Catacombes, La Defense, Musee D'Orsay...
Mar. 22nd, 2007 10:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lyoreQuick update, because I'm completely braindead. Who would have thought that sightseeing could be so tiring? Oh, and as for photos - you might have to wait until I get back. The internet connection is falling over regularly just trying to load pages, uploading pictures would probably crash the entire thing. Sorry.
Stuff I've done:
Musee D'Orsay: Amazing architecture, really great atmosphere. I'm not that into museums, especially when all the labels are in French, but this is worth visiting just for the central gallery alone.
La Defense: The skyscraper section of the city (and no relation to the military stuff, except for a sculpture). Very interesting modern architecture, as well as random modern art/sculptures around the place. I have some good pictures, but look like you're going to have to wait.
Catacombs: This was... surreal. The bones of over 6 million people. And then someone got the idea that they should be arranged in an 'artistically pleasing' way, so now they are arranged in 'walls', up to 50 metres deep in some places, with the skulls making patterns in the walls...
It's not a guided tour, but there are security guards/guides down there. I started to talk to one, who as it turns out wanted to immigrate to Australia (so far, he's the only person to pick my accent as Australian. He got it straight away, after I'd said about two words to him- I was impressed). He let me take some pictures with the flash, which technically you aren't supposed to do, but it was too dark to get proper pictures otherwise. I was a little dubious about taking pictures at all, given this is basically a mass grave, but it was too surreal not to make some sort of record of.
Opera House: Impressive, but it loses something being surrounded so closely by the city. There's no space to just sit back and admire it. Didn't get to go in, there was some sort of concert on and the line went round the block, so I went for a walk around the city instead.
Notre Dame (again): Have I mentioned how much I love this place? The back is even more amazing than the front. And I got snowed on. Again.
Louvre: Still haven't made it into the Louvre, but wandered through the courtyard to get to Musee D'Orsay. Did you know you can drive through it? There's even a roundabout in the middle... very canberran :) The glass pyramids are odd, but sort of fitting in a strange way.
Seine: Went for a cruise (well, hop-on, hop-off Batobus)down the Seine. Actually had decent weather for this, the first time I've seen the sun for more than about 10 minutes at a time since I got here :) It was amazing, just cruising down the river. As one monument passed, another one came into view.
Plan for the next few days:
Tomorrow: The Louvre (finally).
Saturday: Day tour to Mont St-Michel. Looking forward to getting out into the countryside.
Right. Have to go get the laundry. and then crash.
And if people want postcards, email me your address. Yes, even if I should already know it, this way I'll get it right.
Stuff I've done:
Musee D'Orsay: Amazing architecture, really great atmosphere. I'm not that into museums, especially when all the labels are in French, but this is worth visiting just for the central gallery alone.
La Defense: The skyscraper section of the city (and no relation to the military stuff, except for a sculpture). Very interesting modern architecture, as well as random modern art/sculptures around the place. I have some good pictures, but look like you're going to have to wait.
Catacombs: This was... surreal. The bones of over 6 million people. And then someone got the idea that they should be arranged in an 'artistically pleasing' way, so now they are arranged in 'walls', up to 50 metres deep in some places, with the skulls making patterns in the walls...
It's not a guided tour, but there are security guards/guides down there. I started to talk to one, who as it turns out wanted to immigrate to Australia (so far, he's the only person to pick my accent as Australian. He got it straight away, after I'd said about two words to him- I was impressed). He let me take some pictures with the flash, which technically you aren't supposed to do, but it was too dark to get proper pictures otherwise. I was a little dubious about taking pictures at all, given this is basically a mass grave, but it was too surreal not to make some sort of record of.
Opera House: Impressive, but it loses something being surrounded so closely by the city. There's no space to just sit back and admire it. Didn't get to go in, there was some sort of concert on and the line went round the block, so I went for a walk around the city instead.
Notre Dame (again): Have I mentioned how much I love this place? The back is even more amazing than the front. And I got snowed on. Again.
Louvre: Still haven't made it into the Louvre, but wandered through the courtyard to get to Musee D'Orsay. Did you know you can drive through it? There's even a roundabout in the middle... very canberran :) The glass pyramids are odd, but sort of fitting in a strange way.
Seine: Went for a cruise (well, hop-on, hop-off Batobus)down the Seine. Actually had decent weather for this, the first time I've seen the sun for more than about 10 minutes at a time since I got here :) It was amazing, just cruising down the river. As one monument passed, another one came into view.
Plan for the next few days:
Tomorrow: The Louvre (finally).
Saturday: Day tour to Mont St-Michel. Looking forward to getting out into the countryside.
Right. Have to go get the laundry. and then crash.
And if people want postcards, email me your address. Yes, even if I should already know it, this way I'll get it right.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-24 04:36 pm (UTC)If you happen to see any classicsy stuff, say hi for me. :-p
no subject
Date: 2007-03-30 12:47 pm (UTC)