Ooooooh Champs Elysee

Just a little something to pass the time.

Well hello!

So, while the first two days of Paris were absolutely exquisite, the next two days.. not so much.  But it does end on a happy note!  So keep reading, if you’d care.

On Monday, our entire group took a walking tour around Paris.  Surprisingly, most of the big sights like the Louvre, the Tuilleries Gardens, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Pont Neuf, Notre Dame, and more are really close together.  Who needs the metro??  Our guide was pretty fun and knowledgeable about everything.  One of my favorite stories was about the man who assassinated Kind Henri IV. 

Now this king, though born Protestant, was probably one of France’s all time favorite kings.  So when his murderer was apprehended, the French decided that execution was not enough (and this, coming from the French).  Instead (beware, this is a bit PG-13), they took a hammer and smashed all the bones in his hands, cut up his body and poured hot lead into the wounds, and then they drew?  drawed? (whatever) and quartered him, a.k.a. they tied each arm and leg to a different horse and sent them running off in different directions.  And we think lethal injection is inhumane..

After that, I went with some girls who wanted to go shopping on the world renowned Champs Elysee.  I didn’t want to buy anything at those prices, but how cool is it to say, “Oh yes, I shop at the Champs Elysee.”   For those of you wondering what this weird word is (pronounced “shAms Aleesay”), it’s one of the various wide boulevards created by Napoleon III to de-stink Paris and is filled with only the highest end name brands such as Gucci, Louis Vitton, etc.  However, we did find an Abercrombie & Fitch.  It was enclosed by ginormous golden gates with two extremely attractive models/bouncers standing guard outside.  Ridiculous?  Not to the Parisians!

The packed, wide sidewalks of Les Champs Elysee

Hey, my birthday's coming up, remember?

You can only stare at things you’ll never afford for so long though.  The more practical minded of us went and sat down under the Arc de Triomphe (our dogs were barkin’) while the others continued to shop.  FOREVER.

 So I've heard that pictures taken from below make you look fat.  Well, this guy was like on the ground.  I couldn't agree more..

 Trying to get all artsy with the editing settings on my camera

 Inside L'Arc de Triomphe!

All of the ceilings here are so pretty!

Next comes my least favorite part of the whole trip (the whole 4 days of it) thus far.  I don't really know why I went- probably because it's ridiculous to go to bed at 10 in Paris or maybe because Moulin Rouge has grown on me- anyways, I went with a couple of girls to the red light district to check it out.  However, we were the ones being checked out.  I felt like a piece of meat.  Immediately, you could feel the spirit leave.  There wasn't a sign to be found without the words "erotic" or "porn" on it.  Not may favorite spot in Paris, and can't say I'll be going back any time soon.  Sick.

It's not called the red light district for no reason

The next day's adventures turned out somewhat better.  A group of us went to le Musee d'Orsay, a HUGE (though not as large as the Luvre) art exhibit in the heart of Paris.  Here, I viewed more portraits and sculptures of nude men and women than I have cumulatively in my life and learned in a most embarrassing manner that pictures are not allowed in museums.  To bad the French word for picture is "photo", otherwise I might have been able to pull a "dumb American".

Oh ya know, just ANOTHER music group serenading the ladies.

 Inside le Musee d'Orsay

"I like the different types of stone this guy used."  About the extent of my knowledge of art.

My favorite picture.  This time I actually figured out that the security people were yelling at me.

After that, I struck out on my own to explore.  I ended up in the Opera district where I found some BEAUTIFUL "les eglises" (churches) and an apparently popular macaroon shop.  A box of 14 was like 65 euros.  What?!  I still haven't looked up why it's so famous, but everyone was taking pictures, so I decided to take some too.

We ended the night all going out to dinner for Emily's birthday to this cute little restaurant, Le Chatlier, designed like a train station.  The food wasn't bad, but it wasn't up to par with everything else I've been eating (which is a lot).  However, the company was great.  All the girls in my group are way nice, and while I definitely have more in common with some rather than others, I like them all.

So despite the few low points, it's been another fantastic two days in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Feast your eyes  :)

Le Musee d'Orsay from across the Seine

 If you look hard, you can see the Egyptian Obelisk, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower even farther behind.

 Jardin Tuileries.  When a queen wants a garden, she gets a garden.  Can't wait to go running here!

 Entrance to the Louvre and the not so "invisible" pyramids.

 The Lauderee and their cher desserts

 Eglise de La Madeleine

 So beautiful

 Hopefully I'll be coming again on Friday to hear a Beethoven concert!

 Eglise Saint Augustin

"God only can be the response to the search for the truth and the love that every man bears in himself."

- Saint Augustine

Just a typical street in Paris.  No big.