Sunday, September 29th, 2013
First of all, I have to say WOW. Georgia beat LSU in the game yesterday but
evidently it was a slugfest with a final score of 44 to 41. Would have probably had a heart attack if I’d
watched. Go dogs!!!
The oddest thing happened last night. While I was sitting here in Paris at the
window doing my blog, I look across the cemetery and past the trees and over to
the tall buildings on a hill just to the other side of the trees. There are lots and lots of flats there that
are white colored with gray roofs, but there is one building that looks as
though it may be red or brick-colored and only wide enough for 1 or two flats. On the roof of that building last night at
midnight, there were strange things going on up on the roof. It was as if the entire roof turned into a TV
screen or billboard and it was flashing what could’ve been words or pictures or
something up into the air. The words
would light up then part of them would flash then stay on for a second then go
off and come back on again. All
yellowish-white lights but it seems as if someone were flashing messages into
space! It was fascinating. This roof is SO high up and at an angle that
NO ONE on the ground could see this.
Possibly only me and the aliens were getting the message. I will try to get a video of it tonight.
Oh, and I’m not sure what’s going on—and it can’t be for the
silly reasons I’ve come up with—but the sound on the videos I’ve put on the
blog is not working and the videos that worked before are not working now, so
maybe it will fix itself. If not, I will
try to reload them later.
Five minutes later—Okay, I figured out what I have done with
the movies I have uploaded. I stupidly
tried to up load them AS PHOTOS not as movies.
Dumb, dumb, dumb. I will now go
back and redo them. I guess I’m tired at
the end of these long days. I stupidly
was thinking for a moment last night tht maybe it was because the language was
different and once we got out of France they would work again??!!?! How ridiculous.
UPDATE: all the
incorrectly entered videos have been corrected except for two which I will do
soon.
So, for today, we decided to help Ray fulfill one of his
bucket list items—getting to the top of the Eiffel Tower. On past visits, the top level was closed due
to winds, but today conditions were perfect.
He and Colin went to the top and Margaret and I went to the second
level. Our view was much better, I am
sure, because the higher you went, the foggier the view was down below.
Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's
Fair, the Eiffel Tower has become the symbol for Paris. The tower stands 1,063 ft tall, about the
same height as an 81-floor building.
After crossing that off our list, we walked towards the Bir-Hakeim
Metro station and on the way Colin suggested we have a bite to eat at this café—Bistrot
Eiffel Café--that turned out to be one of my very favorite experiences
ever. It had the prettiest colorful
chairs. We were greeted by a waiter that
I knew instantly would be fun. He joked
around with us the entire time and did silly things and made this dining experience
a quintessential Parisien one. I don’t
think I’ve had so much fun in a long time.
The café was beautiful and the food was delicious, but still, it was the
waiter that made it perfect. After my
omelette, I had a crepe with Miel and Chantilly—honey and exquisite cream. While our waiter shooed away the wasps in a
hilarious way, we enjoyed our meal at the corner table in the sidewalk café near
the Eiffel. I will never forget it.
We then found the station and headed for Le Sacre-Coeur, but
not before encountering the most irritating and annoying street games and
supposed survey takers who talk to you while their mates pick your
pockets. The gendarme carrying the
equivalent of AK47s near the tower were sending them away when they ran across
them, but honestly, they were everywhere.
And on the train, we had an old lady who had a karaoke machine and sang
then begged for money. And that was
BEFORE we got to Montmartre where again, the street games of “chance” and
trying to take your money and the pickpockets and all kinds of craziness. We took the funicular up the hill rather than
climb the hundreds of steps. Sacre Coeur
was beautiful but no photos are allowed inside.
Maybe I can find some stock ones to upload. It was beautiful with its tiny gold mosaic
tiles making up the gorgeous ceiling and dome and side chapels. Outside it sits high on a hill and is
glaringly white and beautiful, built of Travertine stone. Construction began in 1875 and was finished
in 1914.
The Church of St. Peter of Montmartre sits right beside the Sacre Coeur. This church is the location where vows were taken that led to the founding of the society of Jesus. It was founded by St. Denis and was built on the site of a Roman temple and a 7th century Merovingian Church. It was once a Benedictine nunnery and during the French Revolution, it was demolished and a tower was built upon its apse for sending arm, flag, and pole signals. The last abbess of the nunnery was guillotined in 1794. This church served as a resting place for pilgrims heading to Saint-Denis Basilica. It is one of the oldest places of worship in Paris and still has pillars of Roman origin.
We took photos outside of the Eiffel Tower then wound our
way through the center of Montmartre—very crowded—and past windmills and back
to the Montmartre Cemetery (Degas & Zola are buried here) and our hotel.
We passed by the Moulin de la Galette, which is a windmill and businesses
situated near the top of the district of Montmartre in Paris. It was built in 1622. Since the 17th century the windmill has been
known for more than just its milling capabilities. Nineteenth century owners
and millers, the Debray family, made a brown bread, galette, which became
popular and thus the name of the windmill and its businesses, which have
included a famous guinguette and restaurant. In the 19th century, Le Moulin de
la Galette, represented diversion for Parisians seeking entertainment, a glass
of wine and bread made from flour ground by the windmill. Artists, such as
Renoir, van Gogh, and Pissarro have immortalized Le Moulin de la Galette
including Renoir's festive painting, Bal du moulin de la Galette.
Dinner was across the street and on the corner at Café Luna
where we had a sweet little waitress.
And I tried some of Margaret’s Duck!
It was very tasty. I had salmon
and it was very good, especially the sauce.
What a great time we’ve had being in Paris with good friends. Gonna miss them when we leave tomorrow.
House in middle is the one with the alien message roof last night:
Pretty Paris street scenes and gorgeous buildings:
First glimpse of the Eiffel Tower:
It was almost like they were waiting for us!:
(actually a sign at the entrance warning that it was foggy at the top of the tower)
Margaret on the 2nd level:
Looking down:
Le Sacre Coeur in the distance and fog:
Folly tower hidden in trees:
These signs are everywhere, and rightly so:
Favorite Café:
Crepes:
Favorite waiter:
Our wonderful waiter trying to save me from the wasps:
When I asked for the dessert menu, this is what he brought me:
Our table:
Crowded streets of Montmartre:
Sacre Coeur:
Church of St. Peter of Montmartre:
Eiffel Tower from Sacre Coeur area:
Interesting sign posted on side of old building--is that you, Cookie Monster?:
VERY crowded streets of central Montmartre:
Wandering around aimlessly while trying to capture the sounds of the music of Montmartre:
Macaroons:
Moulin de la Galette:
(It looks like it is perched on top of a point, but that is so that it can turn in the wind)
Store that sells only lamps:
Montmartre Cemetery:
Eiffel Tower from in front of our hotel:
Windmill from Margaret & Colin's room:
