Sunday afternoon I woke up later, way later than I wanted to. I guess that can only be attributed to jet lag. The plan for the day was to take myself around to a lot of the more famous monuments (tourist attractions) here in Paris. The intention was that if I went to these places now, I wouldn't get all silly about them later. We'll see if that works.
The plan was to hit the Eiffel Tower first. The RER C Train that I was on, however had different intentions for me. It stopped, and then the power shut off at Les Invalides. I decided that since I wasn't that far from the Eiffel Tower I'd just get off there. I'm glad I did. Les Invalides is where Napoleon is buried. It was originally built as a military hospital, but now it houses a variety of things, including Napoleon's tomb and several museums. I walked up to it from the North. The building is incredible. Its huge, and old, and the stone work is fabulous. When I got up to the main gates I went in. I was a bit confused as to whether a ticket was necessary, so I was a bit discreet. I wandered into a massive courtyard/square-like enclosure. There were windows pointing down on it from all directions, and the sides were lined with old canons. At the south end there is a large statue of Napoleon standing in a window. I passed through the courtyard and stuck my head into a large chapel. It was the original chapel built for the hospital, and it has a gorgeous old organ. I stepped out because I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be in there, and headed out the south entrace of the building towards the Eiffel Tower.
Getting to the Eiffel Tower was simple. You could see it rising up to the west! I walked in that general direction, coming upon the Champs de Mars after a few blocks. The Champs de Mars is a large park that is built to one side of the Eiffel Tower, with long grassy areas. On Sunday there was a large kids festival there. I didn't stick around, but I did see a bit of a karate presentation. When I came upon the Eiffel Tower I was struck by the size of the crowds, and the structure. I had read ahead of time that taking the stairs is much cheaper, and gives you a bit more freedom to move around. The line was a lot shorter too. I bought a billet for 3,10 euros, and started the ascension. Um, the Eiffel Tower is a lot taller than it looks. By the time I hit the first floor I was exhausted. I wandered a bit around the interior portions. I'd heard that there was a McDonald's in the Eiffel Tower. I was picturing golden arches and the works. But I didn't see anything of the sort. There was a large cafe but it didn't stop to look. The view from the first floor was impressive. Its well above tree-line, and most buildings in the city. You could see for miles in every direction. I picked out a few famous monuments. Particularly clears were Sacre Coeur and the Arc de la Defense. After about 20 minutes I continued up the stairs. It was even worse. Higher, and steeper I went. They keep a tally of how many stairs you've climbed along the stairs. I stopped looking at 660. The second floor was just as amazing as the first. Buildings were a bit smaller, but you could see even further. I was lucky and went on a clear day too. From the second floor I could clearly see the Arc de Triomphe, something I hadn't been able to see on the first floor. Up there I went in the gift shop. I figured I needed something to commemorate my long climb. I bought a small Eiffel Tower statue for 3 euro. I later saw vendors selling them for 1 on the street, but I like mine because I climbed up to get it. I was going to push on to the very top, but I decided not too. Partly because you have to take a lift, and the line was very long, and partly because I was exhausted. Either way I'll probably be back. The descent was a lot better than the ascent, but I was surprised to see how far I'd gone.
After exiting the Eiffel Tower I headed towards Tocadero. I had read that the best views of the Eiffel Tower are from the top of the stairs of Tocadero, and I think what I read is right. It was fabulous. While there I bought a crepe from a vendor. It was delicious.
The next stop was the Arc de Triomphe. I walked about eight blocks to get there from Tocadero. The Arc de Triomphe is situated in the middle of the scariest roundabout I have ever seen. Luckily they have a tunnel to get to it. I wandered around the circle for about ten minutes. If you don't pay to go up to the top of the Arc, or in the museum, all you can really do is admire the stone work and the tomb of the unknown soldier. If you look towards the south east of the Arc you can see down the Champs Elysees. It is a very busy street, and famous for shopping. It was also my next stop. I walked down it all the way to the Place de Concorde. The Champs Elysees is impressive, but in the last ten years it has become relatively tourist-ified. Much of the old charm has been lost due to the high density of people that are now all over the streets. At the opposite end from the Arc de Triomphe is the Place de Concorde. Here is situated a larged obelisk that was a gift from Egypt. It is very cool, and it actually has carvings on it explaining how the Egyptians raised it to its full height. Going here was important for me because it is a very decisive point in the criterium that the Tour de France races on the Champs Elysees. There is a sweeping bend here, and many attacks start right at that point. I thought it would be cool to see the terrain in person.
If you continue in the same direction, away from the Place de Concorde you will find yourself in the Jardin des Tuileries. This is the Jardin that was built to accompany the old royal palace, which is now the Louvre. The Jardin is very pretty, and it was crawling with tourists. Its a nice walk, but I probably wouldn't pick it as a place to read or do work. Maybe a picnic. In the middle of the Jardin is the Arc de Carrousel. This Arc is smaller than the Arc de Triomphe but if you turn away from the Louvre and look through it you can see the Arc de Triomphe, and past that, the Arc de la Defense. They are all three lined up directly. My last stop was the outside of the Louvre. I figured it was a good terminus, because there is a metro station nearby, and its at the end of the Jardin des Tuileries. I didn't get too close, but I did get a good view of the glass pyramid. I don't care what anyone else says, I think it looks really strange where it is. Enough said.
Exhausted I headed home with a lot of pictures, and a great appreciation for Paris. Now I think I can go near these places and act cool... hopefully?
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