Europe does a really nice job lighting their monuments. I’ve noticed in Florence I always end up near these monuments late at night and they’re always so well lit. It’s made me really focus on improving the steadiness of my hands when taking shots. (Also, using things around me as a temporary tri-pod.) Here are some of my night shots (some with the D 40 and some with my point and shot.)

We’ve arrived in Paris, France.. finally!!
City of love and romance. Bonjour!

Tenth Day

Alright! First thing first – we need to find our hotel. Hehe.
We stayed at the Le Meridien Montparnasse, Paris.

Le Meridien Montparnasse, Paris

http://www.lemeridien-montparnasse.com/

There’s another Le Meridien in Paris which is the Etoile but Shanky got this one which is much more better. I think? My guess would be because it’s nearer to the metro station? Anyway, I love it.

The hotel won’t allow additional person (that’s me) to check-in to a 2 persons room – so we have to pay extra. WTH? Shanky should’ve bribe the frontdesk guy instead. Or maybe I should sneak in quietly? Hm… Too late for that.

The lobby of Le Meridien Montparnasse

While waiting for our room to be ready, we went for the hotel’s buffet breakfast.
Got 50% discount! Thanks to Shanky. After convert – don’t ask me. Freakin’ expensive still. Hahaha.
Apa nak buat, all 3 of us were really hungry. Plus tired and sleepy. That stupid bus.
The food was so-so.. the usual stuffs. I missed my nasi lemak + telur mata so bad at that time.

Buffet @ Le Meridien

Shanky tak puas hati coz they don't serve teh tarik. Hihi.

We were allowed to check-in only at 11am.
While waiting, I wondered around the hotel’s surroundings – checked the map/signboards, places to go, supermarkets etc.
Shanky and Cat took a short nap at the lobby’s sofa.
Hai.. Mana2 pun boleh tido. Hahaha. No.. I wont post their pictures here.

Just opposite of Le Meridien is SNCF HQ in Paris

This roundabout just north of the hotel is called Place de Catalogne

After that horrible bus ride, this bed feels like heaven.

When we woke up, it’s already evening.
We planned to visit the magnificent Eiffel Tower.
I wonder how it looks like at night. Huhu. Kalau couple la yang pergi sini, peh.. memang jiwang karat abis la.

Thank God, the weather is on our side today. The rain stopped right before we start our journey.

Paris view from our room. The buildings are packed right?

Took the metro to Bir Hakiem Station.
One thing I really like about Paris Metro is, most of their stations are located near to the tourist spots and attractions. It is so convenient.

The Eiffel Tower - clear blue sky!

We have to walk a bit from the station to the tower.
I think it’s approximately around 10 – 15 minutes walk which is fine by me.
Similar to Amsterdam, the weather here is cold too despite the bright sunlight. Haha.

Photo proof! - Nanti cakap aku temberang pulak.

The base of Eiffel Tower. Sunset view.

Cat, Shanky and Eiffel.

We paid 13 Euros/person to go all the way up to the tower’s summit (not bad.. considered cheap lor).
The tower got 3 levels or floors. We stopped at the 1st level. The view from there - magnificent.

The view from 1st floor. Kat bawah tu taman. Cantik wo..

View from the 2nd floor. The sun almost setting..

Church (I think?) on top of the hill. Wo...

As the sun sets..

I don’t know what’s the name of the building but I think the top is made out of gold? Wow..
Then, from here you need to climb the stairs to get to the top (3rd level) - The view from here..

I can’t even describe it in words. It’s totally out of this world. Speechless!!

Distance - Paris to KL: 10433KM. Malaisie? Heh. WTH?

Sunset view from Eiffel's top floor.

It’s really amazing to be able to stand here with the breathtaking view right in front of you.
It’s a totally different feelings altogether. It feels like you’re on top of the world.
The sunset made the feelings even better. Perfect timing!

I'm lost for words...

No wonder lah a lot of couples love to visit this tower.
The atmosphere is so romantic and I’m sure a lot of guys proposed to their girlfriend/fiancee here before.

Hm.. I wonder if anyone jumped from the tower before? 

Way... far down. Vertigo?

It’s really really cold up there.
Did I mentioned the wind? Yeah.. I hid behind one of the steel pillar just to avoid the wind.
As if it works lah.. Hehehe. Especially when it’s already dark.
Night time – my God it’s freezing to the bone!!

Glamourous Eiffel Tower at night. Vertical view.

Paris view at night

Unfortunately for me – all of sudden my camera’s battery ran out.
Yup! I forgot to recharge it. Damn it! Arghh!! Out of all the time in this world kan?
I was really looking forward to capture the sunset view from the tower.
Tapi.. apa nak buat.. I was forced to use my phone’s camera instead. So sad!!
The quality is not there at all. Well at least.. better than nothing.

The base of Eiffel Tower @ night. Notice the moon crescent?

After that, we lepak around the Eiffel Tower area for a bit.
More info: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/ 

Me with Sir Eiffel. Thank you sir!

Then we bought some souvenirs before went back to the hotel.
Try bargaining with those local people selling the keychains and stuffs at the base of the tower.
It’s very much cheaper from the gift shop.

Once in a lifetime...

Hm.. What I had for dinner?

All these for 32.47 euros.. *sigh

Eleventh Day

Got up quite early today.
The plan for today is - full day of Paris main attractions.
I doubt we can cover all of it.

Which way to go?

First stop: Louvre Museum
I recommend everyone to visit this museum.
Entrance fee is only 9 Euros. Quite cheap I would say (I anticipated higher).

The Louvre Museum @ Musée du Louvre houses 35,000 works of art drawn from 8 departments, displayed in over 60,000 square meters of exhibition space dedicated to the permanent collections.

Outside of Louvre. It's just next to the metro station.

This place is massive!! Hm.. To really enjoy every paintings, sculptures, artifacts and arts here – you actually need a full day or maybe 2.
We completed all of  it in 2 hours. Hahahaha!! Nampak sangat ke-tidak-artistiknya kitaorang ni.
Ehem! Sebenarnya time is very tight. That’s why we have to rush things a bit.

Posing tak hengat.. Hehehe.

Here are some pictures taken there.

Pyramid du Louvre

Taken partially from Wikipedia:
It was designed by a Chinese born American architect, I. M. Pei (Ieoh Ming Pei) who is responsible for the design of the Miho Museum in Japan among others.

The structure, which was constructed entirely with glass segments, reaches a height of 20.6 meters. It consists of 603 rhombus-shaped and 70 triangular glass segments.

Cupid and Psyche

One of my favorite marble sculptures.
It’s about a legendary love tale similar to modern day Beauty and the Beast. Hehe..
Go ahead and google it.

Potrait of Monalisa by Leonardo da Vinci

Mona Lisa (also known as La Gioconda or La Joconde) is a 16th century portrait painted in oil on a poplar panel by Leonardo da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance.

Another nice painting shown there is David versus Goliath.
1 theme, 2 paintings, 2 different views.
Well done! I’m surprised with the details.

David versus Goliath - view from front.

David versus Goliath - view from the back.

All of the sculptures there are huge!!!
I think the myth that those people back then are gigantic might be true la. Macam tapak kaki Hang Tuah?

Thehehe.. Thanks Cat for the pic.

Orang KL kalau pergi muzium memang macam ni. Hehehe.

Another main attraction here is this sculpture.
Venus de Milo.
It’s believed to depict Aphrodite (Venus) – the Greek Goddes of Love and Beauty.
Its arms and original plinth have been lost.

Rasanya brand air Milo tu dapat idea dari sculpture ni? Takde kena mengena langsung!

Venus de Milo

 Next: Notre Dame

Notre Dame de Paris @ Notre Dame Cathedral

A cathedral church built as a dedication to the Virgin Mary.
We got lost a few times while trying to figure out the way here. Hehe.
I didn’t go in the church. Only Cat and Shanky went in.

Me @ Notre Dame, Paris

I just sat in front (or is it the back?) of it ~ admiring the fine architecture and gargoyles.
You can actually go all the way up to the roof of the church if you want to.

The gargoyle, sitting on edge of the building's roof. Blur la..

The church reminds me of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Hm.. Betul ke ada si bongkok tu?

Final: Champs de Elysees and Arc de Triomphe

Me in front of Lido - Champs Elysees, Paris

Hahaha!! – I don’t even know how to pronounce it correctly.
It’s actually known as the world most beautiful avenue and it’s really beautiful at night.
With all the lights and rows of luxury boutiques, cafes, cinemas etc.

According to Wikipedia – rents as high as USD1.5 million per 1,000 square feet (92.9 square metres) of space, it remains the most expensive strip of real estate in Europe.
Don’t know whether it’s true or not.

However, here you can see the biggest Louis Vuitton boutique ever. It’s huge!
The avenue started from the Concorde until Arc de Triomphe.

Arc de Triomphe @ Arch of Triumph

To get this monument’s picture during the day without any vehicles passing by is almost impossible!

Oh! I forgot to mentioned. All 3 of us, walked all the way from Notre Dame to Champs de Elysees.
That’s one hell of a walk. Around 4 km and it took us 1 hour plus to get there. Phew!
The weather was cloudy and it drizzles once in a while.

Place de la Concorde

We passed by Place de la Concorde – one of the major public squares in Paris and the largest square in the French capital.
The monument – called Luxor Obelisk marks the beginning of the avenue.

That guy Alain Robert aka ‘French Spiderman’ climbed the monument with his bare hands, climbing shoes and no safety device in 2000 – that is really crazy.

Night falls – time to go back. Exhausted!!

Took the metro straight to Gaite station – you pronounced it as Gete. Hehe. Mace orghe Kelate pulok.

Stop by a supermarket nearby our hotel and we bought some food for dinner.
Watched Barcelona kicked Man U’s a** and won the Champions League Title.
It’s been a good day.

Twelveth Day aka Final Day

Today is our last day in Paris and also UK.
We’re taking the Eurostar from Paris to London.

Eurostar @ Paris Gare du Nord station. Our ride back to London.

Cat made the booking online and the tickets were then sent to Nurul’s address in Amsterdam.
That’s the only way since Eurostar website don’t allow online confirmation and tickets can only be sent to certain countries. Malaysia is no where to be found in the list. Bummer!

You can also walk in to their counter and buy the tix on the spot but the price will be very very expensive.

We got ours at a very cheap price for the 2 hours journey. RM311 per person I think?
That’s a one way journey and under promo okay… mahal gak tu. Guess how much will be the price if it’s normal? Around a few hundreds pounds.

From Gare du Nord International, Paris to St Pancras International, London.

How can I describe the journey?
Fast, exciting and seemless. I was asleep.

Cat caught me sleeping. It's dark outside coz we're the Channel Tunnel.

The train run at up to 300 km/h and cross under the English Channel via the Channel Tunnel.
If you ask me, how was it traveling underneath the sea via the tunnel?
It’s the same like how you travel through highway’s tunnel.

It was dark with some lights along the way and.. actually you can’t see anything.. till you get to the other side.
Silly me, thought that the tunnel will look like something in KL Aquaria. Hahaha.
Dunno where I got the idea.

St Pancras International, London. Yay!

We arrived safely in London and it’s on time as per schedule.
Took the tube and since we’re there early – I decided to go for a last minute shopping.
I went to Carnaby Street and entered this shop called Size?.
http://size.co.uk
I got myself a pair of Adidas Court Star for around RM 100 which was quite a bargain. Check out the shoes here:
http://size.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10701_11551__155592_-1_footwear
You can’t get that price anywhere in KL. Lucky me!

We then returned to Sheraton to pick up our bags which we left before we went to Amsterdam.
Went to see Shanky’s friend for a last time, hang out in her convertible VW Beetle and then headed straight to Heathrow to catch our bus to Stansted Airport.

Our luggage.. this is ridiculous! Hahaha.

The return flight was okay.. I slept most of the time.
Overall.. I would say this trip is one of the best trip that I’ve ever had and I will remember it for the rest of my life. Surely.

Special thanks to Shanky and Cat for all the planning, reservations, organizing all the stuffs and being my travel buddy. We’re so muhibbah. Hehe. We shall do this again. Maybe?
Thanks to Nurul for Amsterdam’s accomodation and food yang you belanja. Mintak halal dunia akhirat.
Thanks to Jason who sent us to the airport. You’re late.. as usual. Hehe.
Thanks to my boss, David who are flexible for my annual leaves arrangement.
Last but not least.. thanks to all who made this possible. God bless you all.

Will I go again? Maybe. Hopefully. Insyallah.
Which city will I vote as my favorite? Definitely London.

Buhbye!

Till then.
Sayonara ~

Bis zum vergangenen Freitag habe ich einen Großteil der antiken Bauten in Rom lediglich von außen bestaunt – die teilweise horrenden Eintrittspreise haben doch einen gewissen Abschreckungseffekt. Am Freitag stand jedoch eine Führung durch das Forum Romanum auf dem Programm (und da die Eintrittskarte an zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen gültig ist und einen Besuch des Kolosseums mit einschließt habe ich diesen am Samstag gemeinsam mit David nachgeschoben).

Aber der Reihe nach. Bei strahlendem Sonnenschein und gefühlten 25°C (das Wetter ist hier im Moment eher frühlingshaft als winterlich) haben wir uns das Forum Romanum unterhalb des Palatins unter Führung von Karo angesehen, die u.a. antike Geschichte studiert und sich daher bestens auskennt. Das Forum war früher das Zentrum des politischen, wirtschaftlichen, kulturellen und religiösen Lebens und spiegelt die Geschichte Roms und des römischen Reiches zwischen 600 v. Chr. und 600 n. Chr. wieder. Geographisch liegt das Forum Romanum zwischen dem Palatin und dem  Kapitol. Bis zum 6. Jahrhundert v. Chr. befand sich in diesem Tal eine sumpfige Ebene, die lediglich als Begräbnisstätte diente. Erst die Errichtung der “Cloaca Maxima” (antikes Kanalsystem) wurde der Sumpf trocken gelegt und somit bebaubar. Das erste bedeutsame Bauwerk war der “Tempel des Saturn” (Gott des Ackerbaus), der 490 v. Chr. errichtet wurde. Das letzte antike Bauwerk ist die sogenannte “Phokas-Säule”, die 608 n. Chr. gebaut wurde (Dank Phokas gibt es heute noch das Pantheon, denn er war es, der Papst Bonifatius IV das Pantheon schenkte, welcher es im Jahre 609 als Kirche weihte – und so dafür sorgte, dass der Bau bis heute erhalten blieb).

Glücklicherweise hatten wir mit Karo eine kompetente Führerin, denn für den “ungeübten” Betrachter (wie mich) liegen im Forum Romanum erst einmal hauptsächlich einzelne Steine und kaputte Säulen. Es bedarf schon einiger Phantasie, sich vorzustellen, wie es dort einmal ausgesehen haben muss. Dennoch ist es faszinierend, wenn man auf einzelne Teile stößt, denen man ihre rund 2000 Jahre alte Geschichte scheinbar ansehen kann. So ist beispielsweise der “Tempel des Romulus” durch eine Bronzetür verschlossen, deren Schloss angeblich immer noch funktioniert. Und heutzutage schafft man es kaum, einen Bausatz für einen Fertighaus so aufzubauen, dass es nicht nach zwei Jahren die ersten Wasser- und Frostschäden gibt…

Komischerweise sind die vermeintlich aufwendigsten und fragilsten Bauten am besten erhalten: die Triumphbögen. Auf dem Gelände des Forum Romanum finden sich deren zwei, zum Einen der “Triumphbogen des Septimius Severus”, zum Anderen der “Titusbogen”, der etwas erhöht platziert ist und somit auch vom Kolosseum aus sichtbar ist (der Titusbogen war im Übrigen das Vorbild für den “Arc de Triomphe” in Paris). Ursprünglich war der Bogen aus Marmor, jedoch wurde er im Mittelalter in einer Festung integriert, sodass heute beide Seiten vollkommen unterschiedlich aussehen (vgl. Fotos). Hier nun ein paar Eindrücke…

Am Samstagmittag ging es dann weiter, ab ins Kolosseum. Für mich, der seine Vorkenntnisse über das Römische Reich und seine Kaiser nahezu ausschließlich aus Asterix & Obelix Filmen hat, ist eine (wenn auch sehr kleine) Welt zusammengebrochen, als ich erfahren habe, dass Julius Caesar niemals im Kolosseum gewesen ist. Der Grund: Caesar lebte von 100 v.Chr. bis 44 v.Chr., das Kolosseum wurde jedoch erst 80 n. Chr. fertiggestellt. Das nehme ich René Goscinny und Albert Uderzo wirklich Übel… Aber abgesehen von diesem ersten Schock war es wirklich beeindruckend. Zum Einen ist das Kolosseum von innen wesentlich größer, als man vermuten würde, wenn man eine Runde um das Bauwerk dreht. Zum Anderen bekommt man einen Eindruck davon, wie steil die Tribünen damals waren. Die Stimmung muss gigantisch gewesen sein. Die eigentliche Arena ist heute nicht mehr wirklich zu sehen, da diese vollständig unterkellert war und im Laufe der Zeit eingestürzt ist. Dafür hat man jedoch freie Sicht auf das unterirdische Labyrinth, in denen die Gladiatoren und Tiere gefangen gehalten wurden. Zudem sind – wenn auch nur rudimentär – die Hebekonstruktionen zu erkennen, mit deren Hilfe die Tiere auf Plattformen durch den Boden in die Arena gehievt wurden. Man mag sich gar nicht vorstellen, was die Jungs damals mit den technischen Möglichkeiten von heute auf die Beine gestellt hätten…

The highlight of any Las Vegas trip, the huge number of them makes it impossible to visit every single one of them on two nights. Or maybe it is possible if you stay up for 48 hours straight. There were so many beautiful ones out on the strip that we weren’t able to walk into, but the favorites of mine that we did have the chance to visit were Paris, the Luxor and the Bellagio (no surprise there). The stinker about casinos is that you can’t take any pictures on the playing room floor because they have such a beautiful setting, especially the Bellagio.

Luxor
It’s been around for quite a long time, and the last time I was there they had a little boat ride inside the hotel for people to ride. The tour boat ride is now gone, but that’s good though, you get to focus on the casino and the hotel itself, and the hotel is quite the setup.

Inside the pyramid you can see that all the doors to all the hotel rooms, which I can imagine is pretty sweet to have a view of the lobby floor and the casino as soon as you walk out of your room. The view from the outside is awesome with the pyramid and the ancient Egyptian statue.

Paris

Now i’ve never been to Paris, but from just how the casino tries to model the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, I think I may definitely want to take a trip and slam a few bottles of wine.

The Eiffel Tower has an elevator ride to get to the top, where you can take some great pictures of the Las Vegas skyline. I wish I had more time to check the view, because I can only imagine it being very beautiful.

The casino inside is pretty interesting as soon as you walk in. You see a part of the foundation of the Eiffel Tower come through the casino floor, where people have access to the elevators. As you walk through the casino floor, the ceilings sport clouds and a blue sky that brightens up the playing area, which is a welcome change from some of the dark and drab casino room floors at other hotels.

The hallway of shops and restaurants inside Paris I can only assume models some of the city streets you can find overseas. As you walk through it leads you to the casino room floor of Bally’s, which is right next door. Now right across from Paris is the Bellagio, and the awesome Bellagio Fountain.

The Bellagio

The cream of the crop is what I gotta say of the Bellagio. The fountain was the main draw to me, because once again playing and gambling isn’t my thing. But the hotel and casino is just gorgeous from inside out. Walking through to the casino floor I passed the shops inside, and with the shops they have you know only the people with good money stay here. The Bellagio was the main hotel target in the film Ocean’s 11, which made it just as cool walking through it. It’s kinda like walking through Chicago knowing that it was the site of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

Upon walking up to the registration desk, on the ceiling is a beautiful arrangement of artificial flowers. The colors are eye catching and vibrant, and a photo doesn’t do it justice.

Right across from the registration desk is the site of the Bellagio Conservatory, home of a crapload of fresh flowers and one cool light display that changes every so often, complimenting the flowers, ‘lawn decorations’ and water fountains that is inside the conservatory. Currently it’s in it’s Fall theme, with a very scarecrow greeting you as you walk in.

The lawn decorations I speak of are the things that stick out of my head when thinking about the conservatory. It’s not a bad term I’m giving it, it’s just pretty interesting to see a couple of talking trees inside. it’s something I haven’t experienced since watching The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

It was definitely a fun trip out there and to get away from Chicago for a few days. If you’ve been reading my last few entries, just remember that if you head out to the Vegas desert, check out these spots on top of the other places you see, and don’t take Spirit airlines!

(Except without that whole being executed for treason under the guillotine thing.  I bet that kinda sucked.)

Wow.  Amazing.  That is all I can say to describe this past weekend in Paris.  Paris is a city which affects me more than any other city that I have been to and I could never really articulate why… It is just a feeling and each time I come here (this was my 3rd visit) I have a completely new experience, regardless of whether it is my first or my third visit to the sight.  This weekend was a very special weekend because I was able to meet up with one of my best friends Alison, currently studying abroad in Barcelona, and introduce her to this wonderful city.  Sadly, as I write this post she is already on her way to the airport (I still have an hour wait or so before I jet back off to “reality”).  As I sit here I can feel my body giving into the exhaustion of a weekend of non-stop walking, eating, gawking, and just pure glee and excitement.  I hope that I can make it on and off the plane… (However, if I don’t I would be happy to eat beans and live in a cardboard box here.  I am sure even their beans are doused in butter!)

Yesterday was really our only full day together to sight-see so we decided to make the most of it even if it killed us, our joints, and our shoes.  Started our morning at the Louvre, made a bee-line for the Mona Lisa, wandered around a bit but decided that as guilty as we felt the Louvre, with it’s sheer gargantuan size was overwhelming and we would just have to come to Paris to do it justice!  St. Chapelle and Notre Dame were just as hauntingly beautiful as I remembered with the stained glass and dark stone that takes me right back to the middle ages.  (Yes, of course I remember it.)  We even got to sit in on a Mass!  Lunch was delectable with pumpkin soup, salmon, and ratatouille in a little café with low ceilings off of the Seine and then we started our biggest trek of the day through the Tuilleries, down the Champs-Elysée and up to the Arc de Triomphe.  Apparently driving there is so dangerous that if you get in an accident your insurance is void!  Our last stop of the day was the Eiffel tower, which while impressive during the day was a million times more amazing at night all lit up and sparkly.

Today, mindful of our time constraints we headed off to Musée d’Orsay, enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the former train station, the Van Gogh, Rodin, and Impressionists inside (among many others!).  Our last stop was the Garnier Opera house, which I had never been inside before and it made me wish that we had had more time to actually go and experience an opera or ballet production there…Oh well!  We have already started planning our next visit so it will definitely have to be on the list!

For those of you planning on visiting Paris here is a helpful article written by a traveler looking through the eyes of the 18-19th century:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/travel/22Grimod.html?pagewanted=3&sq=paris%20travel&st=cse&scp=1

I knew there was a reason I’ve studied the French Revolution four times…

p.s.  We should all thank Miss Alison for commandeering my camera and providing the pictures to accompany this post!

17 November 2009 France (final day)

Yes, we’re in Paris and it’s raining! Shades of Rome… Off into Paris on the A.1 to return our trusty Citroen C4 to National Rental Cars. Despite the peak hour morning traffic, which was at a snail’s pace all the way in, we had no trouble locating the Gare du Nord (north railway station), where we were to leave it, but actually getting into the car drop-off area was hideous due to ‘no left turn’ signs. After several circuits of the area, and fraying tempers, we triumph – and enter the sub-terrain six floors underneath the station where it was eerily claustrophobic, depositing the car into its bay.

From there on it was all fun! After purchasing a book of Metro tickets we chose to first visit the Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. Map in hand and on foot now, we hiked uphill via at least 100 steps to the site of the famous Sacre Coeur Cathedral, immediately finding ourselves within a sea of tourists of all nationalities. It was with some surprise that we noticed several women sitting on the ground begging right at the very doors of the cathedral. Although the weather had cleared up somewhat, it was so cold and very hazy and so our photos of the vista from that high place do not show it at its best advantage.

A few paces further and we were right in the Montmartre, or artists’ area, which was just magical! As a very minor artist myself it was wonderful to amble round to study each artist’s style and flair. Many were of an advanced age, too, and apart from  just a few tourists having their portraits drawn, it 

appeared there was little business being done. We did not purchase anything, having no room in our suitcases for extra items and already owning quite enough paintings in any case. We were by now becoming quite hungry but as the prices in the cafes there were rather extortionate (coffees around 5-7 Euros) we descended via a few quite steep streets into another better-priced area. Over Crocque Monsieur (grilled French cheese on toasted bread) and a great salad, we filled our growling tummies. A French couple (Nadine & Erik), originally from Paris but now living in Cannes, sitting at an adjacent table began a conversation with us asking where we were from and they were delightful! We ended up exchanging email addresses and felt they were the kind of people we’d love to catch up with again sometime in the future! The French everywhere are just so friendly!

When in Toulouse we noticed a unique idea, that of a great little business where smart bicycles are attached to a lock on an adjacent pole. Once the required amount of money was paid into a machine in a booth nearby, this would release the bicycle for use! We saw many people riding them as they were a very conspicuous shade of red. In Paris we also saw these racks and racks of bicycles everywhere in a silver colour. Perhaps a bond has to be paid first in order to ensure that the bicycle is returned to a rack.

We again entered the Metro system in order to get as close as we could to the Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs Elysees. There was some nostalgia at this point as we recalled the last time we were near this landmark, in 1992, with both of our daughters, after visiting Barcelona and then Expo in Seville, Spain. Walking a major part of the Champs Elysees, past the expensive designer stores and restaurants, to stand right in front of the Arc de Triomphe, was such an amazing feeling being right there amongst all of that history! So much to see and not enough time right now.

As we also wanted to  revisit the Eiffel Tower that day and the light was beginning to fade somewhat, we hailed a taxi which sped us across the bridge over the River Seine with its huge tourist boats. There it was – the magnificent Eiffel Tower – and we were soon standing right under it! More nostalgia…  In order to ascend the Tower we were first required to undergo a security check, where all personal items are searched, before we were able to queue for tickets to either the 2nd or 3rd level. Being the adrenaline junkies that we are we opted for the latter. Quite some time was spent in queuing, I might add at this point, as there were only two lifts operating instead of the normal four. As the lift began its slow ascent, there were gasps all round from the many tourists and if we thought it was high at the 2nd level we had still another 700 mtrs or so to reach the 3rd level. It was exciting yet scary looking down from that lift, I can tell you. Finally at the top, we were released into an absolutely freezing wind, such cold air, and lucky there is security wire from the railings going right overhead or there would have been many hats and scarves taking off into the wild blue yonder! The most incredible views could be seen of the entire city of Paris and we could pin-point many of the major historic buildings and landmarks. It was dark by the time we had queued for the ride down and all of Paris had put its lights on just for us! We were very lucky to have viewed the city in daylight and in darkness.

After a delicious casual dinner (with wine!) in the Gare du ‘este  (their stations are not like ours – they are very upmarket), we caught the 350 bus back to our Hotel near the airport, arriving about 9.30pm. It had been quite a day, one to remind us that we must come back to Paris again before too long as there is much, much more to see. With suitcases packed up at the ready for our 7.45am departure from the hotel, we fall into bed on our last full day in France.

Let’s have a good look at what we are talking about…by sharing some of the best vantage points to survey these cities. The obvious; in Paris – the Eiffel Tower, in New York – the Empire State Building, of course they give you that panoramic bird’s eye view of your surroundings, though at heights that obscure the finer details. As magnificent as they are, I find many other sites in both cities provide perspectives that are just as breath taking.

The historical restrictions on the height of buildings in central Paris lends itself to having a small number of extraordinary locations, while in New York the availability of so many office towers provides endless opportunities for less common but still striking views assuming you know someone with access to them.

In Paris, you must often climb many steps to be rewarded with such vistas. You can hike up inside the towers of Notre Dame and while communing with the spirit of Quasimodo, gaze down the Seine.  A winding tour of the Pantheon, the final resting place of France’s great men and women, leads you up to a balcony that surrounds its dome. At the top of the Champs-Élysées, in the center of the world’s greatest traffic circle, the Arc de Triomphe will share its majestic view with you. Trek up the famous steps leading to Sacre Coeur where you will be able to take in a grand view overlooking all of Paris. From the Palais de Chaillots looking back across the Seine provides one of the most spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower.

The Galleries Lafayette can lend itself to skyline gazing on its rooftop terrace and the outdoor terraces in the Pompidou and D’Orsay museums offer more modest but still lovely views. The roof top sculpture garden at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY provides a delightful view of its Central Park surroundings.

A boat ride along the Seine offers a comfortable way of obtaining a sea level perspective of the heart of Paris from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame.  In New York the Statue of Liberty provides great views of NY harbor and the downtown financial district, which can also be experienced by taking the free Staten Island Ferry. From Rockefeller Park by the Battery the harbor continues to beckon and is especially captivating at sunset. There are boat tours which circumnavigate the island of Manhattan giving a complete water borne perspective of the island.

In NY driving offers opportunities not readily available by other means. The numerous major bridges surrounding Manhattan each provide dramatic views, especially recommended are the Brooklyn and 59^th street bridges heading into the city. The Brooklyn Queens expressway passing over the Kosciusko Bridge looks out at the entire length of Manhattan.

In both the City of Lights and the City that Never Sleeps try to visit as many of these places after dusk as possible. But the real thrill in exploring these cities will be when you come across an unexpected scene of such beauty that it will stop you in your tracks and leave a big smile of wonder on your face.

I cannot believe it’s been one year since I was in Paris.  Actually a couple weeks over a year, but I remember being in Paris last Halloween.  It wasn’t a big deal then to the Parisiens, and it wasn’t a big deal to the Milanesi the year before when I was living in Italy during Halloween.  This is the first year since 2006 that I have been Stateside for this day.

I began to think about that.  I have felt at a loss for not traveling this year at all.  I was all over the globe for two years, and suddenly I’m fastened down here like I had been forced into a marriage and had a 30-year mortgage shoved down my throat.  I have wanted to travel so much, and only since a month ago have I had the excitement to know I’m going to visit Switzerland and Germany soon enough.  As you know since I can’t quit speaking about it.  lol

I know I have been saving, and that is a good reason to still be in NYC, but for those of you who have traveled and loved it, you know the withdrawal feelings.  I’m like an alcoholic with whiskey still coursing through my veins and having no luck in AA.  I can’t quit thinking about it.  All the places I want to visit, experiences I wish to digest, sights to comb through, smells to inhale by the gallon. . . I need to travel, and I’m not sure why I’m addicted.

I caress the frosted window next to me where I sit curled up on a train that glides across a soft snowfall over the Italian countryside.  My eyes drift lazily over powdered fields and white-dusted olive trees.  The rose streaks of a crisp winter sun that warm their ways through the glass and warm my skin.

Cool, cadet blue waters on the coast of Spain lap against the Catalan shores.  The carefree bodies of locals and those on summer pilgrimage sizzle on beds of hot, bronze sand.  Breezes yawn across the shores and rustle to life multicolored umbrellas and expansive beach blankets.  Naked bodies spread out on the secret patch of beach and absorb even more from the sun, private areas relieved of their tan lines.  And salt, the subtle tang of salt lilts through the air and dances the flamenco with the cavorting trumpets and plucky pianos and snappy snares.

Do you hear the soughing of Parisian accordions?  Do you smell the fresh grains of baguette just pulled from a hot oven?  Do you taste the cool, brisk morning as it opens up across your face where you stand atop l’Arc de Triomphe?  Do you taste the city?  Can you see the monumental buildings locked together around a glass pyramid?  Can you see the frame of the main tower where it needles into the graying sky?  Or the domes and spires of a lone church on the hill to the north of the city?

I could unfold scene after image after shot after photo of the places I have been, but I just want to open my brain into a massive space net, the type that captures solar rays, and just capture the world in images, absorb them into my mind.  I want to see the ice mountains and floes of Iceland; the pine wilderness of Alaska and the rivers that roll through fields of waist-high grass; the steep fjords of Norway and the fingers of navy blue water that flow in from the northern seas; the southern ports of Spain where heated winds billow in from the Straits of Gibralter where the Mediterranean Sea kisses the Atlantic Ocean; the capes of South Africa where the curvature of the Earth can be see from a hill.

I read recently C.S. Lewis discuss his idea of what joy is.  Now, Lewis is one of my favorite authors.  I grew up in Narnia.  But I realized I really agree with his definition.  In Surprised by Joy, he said, “The very nature of Joy makes nonsense of our common distinction between having and wanting.”  I read that then, and I could only agree.  It reminded me of the first time I went to Italy.  That anticipation of going brought so much joy to me.  The weeks leading up to my flight out grew in intensity for me.  I floated on more and more air, walked on clouds, and any other number of euphoric cliches one might care to hurl into this parlance.  As time drew nearer, I began to count in days.  And the joy intensified.  Then it turned into hours as I looked at my luggage.  Finally, the drive to JFK morphed me into a bomb of elation.  But once I landed in Milan, I realized something.

I was there.  I reached the goal.

I still was so happy to be there, but my joy had shifted to just that: happiness.

After that, I realized that I experienced joy in those moments of anticipation, in those moments where my distinction was muddled between having a life in Italy and wanting it.  Does that make sense?  No?  I find it a trick to explain.  It might be best to explain it through the notion that having and wanting something are often confused in our minds.  Sometimes people want something so much, they envision having it before they do.  Sometimes people credit themselves with having something in advance under the near-certain assumption that they will receive it.  Many other “sometimes”’s occur as well, but for this experience for me, it was the first.  I imagined living in Italy before I got there, and that imagination grew.  My joy intensified due to that.  My distinction was muddled.

I thought about the muddling of distinction more, and I began to wonder if a person can exist in that muddling.  I don’t mean in the sense of lunacy, because the definition he proffered doesn’t hold to lunacy, but we are humans.  We are never satisfied.  That means to me that there is always something we want, and we will always have something.  Something being a noun, and a noun being a person, place, thing, or idea for those of us who recall fourth-grade English class.

So I put forth that if one practices enough, one can live in the muddled distinction as if it were a constant high.  Now that makes me wonder what long-term effects might be: numbness to many other emotions? disconnection from normal social interaction? extreme case of level-headedness due to not coming down from that high of soaring above all problems?

Maybe this is a crazy conversation with myself here.  Maybe this whole idea is only clear in my mind.  Maybe some things I just can’t correctly explain.

Maybe someone will be on the same page.

© Copyright 2009 Matt Lawrence

Ich war letztmals zu Allerheiligen 1991 in Paris! Trotzdem und alledem gehört die französische Metropole und Hauptstadt zu meinen Lieblingsstädten in Europa und es wird langsam Zeit, mal wieder ein paar Tage zumindest dort zu verbringen. Allerheiligen steht ja wieder vor der Tür …

Im Folgenden ein paar Features in Wort, Bild und Film.

Was ich besonders mag, das ist Paris bei Nacht. Irgendwo am Gare Saint-Lazare in eine Bar gehen. Vielleicht schon, wenn eigentlich Feierabend ist (aber man kennt mich ja und ich kriege noch ein Bier oder einen Pastisse) …

… vorher in der Nähe in einer Elsässer Brasserie zu Abend essen und einen Schluck nehmen …

… und dann nochmal losziehen Richtung Boulevard Haussmann und Galeries La Fayette. Hineinstürzen ins Nachtleben ohne Sperrstunde.

Auch im November draußen sitzen …

… auf dem Boulevard, das geschäftige Treiben der Nacht beobachten.  Bei Kaffee und Calvados …

Gut, gut, auch die touristischen Sehenswürdigkeiten gehören zu einem Paris-Aufenthalt, wie der Eiffelturm … 

… oder der Elysee-Palast …

Aber, immerhin ist Allerheiligen, da geht man auf die Friedhöfe, gerne besuche ich den Cimetiére Montmartre. Den alten Friedhof des wohl bekanntesten Stadtviertels von Paris. Hier liegen Heinrich Heine (“Denk ich an Deutschland in der Nacht, bin ich um den Schlaf gebracht”) …

Und ganz nebenbei bemerkt: An diesem 1. November des Jahres 1991 bin ich meiner heutigen Frau am Grab von Heinrich Heine auf dem Montmarte-Friedhof zum ersten Mal begegnet. Sie gehörte zu der deutschen Reisegruppe, die Heines Grab besuchte.

… Francois Truffaut …

… und Dalida begraben …

Auch Alexandre Dumas und eine Vielzahl weiterer prominenter Persönlichkeiten. Und, da kommt dann eben doch der Reporter durch, Prominente bleiben auch dann prominent, wenn sie tot sind. Und auch die Fotos ihrer Gräber werden von der Yellow Press verwendet:

Das Grab von Dalida in "Heim und Welt"

Aber auch für Kochbücher über regionale Küchen wird bei solchen Trips fotografiert, denn Lokalkolorit ist immer und überall gefragt:

Und auch die Prachtstraße Champs Elysees mit dem Arc de Triomphe gehören in dieser Zeit der “Stillen Feiertage” im November zum “Pflichtprogramm”.

An der Ewigen Flamme unter dem Triumphbogen gedenkt die französische Nation ihrer Toten aus den Kriegen.

Our Pics from Paris (for registered users only): http://www.franz-roth-pics.de/

P.S.:

Noch was zum “Making of …”

Die Fotos von Paris wurden damals mit zwei analogen Nikon-Kameras fotografiert, meiner uralten F2 von 1976 und der F4. Benutzt habe ich fast durch die Bank ein 28-er und ein 20-er, seltener das 1,4/85 mm und das 2,8/180 mm (z.B. bei den Aufnahmen vom Verkehrschaos am Samstagabend an L’Opera). Kodachrome 64 und Kodachrome 200 waren die Filme.

Nikon F2 und Nikon F4

Nachts auf den Boulevards habe ich nur die F4 (mit 200-er Kodachrome geladen) mit dem 2,8/20 mm Nikkor dabei gehabt. Kamera um den Hals, Hände frei. Bei Personenfotos auf die Leute zugehen und freundlich fragen. Gute alte Reporter-Manier. Nicht “heimlich abschießen”. Das bringt Authentizität, wenn man hautnah dran ist. Denn das Weitwinkel reduziert die Distanz zum Motiv. Deshalb benutze ich auch heute für solche Reportagen nahezu ausschließlich das lichtstarke Sigma-Zoom 17-35 mm an der digitalen Nikon D2H.

Nikon D2H mit Weitwinkelzoom

Der Film (bzw. die Filme) zum “Making of” (in mehreren Teilen):

[ ... mehr von Paris ... ]

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Quoi de plus original que de faire sa gym au milieu du plus grand rond-point de France ?

L’Arc de triomphe, pour un parisien, c’est le monument qu’on ignore par excellence. Et pourtant, il en raconte des choses ! Figurez-vous, d’abord, que chaque pied équivaut au poids de deux tours Eiffel. Et oui ma bonne dame ! Et si l’Arc pouvait parler, il aurait quelques tranches d’Histoire à nous raconter. Comme le passage des cendres de Napoléon Ier sous l’arche, l’enterrement du Soldat inconnu, le défilé de la victoire en 1944… et même le passage de quelques aviateurs entre ses jambes (les fous !)

Mais revenons à nos moutons : nous sommes là pour pratiquer un peu de sport. Voilà ce qui vous attend : 284 marches pas piquées des vers, qu’il faudra s’il vous plaît gravir sans jamais s’arrêter. En haut, un banc vous attend pour récupérer !

Après l’effort, passez aux activités proposées par le musée. La présentation a été entièrement revue il y a un an environ, et dans l’ensemble, c’est plutôt bien foutu. Vous pouvez déjà vous promener sur un planisphère pour découvrir les Arcs de triomphe du monde entier. Dans la salle de l’Attique au niveau supérieur, des écrans relatent l’histoire de l’Arc. Mais le plus ludique est certainement cet arc miniature dont on s’empare, et que l’on peut tourner à sa guise pour zoomer sur des sculptures du monument. En fonction de votre choix, l’écran dévoile l’histoire du détail que vous avez choisi.

Enfin, allez respirer l’air de la place de l’Etoile sur le toit, et surtout admirer l’autre arche qui fait face au loin, dans le quartier de la Défense. Vous aurez peut-être même la chance d’essayer les nouvelles lunettes d’observation à “réalité augmentée” : en fonction de l’endroit où vous regardez, les jumelles indiquent automatiquement le nom des bâtiments et présentent même des images d’archives de diverses époques (elles n’étaient pas encore installées quand j’y suis allée, si quelqu’un les a testé je suis curieuse de connaître votre avis !)

Et ni une ni deux, il faut redescendre les trente mille millions de marches pour rejoindre la terre ferme, puis aller faire un petit salut au Soldat inconnu. Et lever la tête, pour observer les détails du plafond.

Supplément crânerie : l’Arc de triomphe, ça a été inventé pour triompher, c’est évident pensez-vous ! Que nenni. L’Arc de triomphe, à l’époque des Romains, avait une toute autre fonction. Lorsque les troupes rentraient des campagnes militaires, elles devaient déposer toutes leurs armes au pied de l’édifice, puis passer sous l’Arc. C’était une manière d’abandonner le costume de guerrier pour redevenir un simple citoyen. Très vite, cette signification fut oubliée et les Arcs furent érigés pour glorifier les victoires.

Truc utile (quoique cela peut aussi vous servir pour crâner) : Vous voulez éblouir votre entourage ? Attendez le 7 février, le 10 mai, le 1er août ou le 4 novembre (environ, hein) et placez-vous dans l’axe de l’Arc de triomphe. Les 10 mai et 1er août, en étant du côté des Champs-Elysées, vous pourrez admirer un coucher de soleil pile entre les pieds de l’Arc ! Les 7 février et 4 novembre, avis aux lève-tôt : en se plaçant du côté de la porte Maillot, vous assisterez au lever dans l’axe de l’Arc. Attention, le spectacle ne dure que quelques minutes, soyez à l’heure !

http://arc-de-triomphe.monuments-nationaux.fr/

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