Paris

Took my first of what I now hope to be many trips to Paris this past weekend.  Since I was only there two days I didn't get to do nearly all of the tourist things one would normally do.  I view this as a plus because it means there will be plenty left to do this summer when I go back.  Until then, here is a review of what I did get to do.

Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Gardens) were my first stop.  This formal 17th century sculpture garden occupies the site where the a palace used to be.  The garden is now situated between the Musee de Louvre to the East and Concorde square to the West.  What garden lacks in size it more than makes up for in art.  At least 25 larger than life size sculptures surround each of the two large fountains in the park.  Impromptu football games, sleeping Parisians, joggers, and kids playing can all be seen in a short stroll through the park.  The Musee de l'Orangerie, located on Concorde square was my second stop.  This museum is home to Monet's Nympheas or Water Lily series.  Also featured is an impressive impressionist and inter-war period collection from Cezanne, Renoir, Picasso, and Matisse.  Much like Florence during the Renaissance, Paris was the home for artists between the World Wars.  Likely Monet is the artist you all will have heard of so I'll tell you a bit about his massive works here.  There are a total of 8 canvases on the ground floor, each depicting a different view, time of day, or time of year from Monet's garden.  The pieces are huge (see Flickr).  I mean 6 foot by 30 foot huge!  They took years to complete and required a special studio to be built at Monet's home in Giverny.  Because these pieces are so impressive it would be easy to overlook the collection housed in the basement of the museum but that would discount some of Picasso's early works (before he started in Cubism and weird doodlings) and a few excellent Renoir's.  This museum is definitely worth a quick look when in Paris.  

Outside the museum you find yourself back in the Concorde Square.  The square is famous for the mansions situated here, the 3,200-year-old obelisk stolen from Egypt, and the 1,100-something people that were publicly beheaded by way of the very efficient French invention, the guillotine, during their own revolution.  No replica guillotine so you'll have to imagine that for yourself but the mansions and giant stone phallic are still there.  

It was off to Notre Dame next. The lines here move extremely quickly but thankfully you aren't rushed once inside.  Having been in a few other similarly aged churches you can appreciate what an engineering feat Notre Dame was at the time.   For those of you curious the first stones were laid in 1163 and it took some 170 years to complete.  Obviously the height and width of the nave is impressive.  Equally as impressive are the number and quality of the chapels around the outside of the church.  The North and South Rose Windows are pretty spectacular as well.  I'm sure my pictures of these will not do them justice.  I didn't climb the bell tower to look at the gargoyles but hey, always next time.  I would recommend the audio tour here for 5 euro; it can easily be shared by a couple people.

From Notre Dame it was a short walk to get on a rive boat cruise.  This proved to be a nice way to relax and see the sights.  Too many sites to name in fact.  I'll only add that you can get some fantastic pictures of the Eiffel Tower from the river because of its size you aren't likely to get the same vantage from land.  The tower was more impressive up close but I found it to be rather misplaced and awkward in the skyline.

A walk back to the hotel and through the Louvre grounds was enough to work up my appetite for a snack and bottle of wine.  A few hours later a long delicious dinner was had at Goumard before drifting off to sleep for the night.  I stayed near a train station, which is convenient, but thankfully I was tired because you hear the trains in my room.  

Since I was so tired I slept in on Sunday and didn't do much sight seeing.  I walked the river, Paris' oldest church, and the St Germain neighborhood before settling in at a cafe for breakfast and lunch.  Les Duex Magots, where I stopped, is one of three famous cafes all within eyesight of one another in a very artsy, literary part of the city.  Hemingway was a regular at the place I stopped.  It will cost you quite a bit to sit and eat at these famous cafes though.  A salmon sandwich and coffee cost 20 euro.  They are nice but not that nice.  I would go somewhere else if I had to do it over again.  American jazz music was a big post war influence here and can still be heard by live groups playing on the street corners most weekends.  After several hours at the cafe is was time to catch my train home.  

All of this and I didn't even mention the fact I took the Euro Star to get there.  For those of you trying to figure this all out, yea the train runs through a tunnel under water... Under the English Channel to be precise.  Odd even to me.  While you are only under water for about 20 minutes of the two-hour ride it is certainly long enough to contemplate the skill and engineering you hope went into the design and construction of the tunnel.  Obviously it was fine.  Sadly I wasn't able to hold my breath all the way through the tunnel; maybe next time.