Au Revoir Paris
Phew! Finally a chance to post!
I've made it to Marseille in one piece after a wonderful week in Paris with Thorri. It was horrible to say goodbye to him yesterday, but I'm trying not to dwell on it. I have a month to see Europe, and then we will be together again! Two whole months together in Australia before Real Life takes over again.
Last time I updated I told you about the Louvre and some other stuff. I'm going to give you a brief overview of the other sights that Thorri and I took in while we were in Paris.
The day after we went to the Louvre was a Friday, and we just couldn't wake up. We didn't leave the house until after lunch! But we managed to go see the Eiffel tower and Napoleon's tomb, walk over some beautiful bridges (one had golden statues on pillars!) and enjoy a lovely dinner.
After our meal we climbed to the top of the Eiffel tower. By taking the stairs part of the way we skipped some waiting we otherwise would have had to do, and made it up in time to see the sunset from a beautiful vantage point. Once we made it to the highest place we were allowed to go the sun had set, and we were able to enjoy the sparkling city lights.
Saturday was spent exploring the area around a church called Sacré-Coeur. We checked out the church itself, and the beautiful surrounding area. Thorri even decided we should have our portrait taken by a persistent street artist. He wasn't too bad, but I would have wanted to haggle over the price. It was a nice experience, though. Sitting in the shadow of the beautiful church, listening to a street-musician play the harmonica, and letting a funny old French guy draw to his heart's content.
On Sunday it was time to get out of the city. We took the train to Versailles and spent nearly an hour waiting to get into the palace. It was well worth the wait, though. I really loved the opulent rooms and the over-the-top decorations. My favourite rooms were the Hall of Mirrors and the Queen's bed chamber. However, the best thing about Versailles were the gardens. They were stunning!
And to think that we nearly didn't go look at them! (It had been raining while we were inside the palace, and it was a bit windy when we finally got out.)
I was a bit exhausted by the time Monday rolled around, but I gamely went with Thorri to explore the Notre Dame and the surrounding area anyway. The inside of the Notre Dame was just as impressive as the outside, although Thorri did not like the contemporary art pieces that had been inserted here and there. I was particularly taken with the Rose Windows.
We also looked at St. Eustache and walked be the Pompidou museum. (What a strange looking building!)
Since I was so tired we kind of ended up in a little garden which is situated at the tip of one of the islands in Seine. We cuddled up on a bench and I think I must have fallen fast asleep! At least for a few minutes. Then we wandered over to a willow tree at the very edge of the island, and sat there for a while, looking at the river.
Our last full day in Paris, Tueday, was meant to be spent exploring the Catacombs. But after nearly two hours in line, and much more to go, we gave it up as a bad job. Next time we have to wake up earlier! They stop letting people in at four in the afternoon, and the line we were in would have lasted well past that time according to our calculations.
We went shopping instead! And got cocktails! And after some time at the hotel, making ourselves look pretty, we went to a fancy restaurant and treated ourselves to a delicious Parisian meal. If it weren't for my crazy appetite for ice cream, it would have been a perfect evening. But as we walked home through the Marais, enjoying the beautiful streets, I noticed the famous ice cream vendor, Berthillon, was open. I decided we should taste such famous ice cream. Unfortunately there were nuts in the ice cream (although the flavours we ordered don't usually come with nuts in them), and I ended up with very puffy lips for most of the evening. As it wasn't more serious, it was really kind of funny, but it definitely spoiled the mood a little.
But the Notre Dame was so beautiful, and the Seine was so still, that we soon forgot all about it. ♥
Yesterday was truly our last day. Thorri had to leave for the airport soon after we woke up, but I was able to stay longer since my train left in the evening. Paris said goodbye to us by giving us beautiful weather, almost as if it were tempting us to stay. I tried not to miss Thorri too horribly (although I let myself wallow with a cocktail for a while) and did some tourist stuff. But eventually the weather tempted me to settle down in the gorgeous little park next to the Hotel Esmeralda - where Thorri and I stayed for our last two nights in Paris - to read and enjoy the view.
I've made it to Marseille in one piece after a wonderful week in Paris with Thorri. It was horrible to say goodbye to him yesterday, but I'm trying not to dwell on it. I have a month to see Europe, and then we will be together again! Two whole months together in Australia before Real Life takes over again.
Last time I updated I told you about the Louvre and some other stuff. I'm going to give you a brief overview of the other sights that Thorri and I took in while we were in Paris.
The day after we went to the Louvre was a Friday, and we just couldn't wake up. We didn't leave the house until after lunch! But we managed to go see the Eiffel tower and Napoleon's tomb, walk over some beautiful bridges (one had golden statues on pillars!) and enjoy a lovely dinner.
After our meal we climbed to the top of the Eiffel tower. By taking the stairs part of the way we skipped some waiting we otherwise would have had to do, and made it up in time to see the sunset from a beautiful vantage point. Once we made it to the highest place we were allowed to go the sun had set, and we were able to enjoy the sparkling city lights.
Saturday was spent exploring the area around a church called Sacré-Coeur. We checked out the church itself, and the beautiful surrounding area. Thorri even decided we should have our portrait taken by a persistent street artist. He wasn't too bad, but I would have wanted to haggle over the price. It was a nice experience, though. Sitting in the shadow of the beautiful church, listening to a street-musician play the harmonica, and letting a funny old French guy draw to his heart's content.
On Sunday it was time to get out of the city. We took the train to Versailles and spent nearly an hour waiting to get into the palace. It was well worth the wait, though. I really loved the opulent rooms and the over-the-top decorations. My favourite rooms were the Hall of Mirrors and the Queen's bed chamber. However, the best thing about Versailles were the gardens. They were stunning!
And to think that we nearly didn't go look at them! (It had been raining while we were inside the palace, and it was a bit windy when we finally got out.)
I was a bit exhausted by the time Monday rolled around, but I gamely went with Thorri to explore the Notre Dame and the surrounding area anyway. The inside of the Notre Dame was just as impressive as the outside, although Thorri did not like the contemporary art pieces that had been inserted here and there. I was particularly taken with the Rose Windows.
We also looked at St. Eustache and walked be the Pompidou museum. (What a strange looking building!)
Since I was so tired we kind of ended up in a little garden which is situated at the tip of one of the islands in Seine. We cuddled up on a bench and I think I must have fallen fast asleep! At least for a few minutes. Then we wandered over to a willow tree at the very edge of the island, and sat there for a while, looking at the river.
Our last full day in Paris, Tueday, was meant to be spent exploring the Catacombs. But after nearly two hours in line, and much more to go, we gave it up as a bad job. Next time we have to wake up earlier! They stop letting people in at four in the afternoon, and the line we were in would have lasted well past that time according to our calculations.
We went shopping instead! And got cocktails! And after some time at the hotel, making ourselves look pretty, we went to a fancy restaurant and treated ourselves to a delicious Parisian meal. If it weren't for my crazy appetite for ice cream, it would have been a perfect evening. But as we walked home through the Marais, enjoying the beautiful streets, I noticed the famous ice cream vendor, Berthillon, was open. I decided we should taste such famous ice cream. Unfortunately there were nuts in the ice cream (although the flavours we ordered don't usually come with nuts in them), and I ended up with very puffy lips for most of the evening. As it wasn't more serious, it was really kind of funny, but it definitely spoiled the mood a little.
But the Notre Dame was so beautiful, and the Seine was so still, that we soon forgot all about it. ♥
Yesterday was truly our last day. Thorri had to leave for the airport soon after we woke up, but I was able to stay longer since my train left in the evening. Paris said goodbye to us by giving us beautiful weather, almost as if it were tempting us to stay. I tried not to miss Thorri too horribly (although I let myself wallow with a cocktail for a while) and did some tourist stuff. But eventually the weather tempted me to settle down in the gorgeous little park next to the Hotel Esmeralda - where Thorri and I stayed for our last two nights in Paris - to read and enjoy the view.