So we slept pretty much 16 hours straight and finally didn’t need a nap during the day. However it is only 9:30pm here and we have been fighting the urge to sleep since we ate over an hour ago. What is it with this place? =P
Today was filled with photography, so all photos are in a gallery at the bottom of the page instead of within the text.
We started our day with Starbucks and pastries since our patisserie is closed on the weekends, and we walked to Notre Dame while we sipped our hot coffee. Sadly the tower was closed due to ice, but we did get to visit the crypt underground which houses old foundations of buildings that were built on top of and discovered again in 1980. The museum is small, about a 15-30 minute stop depending on how much you read as you go, but it is a nice warm hideout for a chilly morning.
After heating up, we took a walk around the cathedral and into the garden which was still snowy from a few days ago. It was nice to just relax and enjoy the outdoors with the sun shining and the wind mellow.
Because of the nice bright day it was today, we decided to visit Saint Chapelle: the chapel best known for its amazing stained glass windows. (Be sure to check out these photos). Some of it is under restoration which means part of the sunlight is blocked, but still the effect is amazing. Jeff got himself a small stained glass replica to hang in his office. Super cool.
We grabbed a sandwhich and crepe from a small vendor on our way back home to recharge and figure out what would be next.
We decided we had time for Rodin because it is on the small side, but unfortunately it was smaller than expected as the gardens are closed due to ice. We did get to snap a few photos of “The Thinker” from afar, so it wasn’t a complete disappointment.
Next, we had time for Napoleon’s tomb – an amazing sight. The red tomb is only the outer most layer of 6 other caskets made of various materials inside. That man is uber-protected. The area around him contains tombs of other family members though none as spectacularly displayed as his.
Last stop for the day was Arc de Triomphe! A spiral staircase is the only way to the top and as soon as you start the climb, a fear that it will never stop arises. 284 steps later, you are finally able to see the well worth it views of the city. When we got back down to the bottom, a military ceremony was happening under the arc, which was neat to see as well.
So all that, then dinner and playing some Fluxx means we are tired! But today has felt very productive, and a ton of fun!
Now the photos:
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- neat heart naturally cut from Christmas tree
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- some of the foundations in the crypte
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- lone flower in the snow
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- the park behind Notre Dame
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- the back view of Notre Dame
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- sunny day
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- side view of Notre Dame from across the river
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- 360 degree view of Saint-Chapelle’s windows
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- the sunny front side of the chapel
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- each window is made up of a ton of these detailed pieces
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- downstairs in the chapel – this is a statue of the man who made the chapel
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- The Thinker
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- “Cathedral” – two right hands intertwinded
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- looking above Napoleon’s tomb
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- looking down from the balcony onto Napoleon’s tomb
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- quite a building!
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- the steps we walked up to the top of Arc de Triomphe
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- Champs Elysees
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- a new view of the Eiffel Tower
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- The Eiffel Tower as seen from the Arc
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- wide angle view from Arc de Triomphe
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- yay, us with a beautifully lit Eiffel Tower
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- the steps down… easier!
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- military ceremony
