OOO LA LA!

It's been a busy two weeks showing my brother and Janet around Belgium and beyond.   Mark and I joined them in Paris.  We had a rainy visit to the top of the Eiffel Tower but still a great time.   The next day was nicer and actually a little warm.  Guess it was an Indian Summer.  

THE LOUVRE - DIDN'T GO IN BUT HAD TO AT LEAST SEE THE PYRAMID

THESE GUYS WERE ALL OVER THE CITY SELLING METAL
EIFFEL TOWER TRINKETS.  THEY PROBABLY MAKE 2 CENTS FOR
EVERY 10 EURO THEY BRING IN.  I ALSO SAW THEM SELLING UMBRELLAS IN THE RAIN--THAT SEEMED A LITTLE MORE LUCRATIVE (TOTAL RIP OFF THOUGH...12 EURO FOR CHEAPO UMBRELLAS)

ST. EUSTACHE - BUILT BETWEEN 1532 - 1632;

ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE

THIS SCULPTURE, ENTITLED "LISTENING" WAS INSTALLED IN THE GARDEN OF LES HALLES JUST OUTSIDE THE CATHEDRAL IN 1986 BY HENRI de MILLER.  THEY ARE IN THE MIDST OF A MASSIVE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT OF THE GARDEN.  IT WON'T BE COMPLETE UNTIL DECEMBER 2013 BUT LOOKING AT ARTIST RENDERINGS - IT WILL REALLY BE AN IMPRESSIVE AREA.

DERICK AND JANET FOUND THIS UNIQUE LITTLE STORE FULL OF MINIATURES.  PEOPLE USE THEM TO MAKE ALL SORTS OF INTERESTING THINGS INCLUDING JEWELRY.  

WE THOUGHT..."HOW CAN A LITTLE STORE LIKE THIS SURVIVE?" THEN JANET BOUGHT A LITTLE 1" SQUARE RUBBER STAMP OF AN "O"....
"OHHHH, THAT'S HOW SHE SURVIVES - 8 EURO!"

I THINK YOU CAN GUESS WHERE THE NEXT FEW PICTURES WERE TAKEN.  RAINED THE WHOLE TIME WE WERE IN THE EIFFEL TOWER BUT STILL AND EXCITING THING TO DO IN ONE'S LIFETIME.

JANET ENJOYING THE EXPERIENCE!

YES - HE'S HAVING FUN!  THE HILL IN THE BACKGROUND IS THE AREA WHERE OUR HOTEL IS LOCATED.
(MONTMARTRE AREA)

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW HUGE THE STRUCTURE IS UNTIL YOU ARE UP CLOSE;  IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THAT IT WAS BUILT IN 1887-88;

ONE OF THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS FOR THE ELEVATORS

JUST 5 MINUTES AFTER WE LEFT....BLUE SKIES AND LIGHTS!
OH WELL!

WAITING IN LINE.....AND THIS WAS WITH ADVANCED TICKET PURCHASE!!  BUT THE WAIT WASN'T REALLY TOO BAD.  

THE SUN - MAKING AN APPEARANCE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

MOULIN ROUGE

GREAT SHOPS IN THE MONTMARTRE AREA NEAR OUR HOTEL

HAD A REALLY NICE MEAL ONE NIGHT;  VERY NICE WAITRESS - SHE GAVE US SOME FRENCH LESSONS AND WE GAVE HER SOME HELP WITH ENGLISH!  

OUR HOTEL - VERY NICE BOUTIQUE HOTEL;  MARK AND I HAD A ROOM WITH A SUPER TINY BATHROOM BUT DERICK & JANET HAD A NICE SIZE ROOM & BATH - ESPECIALLY FOR EUROPEAN STANDARDS!  WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND STAYING HERE.

YES....A QUICK STARBUCKS FIX  :)

LOVE THE NAME OF THIS PLACE! 

TRINITY CHURCH

THE NEXT FEW PICTURES ARE OF THE OPERA HOUSE.  SOMEONE TOLD ME IT WAS IMPRESSIVE...THAT DOESN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE IT.  A MUST SEE IF YOU ARE EVER IN PARIS.  THE PICTURES DON'T DO IT JUSTICE.

A DOOR TO ONE OF THE MANY PRIVATE SEATING AREAS

THIS PAINTING IS PLACED IN REMOVABLE PIECES OVER THE ORIGINAL PAINTING.   THIS PAINTING, BY MARC CHAGALL WAS INSTALLED IN 1964.  IT DEPICTS SCENES FROM OPERAS BY 14 COMPOSERS.

  

THE PARIS BALLET PERFORMS HERE NOW;  THE OPERA IS IN A DIFFERENT
VENUE.

THIS CHANDELIER IS 7 TONS OF BRONZE AND CHRYSTAL.  APPARENTLY ONE OF THE COUNTERWEIGHTS FELL IN 1896 AND IT KILLED ONE MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE.  THIS INCIDENT INSPIRED A SCENE FOR GASTON LEROUX IN HIS 1911 NOVEL, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

BUILT IN 1861-1875;  I CAN PICTURE THE ELEGANT DRESSES WORN IN THESE HALLWAYS;  

MY PHOTO-BOMBER   ;)

 Hope you enjoyed the pictures.  I really had a great time with Derick, Janet & Mark.  

"Goodbye or as the French would

 have it, Au Revoir!"  

 I think a few hard core fans will know where that quote came from!   ;)