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THURS IN PARIS. WE TOOK A 3 HOUR TOUR BUS AND WENT EVERYWHERE IN PARIS. WE SAW THE BEAUTIFUL BLDGS. WITH ALL THE SCULPTURES AND THE PALACES AND MORE. NEAR THE OPERA WERE ARTISTS ALL ALONG THE SIDEWALK, SCETCHING AND PAINTING AND SELLING THEIR WORK. SOME VERY INEXPENSIVELY AND SOME NOT. THERE WAS SO MUCH GOLD AND STATUARY MOST OF IT HAD GREAT HISTORICAL MEANING. WE HAD EARPHONES SO WE COULD HEAR THE TOUR IN ENGLISH. GOING TO THE ARCH DE TRIUMPH WAS VERY MOVING AND THE EIFFEL TOWER IN THE DAYLIGHT ( WE SAW IT ALSO LITE UP AT NIGHT) WAS TERMENDOUSLY EXCITING. I HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS SO MASSIVE SINCE IT LOOKS QUITE SMALL ON TV. THERE ARE PARKS EVERYWHERE VERY BEAUTIFUL. A LOT OF THINGS WERE BUILT TO HONOR NAPOLEON AND IMAGINE THAT MANY STILL EXIST TODAY. THE MADELIENE CASTLE AND OTHERS WERE SO OPPULENT THAT IT WAS BEYOND BELIEF. THE PALACE AT VARSILLE IS HOSTING A SILVER COLLECTION BELONGING TO THE ROYALTY FROM ALL OVER EUROPE. IT IS QUITE EXQUISTE AND ORNATE. NON OF THE FRENCH SILVER REMAINED AS THE KING HAD EVERYTHING MELTED DOWN BECAUSE THE NATION WAS IN BANKRUPTSY DUE TO THE WAR. SOME SKETCHES REMAIN AND IT WAS A HUGE LOSS. THE PALACE WAS SO AMAZING WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE. THE MANY PALACES AND ART MUSEUMS AND THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE ARTS WERE TOO MUCH TO DESCRIBRE IN THIS SMALL BLOG. WE SAW THE BIRTHPLACES AND WORKS OF SOME OF THE GREATEST ARTISTS. THE HOUSE OF DE INVALDES WAS GRIM YET MAMMOTH. IT IS A LARGE STONE BLDG. DATING BACK TO THE CRIMEAN WAR. THE KING WAS MOVED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS THAT THIS BARRACK HOSPITAL WAS BUILT. WOUNDED AND DISABLED SOLDIERS HAD NO WHERE TO GO, NO JOBS AND OFTEN ENDED UP LIVING AND BEGGING ON THE STREETS. THEY WERE ABLE TO GO HERE AND LIVE AND BE CARED FOR. THE SADEST THING TO ME WAS THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME SOLDIERS FROM OTHER WARS LIVING THERE. NOTRE DAME WAS EMMENSE AND THE ARCITECTURE WAS UNBLIEVEABLE. THERE IS A STREET OF IMPORTANCE NAMED AFTER PRESIDENT KENNEDY. SO MUCH GLORY AND BEAUTY UNTO MEN, WE JUMPED OFF THE BUS AND HAD LUNCH AT A LITTLE SIDWALK CAFE NEAR THE OPERA. IT WAS HOT HOT HOT 90. WE WERE JUST DEAD AND NO WHERE HAD AIR CONDITIONING. THERE WAS A LITTLE BREEZE AT THE CAFE AND WE WERE IN THE SHADE BUT STILL WE WERE FRYING. WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND MOST OF THE PEOPLE WE ENCOUNTERED. I ASKED THE WAITER FOR BOTTLED WATER AND HE SAID SEVERAL THINGS NONE OF WHICH I CAUGHT, BUT ANDY SUDDENLY SAID STILL. WHICH MEANS PLANE WATER NOT MINERAL WATER WITH FIZ. THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET IN THE SHOPS WERE UNFRIENDLY AND RUDE. THE CHILDREN WE SAW AT THE TRAIN OR IN THE HOTEL WERE SULLEN, RUDE AND SPOILED. THEY WOULD NOT MOVE OR HELP OR RESPOND TO ANYONE. THIS IS SOMEWHAT THE CULTURAL DESCRIPTON OF THE FRENCH AND I WOULD NOT LIKE TO LABEL ANYONE BUT OUTSIDE OF THE HOTEL, MOST WERE UNHELPFUL. THERE IS THE FAITH NETWORK ON TV AND WE WATCHED SOME OF THE AMERICAN PREACHERS, SOME WERE VERY GOOD. THERE WERE 5 CHANNELS IN ARABIC OR MUSLUM, INCLUDING AL AJZEER, THE STATION THAT ALQUEDA AND OTHER TERROIST GROUPS SEND THEIR MESSAGES. THERE WERE MANY MUSLUMS EVERYWHERE. SOME OF THE WOMEN SEEMED TO BE VERY TRADITIONAL. THEY WERE DRESSED IN BLACK, BUT HAD LOVELY COLORED BEADING ON THE EDGE OF THE SILK SCARVES THEY WORE. MANY OTHERS, MOSTLY WEALTHY AND YOUNG(OR ELSE NOT SUCH AN EXTREME SECT) WORE BRITE COLORED VERY EXPENSIVE SILK SCARVES ON THEIR HEADS WRAPPED AROUND AND TIED IN THE UNDERNEATH. THEY WERE DRESSED IN VERY CHIC BUT VERY FINE CLOTHES(SKIRTS) VERY MODERN AND EXPENSIVE HANDBAGS AND SHOES. THEY WERE USUALLY IN GROUPS OF 2 OR 3, I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED. SOME OF THE VERY YOUNG GIRLS HAD WESTERN CLOTHES BUT SOME WERE DRESSED IN BLACK AND VIELED AS WELL. THERE WERE SEVERAL GROUPS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN TRAVELING WITH A MAN, PROBABLY THE HUSBAND OR BROTHER. THE YOUNGEST WOMAN WAS LEFT TO PUSH THE LUGGAGE CARTS AND FOLLOW BEHIND. THE MEN SEEMED OBLIVIOUS TO THEM OR THE CHILDREN. THE YOUNGER WOMEN SEEMED TO DOTE ON THE OLDER WOMEN, BRINGING THEM COFFEE AND TREATS. I NOTICED THIS OVER AND OVER.
TRADGEDY...................MY CAMERA STOPPED WORKING AND ALL OF OUR PICTURES ON ANDY'S MEMORY CHIP DISAPPEARED. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT. OH WELL LOTS OF TRAVEL PICTURES AND POSTCARDS AND I JUST WILL HAVE TO MAKE AN ALBUM WITH THOSE. THERE ARE A FEW THAT WE DOWNLOADED, BUT SO MANY LOST. I AM DISAPPOINTED BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO. WE WILL TRAVEL BACK TO LONDON ON FRI. AND ON TO INDIA ON SAT. I AM VERY TIRED WILL BLOG TOMORROW