Joyeux Anniversaire* USA!
*HAPPY BIRTHDAY*
The fourth of July weekend was the first long weekend that didn't sneak up on me so I made plans a couple weeks ago to hit the 'City of Lights' in a guided tour for a couple of days. I knew first off that I wasn't going to see everything but I wanted to get the lay of the land from a guide before I came here by myself.
We got picked up early Saturday morning and made the 5 huor drive to Paris and arrived early in the morning. We got bused around the city getting off in a few places to take pictures until coming to our first long stop at the Eiffel Tower ( Tour Eiffel ). Luckily our tour came with a group rate for climbing the tower and a fixed time that we could enter so we didn't have to wait in the 2+ hour line to get tickets. The rain dampened the day a little but the views from the tower of the city were amazing.
A corner post of the tower, with 1st deck and ground level
After getting about 2 hours to play around on the tower we then went and checked in to our hotel which was outside the heart of the city, which was better because we didn't have to fight any of the crowds or traffic. We got cleaned up and then got bused back into the city for our dinner and evening entertainment which was a guided tour boat through the city via the Seine River. The Seine runs right through the heart of Paris so we got a good look of downtown at sunset and even managed some awesome pictures!
Notre Dame de Paris at Sunset
The next morning we checked out of the hotel and headed for the suburb of Versailles to tour the Chateau de Versailles where Louis XIV reigned. He wanted a place to rule France by absolute personal rule. He chose Versailles and built it up to one of the biggest in the world. The tour went through the majority of the palace My favorite was the was the war room in which several paintings were hung depicting every war France had been in. These paintings line the walls for the entire length of the hall.
Chateau de Versailles
The hall with paintings lining the walls of all French battles
After the Palace tour we only had a few more hours left before we needed to start our journey home. The bus took us back to downtown Paris and I split up from the group to go see the Arc de Triomphe. IN the heart of the city. It was built by Napoleon to welcome home his troops from the wars. Under neath is a memorial from the 'Unknown Soldier from WWI; an eternal flame.
Yes this was taken from the middle of the street, yes I almost got hit
I met back up with the group who had tried to squeeze the few remaining hours hastily looking through the museums. Knowing I would need several hours just for the Louvre I decided not to rush it and save it for next time. After a long lunch we got back on the bus and headed back to Germany. On the way back I was thinking and making specific plans for the next time down. Paris has not seen the last of me!
The fourth of July weekend was the first long weekend that didn't sneak up on me so I made plans a couple weeks ago to hit the 'City of Lights' in a guided tour for a couple of days. I knew first off that I wasn't going to see everything but I wanted to get the lay of the land from a guide before I came here by myself.
We got picked up early Saturday morning and made the 5 huor drive to Paris and arrived early in the morning. We got bused around the city getting off in a few places to take pictures until coming to our first long stop at the Eiffel Tower ( Tour Eiffel ). Luckily our tour came with a group rate for climbing the tower and a fixed time that we could enter so we didn't have to wait in the 2+ hour line to get tickets. The rain dampened the day a little but the views from the tower of the city were amazing.
After getting about 2 hours to play around on the tower we then went and checked in to our hotel which was outside the heart of the city, which was better because we didn't have to fight any of the crowds or traffic. We got cleaned up and then got bused back into the city for our dinner and evening entertainment which was a guided tour boat through the city via the Seine River. The Seine runs right through the heart of Paris so we got a good look of downtown at sunset and even managed some awesome pictures!
The next morning we checked out of the hotel and headed for the suburb of Versailles to tour the Chateau de Versailles where Louis XIV reigned. He wanted a place to rule France by absolute personal rule. He chose Versailles and built it up to one of the biggest in the world. The tour went through the majority of the palace My favorite was the was the war room in which several paintings were hung depicting every war France had been in. These paintings line the walls for the entire length of the hall.
After the Palace tour we only had a few more hours left before we needed to start our journey home. The bus took us back to downtown Paris and I split up from the group to go see the Arc de Triomphe. IN the heart of the city. It was built by Napoleon to welcome home his troops from the wars. Under neath is a memorial from the 'Unknown Soldier from WWI; an eternal flame.
I met back up with the group who had tried to squeeze the few remaining hours hastily looking through the museums. Knowing I would need several hours just for the Louvre I decided not to rush it and save it for next time. After a long lunch we got back on the bus and headed back to Germany. On the way back I was thinking and making specific plans for the next time down. Paris has not seen the last of me!
posted by Nickolaus Kersting at 7:58 AM
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