We start the day with a continental breakfast of French bread and jam. Our first stop of the day is Notre-Dame Cathedral. We climb 193 steps to the top of the south tower. The view is beautiful. Glad I did this when I was young!
Daniel Vorndran / DXR [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
Leaving the cathedral we head to La Conciergerie and see the room where Marie Antoinette was kept before her execution. The Conciergerie is the building in the middle of the photo below.
Daniel Vorndran / DXR [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
I do have a rant in my diary about out attempts to buy stamps. We did not have the greatest welcome in Paris. It was 1969, the Vietnam war, and we were Americans. The first shop we went into had what I called at the time 'the rudest woman I have ever met'. We actually went to another shop and met a very helpful young man.
In the afternoon we went to the Pantheon where we had a French guide who only spoke French and was very nice. I guess I must have done the translation for Shar. We met another tourist from Detroit.
French postcard of the Pantheon 1795. (We did see some French postcards but doubted they were allowed through US mail, lol)
We walked around the Palais de Luxembourg Gardens.
By Steve from washington, dc, usa [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Today I bought perfume and rosaries from Notre-Dame for gifts. We had salami on French baguettes and pastry for dinner. OMG, I spent $30.13.
BTW, I could use my photos from my 1999 trip there but then I would have to scan them into the computer. Ugh.
To this day, my first stop in any new city is the 'i' office (information office), to get maps and leaflets. In a big city, there are usual several such offices, and prior to flight I write down the addresses.
ReplyDeleteAlthough nowadays the internet provides us with lots of maps and info, still, I don't give up the stuff from the local 'i' office.
My second principle regarding trips, is that the best memento is to have a photo of yourself at the famous building or site you're visiting. Nowadays, with the self-timer it's not a problem, but in the distant past it was; you always had to ask someone to take your picture. If you wish only the building or the site, you could always buy a postcard.
By the way, you should scan your photos from the trip, now that you're retired and have the time.
Oh, I thought I would have so much time when I retired. How could I have been so wrong? I did give my sons albums of all their pics. But most of my travel pics are just buildings. I just got a smartphone and am not impressed with the photos. I have tried to save photos with me in them where they exist, but old pics do not look all that great when scanned. I have saved maps and info from places all over the world. I am sure my kids will end up throwing it all into the recycle bin.
DeleteDid you count the stairs at Notre Dame or was there a sign that said 193 stairs? My knees just ached reading about that :) You are right, glad you did that in your youth :)
ReplyDeletebetty
There must have been a sign telling us how many steps and that they were worn and not everyone should climb. I remember my brother in law having to be carried down some mountain in Arizona when his knee gave out.
DeleteI wonder if climbing is still allowed. I climbed the Duomo in Florence and St. Paul’s in Rome, but I’m not sure it’s allowed now, after 9/11. I couldn’t do it now, either! Great memories, Denise.
ReplyDeleteI checked and it is still allowed. When I was there in 1999, they were cleaning the cathedral and the entire front was covered in scaffolding. You could not climb it then. I did the other two you mentioned. Stay tuned for 'stairs'.
DeleteMy step daughter climbed the Eiffel Tower, I took the elevator and I was quite a bit younger when I did so. I sure couldn't climb 193 steps today. The dozen or less at the bowling alley kill me. I remember visiting these places during my visits to Paris, I have been there several times. Had my first ever pizza in Paris. Hated it.
ReplyDeletePizza in Paris? Uh, NO! I had pizza in Italy and didn't like it.
DeleteNearest I got to that was Sicily where they had small pizzas which I quite enjoyed.
DeleteNotre-Dame Cathedral... Have you ever read Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth?" He describes the building of the cathedral in there. Flying buttresses and all that. The architecture in Paris is so beautiful. I've heard others say they didn't get a very warm welcome there still. It's only gonna get worse now...
ReplyDeleteYes, I read the Follett novels when they first came out. When I was there in 1999, I had no problems. But that was during the war in Kosovo and we were an ally. My cousin who lives there asked his mother if the US realizes how ridiculous they look to Europeans.
DeleteParis is beautiful and truly a walking city because every building seemed to have some beauty to it. I didn’t walk up Norte Dame but it is a great cathedral although I loved St. Chapelle more. Thankfully we didn’t run into any rude people and enjoyed every day.
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