Paris - April 2011

I love Paris in the Spring time - that is so true - they even wrote a song about it!

Its hard to believe that Dale had to talk me into going with him. I was waiting for him to head off to work so I could start sorting and packing in earnest, but then off he goes to Paris. And the weather was even better than Cyprus. How could I resist?

Then reality hit the minute we landed and he got a call to fly off to Milan!!! Fortunately it was just a day trip and I caught up on my emails and reading. Whew! The rest of the week was very quiet and we strolled leisurely around Paris and took in sights we had missed, not to mention some very specific shopping and even a street market.

I was very glad to have gone online and checked out the Catacombs before we went. They are fascinating but very macabre. Apparently there are 6, yes six, yes 1/2 dozen - million skeletons 20 metres underground, collected from churches and graveyards around the city. The whole tunnel system, including the Metro is around 300 kilometres long.

Here is a site with lots more info and a second sight with great pictures -

http://www.placesinfrance.com/catacombs_paris_france.html

http://www.google.com/search?q=catacombs+paris&hl=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=NkShTYf3B8u4hAfjr7yQBQ&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=1227&bih=668

Now on to more pleasant sightseeing. Our hotel was on Rue St. Jacques, which is quite a ways from the Arc de Triomphe, so we decided that we could visit several landmarks just walking around. From our room we could see the Pantheon, the Eglise Royale du Val de Grace, St. Sulpice and the Palais de Luxembourg. It was a glorious day and very fitting to meander through the Luxembourg Gardens with an ice cream.

My last day was a recap of all our visits. We started at the Eiffel Tower and took a river cruise on the Seine, complete with crepes. It was great to reminisce and thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the day. It was also wonderful to be warm in Paris.

The following are some great sites to look up and you will get a better idea of the sights we saw. The photos are great and much better than anything we could capture.

Pantheon - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panthéon,_Paris

http://www.google.com/search?q=pantheon+paris&hl=en&prmd=ivnscm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=U1ahTZ-qL9SahQe1gM2OBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1227&bih=668

Val de Grace - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val-de-Grâce

http://www.google.com/search?q=val+de+grace+paris&hl=en&prmd=ivnsmo&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=XEahTZC5NM-2hAed_N2HBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=1227&bih=668

St. Sulpice - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Église_Saint-Sulpice,_Paris

http://www.google.com/search?q=st.+sulpice+paris&hl=en&prmd=ivnscm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=okehTbzBN8GnhAec69SSBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CHIQsAQ&biw=1227&bih=668

Palais de Luxembourg - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg_Palace

http://www.google.com/search?q=palais+de+luxembourg+paris&hl=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=IEihTcLDN4u5hAfo3NX3BA&ved=0CF8QsAQ&biw=1227&bih=668