine nap and break, we went on a boat ride down the Seine River. The Seine River divides Paris into North and
South and has an island in the middle.
South and has an island in the middle.
We were also able to catch a glimpse of
the bridge where Princess Diana met
her unfortunate death.
the bridge where Princess Diana met
her unfortunate death.
We took a Bateau-Bus from our hotel all the
way to the Eiffel Tower again, walked thru
some additional parks and had a quiet drink
and dinner at our very own restaurant!
way to the Eiffel Tower again, walked thru
some additional parks and had a quiet drink
and dinner at our very own restaurant!
Then we caught the last Bateau-Bus back and got a tour around the rest of the island at sunset. It was very romantic and beautiful. All the people on
the banks were partying, dancing and kissing. Everyone waved to everyone. And it was fun taking pictures of them and waving to them.
the banks were partying, dancing and kissing. Everyone waved to everyone. And it was fun taking pictures of them and waving to them.
Almost back to our hotel, we got to see
the Hotel de Ville lit up for the evening.
We thought it was pretty cool how the
building kind of disappears into the
dark making the angels on top really
show up as if they're flying above the
building.
the Hotel de Ville lit up for the evening.
We thought it was pretty cool how the
building kind of disappears into the
dark making the angels on top really
show up as if they're flying above the
building.
