Six-fifteen came, well for some of us that’s always, early Tuesday morning, as we boarded a bus for Pancras Station, which is right by Kings Cross Station, for our Eurostar train to Paris. Excitement for visiting that city was high, or was that of caffeine? We went through the tunnel and to Paris arriving about 1:00 pm.
We were met by our bus and went immediately to “work!” We went into the heart of Paris and did several “drive bys!” and a few step offs for pictures…and some coffee and a restroom break. We’ll get to do tours of several of these places later, either guided or on our free time!
As we viewed these places, our excellent tour guide filled us in with the common history and some not so well known, but interesting facts!
We started at the National Academy of Music, the magnificent theatre built by Nepolean to help influence the superiority of arts in France. The nearby Hotel des Invalides, which was a veterns hospital in the 18th century. Now, it is a military museum and buriel place for Napoleon! Then a trip to the Etoile, to see the Arc de Triomphe. I could just imagine Hitler parading through the Arch with “Bulldog” Churchill nipping at his heels, being followed by de Gaulle picking up white flags! A drive through the courtyards of the surprisingly massive Lourve, spurred anticipation for our tour to come. We swung around the Eiffel Tower and over the Seine to the Trocodaro to get a good view for photos! Then we saw more sights as we headed for our hotel, where our tour guide arranged to show us the “ropes” of using the Metro subway, and we took dinner and adventure on our own.
Did I have a great adventure! As our school faculty leader, Dr. Jenkins, needs us to buddy up, I joined with an energetic and fun young lady named Breck, for adventure. We found an authentic little Bistro in the heart of Paris, for a taste of “Paree!” We enjoyed something authentic, her, a crepe dish, and I, a light meal of authentic “French onion soup,” and escargot! Beck turned down my offer of a sample of the snails!
Now, the fun! We then found our way to Eiffel Tower. Arriving about nine p. m., the hourly light display began as we approached. The whole thing erupted into the dazzling effects of thousands of strobe lights randomly firing off all over the tower! It looked like a 1000 meter tall sparkler! Beck and I bought tickets for the top! And what a thrill! The view is UN-explainable! Just the “City of Lights” scattered for as far as we could see. All the landmarks stood out under their own lights, adding to the wonder of it! We should all be greatful for Mr. Eiffel for guiding this wonder to fruition, then, with some chicanery, keeping it from being removed after its World Fair lifetime was up! We then purchased fruit filled crepes at a stand and devoured our desert as we headed to the Metro stop!
I felt as I have seen Paris!
next, an inspiring report on our tour of The Palace of Versailles!
(I’m hoping to get information to overcome bugaboos in posting pictures. Then I’ll post them “aplenty!”)