To everyone’s surprise we had very little planned today. Mike wanted to go into the 4th district and I was thinking of Chinatown; because it was Sunday we decided to go to the Eiffel Tower today.
I’ve been sick the last couple days but once we got outside I started feeling better. High of +4, low of -4C. We walked along the Seine going westward.
As usual Musee d’Orsay was crazy lined up. It’s hard not to compare when we were last here in August ’08 when there was barely a line and we basically walked in with our museum pass. Is it better to go when the crowds are less, many stores are closed/under renovation and locals are gone or when all stores are open, the museums are crowded, the streets are more alive and we have to keep an eye out on poop more readily?
We passed by what we’ve heard is the smallest apartment house in Paris,
The smallest apartment in Paris? I'd have no trouble believing it.
the National Assembly, and Grand Palais with the wonderful Pont Alexandra III (bridge).
Grand Palais with Pont Alexandra III
From there we walked towards Les Invalides,
walking through the square,
going to the second floor that showed statues and more cannons.
Napoleon from behind
And then we stepped through St-Louis-des-Invalides church for the first time. I hope Mike got some good pictures because at the altar there’s a glass backing and there was more intricacies behind the glass.
Only a few minutes away we took loads of pictures and videos as we walked up the park to the Eiffel Tower.
There were dozens upon dozens of individual street vendors walking around selling miniature towers, even just at the doorway of the official Eiffel Tower store. To which the store was a bit disappointing as I was hoping it was bigger and had a better range of items. I think the stores in the actual tower are better but I didn’t plan on queuing up. Although now that I re-look at their website, maybe I’m better off.
We were near Cite de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine when we went in to warm up as we also noticed the words ‘free entry’ on a sign just outside the doors.
There were over 6000 casts of sculptures made between the late 19th and early 20th century. Casts were of sculptures from all periods all over there world. It was impressive to see how big they originally were and it was nice to get up close to them. Every time I’m close to such sculptural details I get the desire to try and reproduce them in clay. Although I’m not good at clay at all, it’s similar to how I think if I get my hands on a a viola and really focus I will suddenly know how to play it so naturally that I will impress all national leaders and I will tell Mike ‘I told you so.’
So anyways we took a slow walk back home and picked up some miscellaneous items of chocolates and 6×1.5L Badoit bottles. Thinking of places around us we took pictures of some display windows of the Paris Mint that’s right around the corner from us.
Everyday we walk up 103 steps to get to our cozy apartment and I think everyday Mike gets a little bit slower.
~Lily
