Paris

Touring Paris. Hot hot again today. We took a cab to get on the double decker tour bus. The weather was very sunny and hot, no air conditioning. We can’t figure out what the deal is, but none of the cabs or buses turn on the air no matter how hot it is. Saving gas we think or else they are all numb and do not feel the heat. We toured all of Paris. So many beautiful things to see and interesting historical value, many things I have only read in books or seen on tv. It was very moving to see the Arch of Triumph and think of all the soldiers and battles that were honored here. We started out at the Louvre the grounds are so beautiful, and the art work displayed is unbelievable. Just think all of the great masters are displayed here. Some I thought were very beautiful and some were just strange. Larger than anything we could walk through during the day. The institute of Music is a very beautiful bldg. with sculptures and a lot of gold ornamentation. The whole are of art and music and theaters was very exciting. There were artists on the sidewalk, sketching and drawing and painting. Many of their works were for sale, some very cheap, some not. The crowds of people on the streets were large and diverse, many tourists I believe like us sporting cameras and ooing and ahing at everything. We hoped off near the opera and had lunch at a little sidewalk café. They had all kinds of interesting things on the menu, we recognized a few: quiche, and pizza. Whenever we ordered water the wait people would say something unintelligible and Andy would answer “still”, this meant plain water, not mineral or bubbly water. We had pizza(how original) but it was smothered in mottzarella cheese. Except for those people waiting on us, we found the people to be very aloof and unfriendly. I have heard that about the French and do not want to take 2 days in Paris to make me an expert, but it is what we experienced. The children and teens we saw in the streets bldings and on trains, plans, and buses, were rude and did not listen to the parents and would not move or step aside no matter what. They seemed to be in a constant state of annoyance and looked at us as if we were freaks. The men were very demanding and appeared to be arrogant. After lunch, back on the bus. The city was full of sculptures of men, women, angels and rather fierce looking creatures. Many represent famous people, in one place there were seven sculptures of women representing 7 cities. The stores as we drove around names I have seen and heard of in high fashion magazines and on advertisements. Dior , Luis Vuitton , Channel The cars out front of the hotels and fancy restaurants were fiats and porches and Mercedes Benz , puegeot. Crazy in the streets they drive here like we do on the right side of the street, thousands of cars, bikes and motor bikes. It seems like everyone just aims and steps on the gas. The people just step into the streets and the motorbikes dart in and out of every square inch. It was nerve wracking watching the drivers keep it together and keep from crashing. Many places were built by or for napoleon it is so amazing that much of it still remains and is so beautiful. We saw the palace Madeline, the place concord and the place at Versailles. Such opulence and design just blows my mind much of it remains today. The palace at Versailles is having a display of royal silver from all the European royalty. Such a huge collection, much dating back to 1400’s. I t is highly ornate, craved and decorative. The palace was so beautiful.. the furniture and rugs and chandeliers were beyond description. They lived in wealth and luxury but not indoor plumbing, bathing was rare and most died very young, some by natural causes and some “not”. They lived in most debauched moral decay and many ended miserablly. Marie Antoinette had many dalliances and her own residences were elaborate and she entertained all the notables in the most lavish style possible. The people were struggling just to live and keep warm and fed. No wonder the aristocracy was so unpopular. We saw the bridge a waterloo, called the ladies bridge because so many women jumped, due to lost love and shame and misery and sometimes insanity. There is little French silver left because the king(Louie I think) had to have it melted down to pay the debt for war. The country was nearly bankrupt. The servants and advisors could hardly believe the order and it yielded several hundred thousand pounds of silver. Notre-dame cathedral was very beautiful. We did not go inside very far, but it was awesome to behold. One of my favorites was the house of invalids. After the Crimean war, there were so many maimed and injured soldiers that the King had a hospital built to care for the men. So many were never able to recover their disabilities and most ended on the streets begging. This place became sort of a veteran’s home and nursing home. The most tragic thing to me is the fact that there are still some soldiers residing there today.
The Eiffel tower was huge. It has always seemed larger than life on TV. But seeing it in person was breathtaking. We saw it during the day and lit up at night. That was a sight, it has lights strung all the way around and several large stars and when it is lit up it seems to almost reach outer space. The grounds had parks and beautiful areas to sit and just stare at it. We went down or up the Champs-Elysees (I thought it was a place, but it is a stretch of road with many beautiful shops and historical meaning. Napoleans body was carried up this road after his death in exile. I believe the arch of triumph is here, but I am overwhelmed with sights and have not had time to research exactly where I have been. Did you know that there are 2 Disney land sights in France, I did not. They are very popular tourist points in Europe. We did not go! The seine river was wider than I thought pretty clean due to active efforts to stop pollution. There were boats riding up and down giving tours along the way as well. At night the lights were so beautiful to see. I keep using the word beautiful but that’s what it all was.
Tragedy all of our pictures from Paris were lost when Andy’s memory card needed to reformat and wiped all of the pictures off. Yeow that is disappointing. But I bought postcards and a book so will have to make an album that way. We have fixed it all now. My camera batteries were dead and we could not get any anywhere for days. Ready now
Friday we had room service for breakfast. Wonderful fresh fruit, strawberries, grapes, pineapple and large bowl of yogurt, a large basket of bread, croissants and hard rolls jellies and marmalade and another basket of the most delicious sweet rolls freshly squeezed orange juice and cold Evian water. We toured around the hotel and shops. There was a choclatier on the corner. Yummy, yummy/ a lot of bitter and dark choc. Popular here. Hot chocolate served everywhere, but tooooooo hot to have. Packed up and off the Station Nord to catch the train back to London. We do not know what we did, but this time the train ride was much different. We were met at the door by people to help with the bags and a cart (trolley to us). We were helped to the platform and onto the train. Andy still had to store the luggage but someone helped him put it there. This time we had luxury seats facing each other with a lovely table between us. Staff served wine, champagne, and of course “still” water. We had a wonderful lunch of roasted chicken and potatoes and mummy chocolate desert. The scenery was so beautiful again. I enjoyed seeing everything. Andy slept off and on but mostly we watched. I did not realize there was so much farm land in use. I will be looking up some geography books on France when I get home to see what national products are. (Oh yes, Andy saws I can look all that up on internet! Who knew!) We are having a wonderful, enjoyable time together. A chance of a life time for a mom with grown kids, especially grown sons. I have not used up all my words on Andy, many are coming here. When we got to the station Panceas in London, it was very crowded, but someone met us at the train and took our luggage off and put it on the cart and wheeled me all the way through the station in a wheel chair, for which I was very grateful. Our train was delayed about an hour and half, due to security problem, when it reached Paris. The police were out in a large number and dogs and people searching the train and surrounding. We think someone was arrested, very serious times, and I am personally glad for all the security efforts. We never figured out why the trip home was so different, Andy said the tickets were the same as going, but whatever it was, we were truly grateful. Hint: do not travel by train with more than one small carryon bag that you can handle yourself. Miles of walking, immigration check point (show your passport) baggage security x-rays and lots of armed guards. People of every description, and nationality, don’t dragggggg anything you don’t need to live!!!!
There were many Muslim people everywhere we traveled. I was very surprised by this, although I am not sure why. The women from most conservative sects were dressed all in black from head to toe. I we very close to some of these women and was able to observe somethings that I have not before noticed. These women dressed in black had lovely silk scarves which were bordered in colorful beard or trim, very delicate and fine. They looked very stern and rarely smiled and did not make eye contact with anyone, not even each other. The younger woman appeared to dote on the older woman or women who were traveling with them. They brought water, tea or food, and seemed to make them more comfortable if possible. There were several families as well traveling with children. The very young girls were mostly dressed in western clothing but about 10-12 looked like they then dressed in black as well. Some families where the mother was dressed in the long robe and scarves, had teen daughters, that had their head covered but were wearing outlandish styles and had earphones and ipods. I think they were much less radically conservative. The little boys were all dressed in western style as well as the men. When t he family was together, the man (probably the father or uncle) seemed aloof and disinterested in the activity or the children. The mothers and older sisters were in charge of the children and their needs. The younger women were left to push the heavy luggage carts while the man walked ahead. This took place mostly among the dressed in black groups. The fewer conservatives seemed to talk back and forth between the husband and wife and the children jumped and daddy and played with him. I believe I wrote that there were many Muslim TV stations in London and France, even Al jazeera the station that the terrorist like Bin Loudin send their video messages on. It appears that there are large populations in this country. So many experiences, I am thankful to be here with Andy, but I do miss you all. Pam please send me an email on my email so I can communicate with you. See you all later.