Corndogs + Avocados

On day two we took a city tour in a chartered coach. Very pleasant way to see the city on a freezing cold day. Saw more buildings and monuments than I can remember. But I do know that this is the Louvre. (Luckily I had been inside on a previous trip. I loved “Winged Victory” and the Egypt room.)

I also remember that this is the Conciergerie, the palace turned prison, where Marie Antoinette spent her last days. Our tour guide at Versailles the day before defended every attack on the beheaded former queen. It was very interesting.

We did stop for a photo op at ye ol’ Eiffel Tower. Everyone shuffled off the bus, snapped a photo and shot back on. Brrrrr!

Next stop, Notre Dame.

I love this shot.

I love it for pigeon man in the background.

That night we motored up and down the River Seine in a Bateau-Mouche (boat designed to navigate in shallow waters). I don’t care how touristy the Bateaux-Mouches are, it was really cool. Actually, it was freezing. I didn’t budge from my seat.

The most striking sight had to be the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. When we drove right up next to it I was on the far side of the boat and thought I’d have a great chance of getting a good shot on the return trip. Much to my chagrin the sparkles are only on for the first 10 minutes of every hour, so I lost my chance. Instead, I got this much lamer video of the sparkling tower from outer space when the lights went on again.

Click here for Liz’s lame video.

Luckily for you, you can go here and see better footage.

The next morning we barely made our reservation to go up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower (there are three levels). It is a phenomenal view. Even on a nasty, windy, freezing day I highly recommend it!

While I absolutely recommend going as far up the Eiffel Tower as you can (you have to get a reservation long in advance if you are in a group of 3 million like we were), I’m afraid I can’t recommend the hot chocolate. At least not for any gastronomic merits. It did however warm me right up and it was good enough that I nearly bought a second cup.

I’m sure if I were a commuter on the train every day I wouldn’t have been as enamored, but I really loved these guys on the horns. Long live metro entertainment!

In the afternoon we had more free time just before dinner. Most everyone wanted to shop, but I wanted to return to one of the only places I remember vividly from my blurry trip through Europe in college. The Panthéon.

On the way there I walked past the Théâtre de l’Odéon where these skateboarders were getting their groove on.

The Panthéon, begun in 1758 as a church dedicated to Sainte-Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, by King Louis XV (because prayers to her resulted in his being cured), it is now a more secular building housing the remains of national heroes, authors, scientists, and philosophers.

Flowers were for sale to raise funds for cancer cure research.

A pendulum.

Victor Hugo is here, as is Voltaire, and Marie Curie.

But my favorite part of this building by far are the three murals depicting scenes from the life of Joan of Arc. I was so moved by them 11 years ago that I had to come back. I think that whenever I am in Paris in the future I will come here. There is just something about them and her. If I ever get to have teen-aged daughters I want to make sure we come here.

Next morning we headed for the train station to take the TGV, literally, the “very fast train.”

Now, if I ever find myself needing to be at that train station again, I’m going to plan enough time to eat here, just inside the front doors and up the stairs.

Regardez! Le fromage! (Look! Cheese!)

Regardez! Un chat! (Look! A cat!) Qu’est-ce qui se passe? (What’s going on here?)

View from restaurant.

Cafeteria on board the train. Pretty sleek, no?