Of course, the most recognizable is the Eiffel Tower. Although it was intended to be a temporary structure when built for the 1889 World's Fair, it has proved to be very enduring indeed! According to Wikipedia, The Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognizable structures and is the most-visited paid monument in the world. It seemed every tourist in Paris must have been there the day we visited! It was very crowded.
The little cars that take you to the first platform are quite small when seen nestled in all the ironwork.
They are powered by these huge pistons that hiss and move as the cars go up and down.
You can also see the big red wheel at the top that acts like a pulley to move the cars up and down.
In case you feel nervous about relying on mechanical devices, there are steps, too. It's only 600 steps to the second level!
I liked this girl's choice of dress for the event! (Even tough it's a bad photo, I thought it share-worthy.)
It's a lot of metal!
We were fortunate to have such a beautiful clear day.
We stopped first at the second level and began to see why the grass below had such a 'burnt' look to it.
Perhaps this lawn painting should have been included in my street art post. According to Google it is called 'Beyond Walls' and depicts a chain of intertwined hands, inspired by rescuers and volunteers at an organization called SOS Mediterranean.
As you can see, it is very extensive - 1.5 km, which is just under a mile. It is biodegradable and will eventually disappear on its own. It had only recently been unveiled, so I was glad to see it fresh.
You can see the new Louis Vuitton Foundation art museum and cultural center in the midst of the Bois de Boulogne. The modern city structures behind, look as if they are itching to get into the old historic Paris, with its four to five story height limitations. I learned that this height was chosen because that's all the fire hoses could reach. I thought that was good thinking!
Notre Dame is still there. Apart from all the construction buildings surrounding her, she looks almost normal from the front, although glass from the windows has been removed.
From across the Seine, the fire damage is very evident.
It is hard to imagine how a fire gets going in a place that seems so very rocky and metallic. Estimates on the time it will take to repair vary from the five years Macron (their President) wants so that it's finished for the Olympics in 2024, to never in our lifetime!
Not far from Notre Dame is the lovely Saint Chapelle, which was consecrated in 1248. Its beautiful blue and gold ceiling appears to float on top of a sea of stained glass. We had been told by another traveler that it is the most beautiful church in Europe and I found it hard to disagree with him.
One enters into a lower chapel, which seemed sufficient unto itself in my mind.
I could feel the age of this place dripping off the walls. Constant restoration is required.
The rich colors and lines of the ceiling here were breathtaking.
This structure was commissioned by King Louis IX to house Christian relics. This is a statue to commemorate him. I liked the way the light fell on it. He was sanctified by the Catholic Church in 1297. He is the only French king to be declared a saint.
It was difficult to photograph the outside of Saint Chapelle. There was construction and it was surrounded by other buildings, so one could not step back to get a perspective. As with all other locations in Paris, the crush of people everywhere caused me to lift my lens high. Then with the interminable cell-phones being raised above heads.........., not to mention the selfies. Often I thought their phones were doing a better job than my camera!
While wandering around near Isle de la Cité, Robin and I walked the Left Bank. It was not a day when most of the vendors were open, but we got the flavor.
We did circle L' Arc de Triomphe in a bus tour - and as you see, so did many others!
One of the final stops in wandering with Robin Lashley was the splendid Galeries Lafayette.
I understand now why it has 'Galeries' in its name, This stunning, high end department store felt almost like being in an opera house with it's tiers and domed roof.
The shaping in this view reminded me of the organic pods we had seen at the very beginning of our trip in the Pierre Boulet Hall at the Philharmonie.
On our last evening, the entire choral group took a dinner cruise on the Seine. The angle of the sun was beautiful.
The way the setting sun caught some of the modern buildings was fabulous.
 |
| L-R: Craig Moore, Jane and Bob Lindberg |
We had a lot of fun eating and drinking. Jane is the Director of the Island Chamber Singers, and provided us the opportunity to enjoy this trip, and her husband, Bob, did much of the hard work organizing it. I thank them both frim the bottim of my heart.
I discovered there were many others along the banks of the Seine having a good time.
Others were enjoying some solitude in the late evening sun.
There were all sorts of venues for parties.......and weddings?
It was a perfectly wonderful way to end the evening............
...........and say goodbye to this popular city.
The whole trip through your lens and commentary was delightful. Thank you.
ReplyDelete