Day 58 - Paris I

I've been feeling down for the last few days (the gloomy and rainy weather in Geneva must have triggered an attack of S.A.D.), so I left work a little early on Friday and went to Paris. I got there before 9 PM, dropped off my bag in the hotel and went for a walk.

Paris greeted me by rain that kept getting stronger the farther away I was walking from the hotel. I walked to Bastille (which has been repurposed into an Opera House once they ran out of prisoners) and went back.

Saturday morning was still a bit cloudy but then the gods of weather finally decided to stop mocking me, and the sun came out. It made it all better.

So... What do I think about Paris?

One of my first impressions was that everything is so incredibly cheap!! I must have been in Geneva for too long if I find Paris cheap... However, I did manage to get the single most expensive cup of tea ever - 4.5 euros. And it wasn't even any kind of special tea - a regular lipton tea-bag and some hot water :)

There are more gargoyles than people in this city. There are tons of them on almost every cathedral, and they are all different. I should get one. I think it would look fabulous sticking out of my window in Ypsi.

There are even more tourists than gargoyles. Tourists are actually quite annoying because they tend to produce horrendous lines to all museums. And it's not like they really want to see Joconda. They just want to be able to say that they saw her! I had to skip Louvre and Musee D'Orsay because of them... Maybe next time.

Cars are commonly used for graffiti - not only professional kind done by owners, but also random stuff that you normally see on the walls.

Everything is enormously huge! I knew that Notre Dame was supposed to instill awe by its grandiosity, but I didn't realize that there are plenty of other cathedrals all over the city that are not much smaller. It's impressive but not friendly.

There's more, but I am tired of typing.

Sylvie said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 9:05 AM about Gargoyles

If they are cheap, can I get a gargoyle too? I think it would make for a great conversation piece.

Sylvie said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 9:06 AM about Babies

Angels, you mean? or not? I don't see wings but they look cherubic.

Sylvie said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 9:08 AM about Pensive

Maybe he's ashamed of his uhhh shortcomings?

O said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 9:52 AM about Babies

I don't believe in angels. I am the only one left, and what good does that do me?

S said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 3:49 PM about Babies

angel? you? heehee

srah said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 4:59 PM about Tunnel

Is this the one where Princess Di died, or just another tunnel?

srah said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 4:59 PM about Sheep

I want my house to have sheepgoyles!

srah said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 5:00 PM about Notre Dame from the back

Pitty!

srah said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 5:01 PM about Pigeons on Notre Dame

CAW!

srah said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 5:04 PM about Madame Roland

Good ol' Madame Roland!!!!

... who's Madame Roland?

srah said on Monday, July 11, 2005 at 5:05 PM about Pont des Arts

I very much like this photo.

Sylvie said on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 at 8:15 AM about Madame Roland

yeah, who is she? or was she, may God, Allah, Ram, prophets, angels etc. rest her soul in peace (or may she burn in hell if she was evil)

O said on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 at 9:03 AM about Madame Roland

I actually have no idea. Maybe she was an owner of a brothel and built that house to expand her business. How is that for a hypothesis?

srah said on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 at 10:46 AM about Madame Roland

Except she was raised here. So she was a young prostitute!

srah said on Tuesday, July 12, 2005 at 10:49 AM about Madame Roland

I found her! She seems to have been a moderate revolutionary or some such.