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Showing posts with the label Tour Eiffel

Paris in Winter

Tour Eiffel If winter is about grey skies, showers and chilling temperatures, then there's all that in Paris in January. So why go at such an inhospitable time? Because Paris in winter is moody (great for photo ops), less frantic, the bi-annual store sales are irresistible, and you don't have to fight with the swarm of selfie indulgent tourists. There is no absence of color beneath the threatening cloud cover. Rue Cremieux These pastel painted houses were my neighbors during my stay in Paris. I counted five visitors here, myself included.  Cathedral of Notre Dame I was at once elated, captivated and saddened to see Notre-Dame de Paris again. Elated that I could behold her in festive finery, captivated by her timeless beauty but saddened by the reality of the threat of terrorism.  For a moment I felt fear when I saw policemen dressed in combat gear with high powered rifles patrolling the cathedral. We shouldn't have to accept this as the new norm. But

Unexpected Pleasures

Tour Eiffel While eating lunch at Le Lafayette Café on the 6th Floor in the Galeries Lafayette, I happened to look up from my plate of lousy fish du jour with overcooked green beans and saw the Eiffel Tower from my perch. That was my lunch treat. As I was walking away from St. Etienne du Mont toward Boulevard Saint Michel, I passed by this plaque which says that Erasmus, the Dutch philosopher, was a boarder here for a year at the College of Montaigu in the University of Paris. From Rue Galande it's a short walk to the quays of the Seine where the bouquinistes have plied their used books within plain view of the towers of Notre Dame since the 16th century. A novel way to sightsee in Paris is by tricycle. I saw a couple of Yellow PediCabs around Notre Dame. No need to rush in a double decker bus. Slow and easy does it. One of my favorite parks in Paris is the Jardin du Palais Royal. It's surrounded by arcaded buildings constructed around 1874. This garden was origina

The City of Light

La Tour Eiffel I am a poor map reader. No matter how much I check my directions, I still get lost. So I have to ask someone to tell me how to get back to St. Sulpice as I did this evening. The young lady was apologetic that she didn't know how to get there and how charming the French are when they apologize. If I know how to translate correctly, I heard her say to excuse her for her "bêtise", or stupidity for not knowing where the street or landmark in question might be. This is the second time I heard this since I arrived in Paris. Each time I'd asked for directions, the people I asked didn't know where to direct me to as they were just as lost as I was. Paris is a big city after all. Place de la Concorde But what a good thing I was lost tonight because I discovered the City of Light. This is serendipity. The Seine at night La Madeleine Bonne soirée! * * * Photos by Charie