Well, it’s been an expensive and very warm weekend here in Paris. I hate to disappoint any of you, who thought that it might overtake London’s spot as my favourite European city so far, but there’s definitely something to be said for seeing the wonders of Paris close up and personal with pretty tight pocketbook but let me tell you what I’ve been up to… Friday, after a 5am wake up and finally arriving at the hotel by about noon, I went to sleep and didn’t awake until sometime a lot later at which point I ventured out for kebab and came back and watched French dubbed American TV shows and caught most of the jokes (I think).
Saturday, I got an early start and headed to Versailles. What an ordeal, but worthwhile of course. After lines for the museum pass and after budging (the benefits of being a one person traveler, no one minds much when you budge) and cutting a few hours off my wait time, I made the journey in. Listen to this doozie, 25Euro to see the Palace and the Gardens. I bought the four day museum pass for 45E and in two days it has already paid itself off and then a bit. I stayed until about 5pm at Versailles, walked around the Estate (Marie Antoinette’s portion was worth the 25Euro alone and her house wasn’t even open yet). Because I wasn’t feeling TOO beat on the way back I thought, Why not swing by the Eiffel Tower? I was sure the lines couldn’t be that back, here on the May 1st Labour Day long weekend… Idiot. However, by the time I was in the line, it wasn’t worth getting back out. There’s another few hours in the waiting line and they cram us up to the 2nd floor as the top was closed temporarily for a wedding (probably the worst place for a wedding, so any of you planning it, don’t! It’s a bitch for the guests!!). Once we got up there the views were incredible! They don’t lie! I waited another half hour in line to make it up to the very top and then some more to get down. The highlight of the trip down was that the elevator man was play sudoku and I took a photo. He probably wasn’t too impressed but I thought, with a job like that, there must be some way to pass the time. By the time I got down they had turned on the lights and it truly was as beautiful as all the movies, snowglobes, TV shows, etc.
Sunday, I got another early start (Breakfast: Tea and two crepes= 8 Euro) and made my way first to the Sacre-Coeur that everyone told me was a must see. Well, it was. It was probably my favourite site so far. I went inside and managed to stay for mass (so no entry fee required, SWEET!). Then I headed to the Dali museum which is probably the best one I’ve seen so far or on-par with his works in the Guggenheim in Bilbao. This was a collection of paintings, sketches, sculptures and furniture (my favourite) that I have not seen anywhere else. Now I feel I am a bit of a Dali snob and can poopoo the Reina Sofia’s collection in Madrid (and to think he was a Spaniard, tisk tisk!). I walked down to the Moulin Rouge and then I headed down to Notre Dame which was not as great as the Sacre-Coeur but it had to be done. Again, the line ups were nuts and some girl begging for money kicked me as I walked by and I just about kicked her back but then figured why bother? I got some lunch and sat on the ramparts of the Seine and got some rays. I thought of you all and wondered how you were spending your Sundays, but I figured that mine was one of the best ways to pass a sunny afternoon. Lastly, after Notre Dame, I headed to the Orsay Museum whose collection of Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne (among others) is excellent as well as some of the sculptures. My one complaint (my God I sound like a snob) is free museum Sunday because everyone and their dog are in there taking videos and talking really loudly and generally acting uncultured. I don’t want to hear about your menopause symptoms or how you’re going to get hairplugs while I’m looking at some of the greats, or even some of the mediocres. Charge admission, taser people when they act out, I don’t care but rein in the free Sunday phenomena (I had already paid for my ticket for my pass so I may have felt differently if I had not had to pay, but that is beside the point).
Monday, this is the day for the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees before I head back to Seville that evening. Worth mentioning was the excellent exhibit on the ancient city of Babylon at the Louvre, well worth the 10Euro entrance fee on top of the museum entrance fee.
It’s been a whirlwind but I guess that’s Par-is, non?
Photo links:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=111493&l=310d4&id=596070001
Well, it’s been an expensive and very warm weekend here in 
