Une Journee A Paris (Part II)

When last I wrote, I left off with my climb of the Eiffel Tower. But there's so much more to tell of my day in Paris!

After leaving the Eiffel Tower, Matthieu and I headed down some of the streets further away from the river. We were headed to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysees. On the way there, Matthieu and I passed a protest outside one of the shops. Matthieu explained to me the way the labor parties in France were set up and why there were strikes going on at that time. I thought it was really cool, learning a bit about the differences between American unions and French unions.

Soon, we arrived at the Arc de Triomph. It was awe-inspiring. It's one of those things that I've seen in history books or travel guides, but nothing will ever measure up to the feeling of actually standing on the Champs-Elysees, staring up at this massive monument. And that was just from further away! To get up close to the Arc de Triomph, I had to go down a set of stairs, through a tunnel under the Champs-Elysees, which emerges onto another set of stairs that leads up to the Arc. The Arc itself stands on a kind of island in the middle of a roundabout, which is surrounded by the roar of what seems to be at least a hundred cars rushing past. Up close, the intricacies of the Arc become apparent. The carvings are so detailed and so impressive! It's truly an incredibly display of artistry.

Once Matthieu and I'd both had enough of admiring the Arc de Triomph, we headed down the Champs-Elysees, often referred to as the most beautiful street in the world--a description I would certainly agree with! The street is lined with really lovely trees, and if you stood atop the Arc and looked down the Champs-Elysees, you would see first the obelisk brought to Paris during Napoleon's reign, and then the Louvre. It's truly breathtaking.

Matthieu and I stopped for hot chocolate and snacks (croissants, of course), at a small cafe on the Champs-Elysees. It was great to just take in the culture and people of the city, watching as Parisians walked past.

Once we felt well-rested, Matthieu and I continued down the Champs-Elysees, past the obelisk, to the Louvre. I so wish I had more time to spend in Paris, because I could spend days doing nothing but admiring the art in the Louvre. The museum is so massive that there must be hundreds of galleries, containing thousands of pieces of art. But for the time being, I had to be content with marveling at the outside of the impressive building.

After leaving the Louvre, Matthieu and I headed from there toward the Notre Dame Cathedral. We stopped at a bookshop first so that Matthieu could pick up something he needed for his job, and then we crossed over the river and into the courtyard in front of the magnificent church. The church was stunning. The stained-glass windows must have taken ages to craft, getting each piece just the right color and size to make a comprehensive picture. There must have been thousands of carvings covering the building as well: gargoyles as drainpipes, figures of important religious figures carved around the doorframes and on some of the pillars.

To finish out my day in Paris, Matthieu took me to a lovely restaurant called Au Pied de Cochon (which roughly translates to 'At the foot of the pig'). I couldn't understand much of what the menu said, and Matthieu spent a good fifteen minutes trying to translate everything for me before the waiter realized what we were doing and brought me an English menu. I decided to be adventures and try the restaurants namesake: a pig's foot. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted! It was simply delicious. At the end of the meal, the waiter asked if we wanted coffee and desert. I declined, explaining that I was too full for desert and am not a fan of coffee. Matthieu gave me a bit of a funny look and said that you could definitely tell I wasn't French. (Mayhap as I learn the language, I'll become a bit more French!).

I'll return soon with the story of my trip to Versailles. Until then, a tout a l'heure!