Saturday, June 2, 2007

Paris! 29th - 31st May











"I love Paris in the springtime, I love Paris in the fall...." What can we say other than we agree with Ella !!! Paris is fabulous! The people, the icons, even the gypsies who try to scam tourists.. it's all so interesting and, like London, there's never a dull moment!!! The only thing we didn't like about Paris... the dodgy Contiki hotel in the seediest part of the city !!! But enough grumbling, back to the fabulous 'gaye Parie' !!

We survived many bus trips around, and around, and around the Arc de Triomphe... just! The roundabout circling this famous landmark has 12 roads leading into it and has only one rule... that you let other cars onto the roundabout.. This means it's almost impossible to get back OFF! (in fact, there were moments there where we wondered if this might be the only view we got of Paris!!)

What trip to Paris would be complete without a ride up the Eiffel Tower for a birds eye view of this beautiful city (originally only proposed to remain a momument for 20 years by which time it was too convenient as a broadcast antennae so it remained - even though the Parisians apparently hated it!)

We also visited The Louvre (originally separate palaces that Napolean joined together to make one MASSIVE palace). The Palace of Versailles, Notre Darme, Louis Vitton and all the TO-DIE-FOR shops along the Champs Elysee !!!

We also attended a performance at Moulin Rouge !! It was a 'spectacular, spectacular' (for those who have seen the movie!) and certainly a highlight of our trip.. It was kinda like a nudie "Kylie" concert on steroids.. so much to see !!! At one point a massive pool filled with live snakes arose from the floor for one of the girls to jump into !!! There was a strongman, an amazing balancing act and even a guy playing the drums by popping ping pong galls out of his mouth... all kinds of weird and wonderful stuff !! Dunc especially will treasure the mammories, erh, I mean, the "memories" forever !!!

p.s The French are so proud of their language remaining 'unadulterated' by English and other languages, they employ 40 people full time dedicated to making up French words to replace English words that may have crept into their language !!!
Photos:

Very top: Out the front of Moulin Rouge
One under that: Inside Notre Dame
Next one: One of the locals? On a bridge just next to Notre Dame
Then: The National Opera Theartre. This building, among many others in Paris, has features gilded in gold.
How could you miss him?: Kensington taking in a view of Paris (including the Arc de Triomphe) atop of the Eiffel Tower.
One up from the very bottom: Gardens at Versailles Palace
Very bottom: A huge antenna right in the middle of Paris!

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