Well, the time has come to arrive to Paris, the City of Light.
Well, the time has come to arrive to Paris, the City of Light.
Before getting all excited about Paris (because I think there is a lot there to get excited about!) I would like to say that after visiting Prague several days earlier I was surprised at the lack of souvenir stands, postcard and snack sellers on the streets and squares in front of even the major attractions... The whole city seems gray and lazy after the lively atmosphere of Prague with its red roofs, street musicians and tourists everywhere in the Old City...
Paris was different. Its gardens were not paved, so it was rather dusty in the parks; I was walking from the Louvre through the Jardins des Tuileries and there wasn't a single food stand in the view... I guess that's the way they keep it clean... However, due to the terrorist threat almost all the trash cans are sealed off and unaccessible, but the people still have the habit of throwing things away, so they just throw them away on top of trash cans, so it's very messy around the street corners...
Well, that's about it of what I haven't liked in Paris. :) The rest was all good, so let's get to the pictures.
One of the most celebrated places in Paris is Notre Dame de
Paris. Here are several pictures of it. And for the bit of the
history of the Cathedral go to www.paris.org.
Another, much more grandiose view of the Cathedral, obviously from a
post card! :)
Well, next time I am in Paris, I will know that taking pictures in the
darkness might not be very useful if one has even the slightest
interest in the results of that activity... :)))
Okay, let's now see how it really looks!
And in contrast look at that
mysterious night line - that's also Notre Dame...
And finally beautiful mosaic windows
in Notre Dame and in most other Cathedrals that I visited are real
masterpieces!..
Another cathedral that I liked a lot was the Saint Eustache
Cathedral which - as most Parisian monuments are - is not only
beautiful but also historically remarkable: Cardinal Richelieu, Mme
Pompadour and the great Moliere were buried under its walls... I made
several pictures of it. Also notice the sculpture in the form of the
head... John the Baptist?
The mosaic inside the Cathedral.
A sculpture showing the exodus of merchants from Paris. They are
carrying their marchandise with them. This is an illustration of one
of the events of Paris history. I wish I knew which. Do you know?
Would you tell me?
These are some more pictures of the Churches that I liked and
photographed. I don't rememebr the name of this one, so I'd appreciate
if anyone tells me what it is. Will it help if I tell you that there
is a fountain on the square in from of it?
Unfortunately the photo lab lost my film with the pictures of Basilique du Sacré
Coeur, (I will tell THAT story some other time!) so this is the
only picture (post card, really) that I have of it. But it is very
beautiful!
Unknown as well... :(
Well, I am not sure but I think this is Sorbonne! Not a church
really. :)