Missed my connecting flight due to an airtraffic delay in Madrid. So I was stuck in Paris for a night. Since the hotel was closer (but still very far) to the airport than the city and it took me around 1 and a 1/2 hours to reach the city, we will start our tour 'Paris in 2 and a 1/2 hours' directly in the city.
19:00 I got out of the RER at Saint Michel/Notre Dame and went straight to the Cathedral.
Sunday mass was being held inside. Since I'm totally ignorant of its historic importance I'll refrain from making any comments about its impact (on no) on me.
Leaving the Notre Dame, we cross the street and make our way towards the Musee du Louvre. We stop at a couple of souvenir shops to buy my sister a postcard of Paris and a bookmark of 'Le Ciel Etoile' (since she's learning French and since she likes this particular painting very much). We also buy a bookmark of 'Tournesol' for a friend in Valladolid (he likes this painting).
The streets are like the streets of Madrid, small, criss-crossed, lined up trees.
...
Walking along the banks of the Seine is a pleasure. I would have preferred having company, though. There are lots of ferrys on the Seine. Lots of tourists.
Along the Seine, there are many small shops selling paintings, post cards, old black and white pictures, old comics and books and other 'interesting' stuff like this.
Across the Seine as we reach the Place du Chatelet we can get a glimpse of the Tour Eiffel, our final destination on this tour.
We continue on our way and yes, we reach the Musee du Louvre. Sadly it's better know now due to the Da Vinci Code!
And right across is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel that opens out to the Jardin des Tuileries. One can also faintly see the Obelisque and the Arc de Triomphe at the back.
20:30 Oh my God! It's late and we still haven't seen the Tour Eiffel! We take a last glimpse of the Louvre as we hurry across de Pont du Carrousel in direction to the Musee D'Orsay.
At the Musee D'orsay, since we are dead tired and lack time, we decide to take the RER till Champs de Mars/Tour Eiffel.
..................We reach in about 10 minutes and as we walk towards the Tour Eiffel it appears to us little by little. Voila!
There it stands on one end of the Parc du Champ de Mars.
We sit down to take a breath and feel like we're in India. Yes, the number of Indian tourists here is incredible. Finally after speaking to a Chilean couple and not buying 330ml of water at an exorbitant price of 2,50 euros(!!!) we walk back to the RER station and head back to the hotel.
It's 21:30 already. Paris needs more time but this is what we could (barely) manage in 2 and a 1/2 hours.
I enjoyed it. Did you?
13 comments:
Now i envy u... something like that before sunset movie stills...
i got the envy part but,i'm sorry, could you please explain the rest?
i think he's talking about the movie 'before sunset', the beautiful sequel to the much more beautiful 'before sunrise'. if he isn't, well, you now have two new movies that go on your 'to-watch' list :)
chère ash, tu as beaucoup de chance. too bad you didn't get to go into the louvre. thanks for the postcard, bookmark, and painting. au revoir.
querida nive,
muchas gracias por tu comentario.
perhaps on my return trip j'obtiendrai une chance de visiter le Louvre.
un besazo,
-W: dude, u say before sunrise is better than sunset?
Also, sunrise was not shot in paris.(Vienna) :-)
Ashwini, watch before sunset first. U ll truely enjoy b.sunrise.
And then tell me whether ur stills remind u of the movie.
i'll watch both the movies and let you guys know.
i wonder if i'm flattered.
yep, i do know that 'before sunrise' was not shot in paris, but i mentioned it just because that was the prequel to 'before sunset'.
and yes, i didn't find the sequel to be as good as the original (as is the case with pretty much every sequel)
you can watch them in any order but i think you'll have the right context if you watch them in the right order though.
by the way, what was the grand event that took place on july 2nd?
ok, -w, i'm confused. what is the right order?
no, no. what is the order that i should watch it in? i don't want to know the right order.
'before sunrise' released in 1995 and 'before sunset' in 2004. 'before sunrise' takes place in vienna and 'before sunset' in france. you decide.
thanks -w. will let you guys know after i see the movie(s).
Thoroughly
Atlantean, glad you did too :)
and thanks for visiting.
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