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Paris! (Day 1 - actually 26 Jan.)

2008.01.25
Armelle figures out our Metro route to get to the hop-on-hop-off bus. Her hair kind of matches the decor.

"Je voudrais une croissant." (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=X5hrUGFhsXo) Omg! We laughed all day about that video!

Statue of Charlemagne outside Notre Dame. Neato sun!

NOTRE DAME!

Armelle, taking a picture of me taking a picture of her.

MOI @ NOTRE DAME!

I'm starting to get the hang of these big, touristy church places. Got some good practice in Italy. ...And might I just say WOW! So beautiful!

Natural and artificial lighting; sunlight through stained glass, candles, and wee electric lights.

I like the spotlight effect, even if it is a bit low. Psst! Father, are you ready for your close-up?

So pretty!

2 € to leave an offering candle, btw.

...and further in, the 5 € offerings. [Picture taken by Armelle.]

[Another picture taken by Armelle.]


An actual sermon going on, I believe. Not the big, international mass in the center of the cathedral. Maybe just for local people, not sure.

Statue of Joan of Arc.

St. George, slaying the very wee dragon. Quite dramatic with the lighting, however! [Armelle's picture.]

In my picture he looks like he's playing Whack-A-Mole.

Everywhere you turn, something beautiful.

Model of Notre Dame, inside Notre Dame. Sadly, I forgot to check to see if there was a model inside the model.

I'm not quite sure what the little dioramas and models were supposed to be illustrating. (Well, there's a manger and a donkey and a baby, so this one seems pretty clear.) I didn't get a guide book. : / It was all pretty neat, though, what with photographic backgrounds that changed and soft colored lighting. Quite mystical and lovely!

Someone got too excited at the prospect of visiting the city of lights and lost his head. (I believe that may be St. Denis, the first bishop of Paris, beheaded by pagan Romans.)

Too bad it's day time. This would be great for a Tim Burton movie. Just add full moon and a puppet for complete, spooky effect. Oh, and disembodied green hands. Those are extra spooooky!


Couple of steps to the left or right and it's like you're looking at an entirely different building. Just gorgeous, all of it.

We learned later that each of the bells have their own names. We didn't go up inside the towers, however. Must return!

Bouquinistes along the Seine. (http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/france/bouquinistes.htm) This brought back fond childhood memories for Armelle. Me, I wanted to buy lots of pictures and tchotchkes, but restrained myself.

A view from the hop-on-hop-off bus.

Disembodied green hands on the hop-on-hop-off bus. Spoooooky! (See, I told you!) [Armelle's photo.]

Armelle and me on the bus. [Armelle's picture; her arms are longer. ;) ]

Day 1 of my very fast weekend visit to Paris. My friend, Armelle, came up from Bordeaux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordeaux) to do gleeful touristy things with me. Despite being French, she has not spent much time in Paris, so there was a lot of discovery and silliness for both of us. And of course, she was also able to read all the Metro and RER signs and speak to the waiters and such. Double bonus!

(There were simply too many pictures to fit on one day, so I've put part one on the day I arrived in Paris, even though I didn't get there until night time. ;)
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