After nearly a month of the typical Paris fashions something different really jumps out at you. In Paris, everyone looks the same. Black wool coats, tight pants, skirt with tights and boots, and everything in dark or drab colors. They seriously look like clones after awhile. So, when we were walking through the park in front of the Eiffel Tower and came across this motley group that looked like they were right out of my 1980’s high school, I had to stop and take a photo. The back of their jackets had giant patches displaying heavy metal bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Judas Priest, and others. I really wanted a shot of the back of them with the backs of their jackets showing, but did not want to shoot from afar without their permission. So, I walked up to them and pointed to the camera and asked, “Photo?” while pointing at them. They turned around from their huddle and looked at me curiously. I was not sure if they were going to beat me up or give me the photo I wanted. They did not speak English and I did not speak French, but they quickly grasped what I wanted and posed for a photo. I got the camera ready and then did something to make the shot more dynamic. I gave them the international sign of heavy metal, “the horns.” After that, they did what you see here and what I feel is a great shot. This is NOT your typical Paris!
Paris Fat Tire Bike Tour
When we lived in Portland, I used to ride my bicycle a lot. Sydney and I would ride to her before and after school program on most days. I loved my bicycle. It was a lovely yellow cruiser with a cushy seat and a basket and bell in front. In fact, I could not be present when we sold my bicycle before leaving. In the process of selling my bicycle, I threatened several times not to sell it if I thought someone was not worthy, especially if they made any disparaging remarks to get a better price. Since selling my bicycle back in October to begin our travels, I have not been on a bicycle and I have missed the routine of riding. When we came to Paris, I noticed bicycles that could be checked out at one place and then returned at another called the Velib program. However coming from Portland which is renowned for being the best bicycle friendly city in world with large bike boulevards and wide marked bike lanes, I was skeptical of riding in Paris. I toyed with the idea of using the Velib Program. However, watching others it seemed like one was taking their life in their own hands and that it was definitely not for kids.
In looking for activities for us to do while in Paris, I came across the Fat Tire Bike Tour and it sounded like a lot of fun. I contacted Fat Tire, as I was not sure whether the tour would be okay for my 8-year-old daughter Sydney. They assured me that despite the length of 6.5 miles and it being Paris that it is great for all ages and skill levek. So we decided to go. I am so glad that I did this tour. The bikes at Fat Tire are big comfortable cruisers with 3 gears and each had a cute name. Our bikes were named Harlan Davison, Dr Frankfurter and Peachy Keen. On our tour we saw many of Paris’ famous landmarks such as the Napoleon’s tomb, the Louvre and Eiffel Tower and learned some history along the way. Our tour guide Saddie made the tour fun and interesting and even kept Sydney’s interest and kept her safe while crossing busy streets. We learned some facts that were not in our guidebook such as the Peace Monument is the most vandalized monument in Paris and the holes that Jason mentioned the day before that he thought were bullet holes on the side of the Ecole Militaire were really bullet holes from WWII during the Nazi Occupation. During the bike tour, I realized that Paris is easy and safe to ride in. Paris compared to Portland is flat and I did not need to change my gears while on the tour. I also realized that Paris can be navigated with relative ease on low traffic streets which are connected by parks and bike paths without concern of dying. During the tour, I felt that Sydney was safe and she rode with ease. My only regret is that we did not go on the tour sooner as I would have probably looked at our options for riding in Paris. Perhaps in Arles we can find a relatively cheap rental and begin riding again. If anyone knows of a good rental place in Arles, please let me know.
But if you are just looking for something fun to do while in Paris, the Fat Tire Paris Bike Tour is well worth the cost. Just a word of caution, the tour leaves every day rain or sun. We were luckily in that it was just cold on our ride. But the day after our tour, we were out walking and noticed another tour ride by just as a downpour opened up. The tour looked very wet and they were just starting! You can also receive a 4 euro discount by bringing in Rick Steve’s Paris Guidebook. Lunch is not covered on the day tour. To help save money pack a lunch and some water.
Photo of the Week: View From the Top of Notre Dame at Night
After waiting in a long line in the freezing cold, climbing 400 steps up a stone spiral staircase, we finally made our way to the top of the Notre Dame tower. We could not have timed it better as shortly after reaching the very top, the sun dipped below the horizon and created amazing colors. Shortly after that, darkness enshrouded the city of Paris, and in the distance, the Eiffel Tower lit up and it’s rotating beacon shown bright. A perfect picture except there was no room for a tripod. After adjusting camera settings and finding a solid stone to rest the camera against, I started snapping photos like crazy hoping to get a good one. This is my favorite and I hope you enjoy it too.
Sydney’s Corner: All About the Louvre
Have you ever wondered how the Louvre started? The Louvre started as a palace for kings and queens of France. It became a museum during the French Revolution. There are more than 30,000 art pieces. The Louvre has paintings from medieval times, Renaissance, and ancient Egypt.
Here is a good way to start your tour at the Louvre. Go to the Mona Lisa because everyone wants to see it first. The Mona Lisa is very famous. The painting is by Leonardo Da Vinci. Before you go and see the Mona Lisa you might want to pick some postcards of art so you can go on a treasure hunt for the paintings.
What makes the Mona Lisa famous? Do her eyes follow you? Is she happy or sad? Why do you like her? I like her because her eyes follow you. She has a tender smile. She is maybe thinking of how lovely her painting is going to be. The Mona Lisa was STOLEN in 1911 by an employee. She was gone for 2 YEARS! The Mona Lisa is from Italy. Do you know how the employee was found out? The employee was going to sell it back to Italy and a person turned him in.
What is your favorite painting? My favorite painting is The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne. I like the background of the blue mountains.
You can take awesome art classes. The cost is around 6 to 9 euros. I took art classes about Egypt. I learned that Egyptians built a palace for the kings and queens. The palace is now under water. The palace was on an island. There was a bridge that is preserved in the Louvre. The Egyptian kings and queens got buried in a sarcophagus with their belongings. You could tell a boy or girl by how they were standing in a picture.
Facts about the Louvre
- It is one of the world’s largest museums.
- There is a mall under the Louvre.
- The Parisians hated the glass pyramids. The pyramids were built in 1989.
- There is no modern art in the Louvre
Day Trip to Sacre-Coeur
Every so often during our stay in Paris we have been able to climb above the canyon of gray dull buildings. Each time we have emerged, we have noticed a brilliant white building with onion shaped domes perched atop a hill. What could that building possibly be? Sacre-Coeur of course! Sacre-Coeur sits atop the highest point in Paris at a whopping 420 feet. If one is lucky enough to see the sun in December, Sacre-Coeur will shine brilliantly white and immediately draw one’s eye. At sunset it will turn a pinkish color and look magnificant.
Curious about this beautiful building, this past week we decided to adventure over to the neighborhood of Monmartre to see Sacre-Coeur. We hopped off at the Anvers Metro stop and began our ascent to the top. At the base of Sacre-Coeur is an eclectic mix of tourist shops, musicians, cafes, artists, a park and a few pushy people selling trinkets. Even the Anvers Metro stop sign is unique, as it is one of the few Art Nouveau Metro signs left in Paris designed by Hector Guimard. To avoid the endless steps we could have taken a funicular to the top for the cost of a metro ticket, but we decided to climb the steps. The walk was well worth it. As we went up the steps, the view became increasingly breathtaking both literally and figuratively and it is by far the best view of Paris
Although Sacre-Coeur looks old, it is relatively new compared to some of the other behemoth churches in Paris. It was built approximately a century ago after the Prussian war to atone the “sins” of France. The brilliant white walls are due to the gypsum rock as gypsum rock whitens as it ages. The interior is impressive with detailed mosaics, but no photography is allowed. The original stained glass windows were blown out due to the concussive force of Allied bombs during WWII. The current stained glass is pretty and tells the story of Joan of Arc, but it is nowhere near as impressive as some of the other stained glass we seen while in Paris.
To experience an even better view of Paris you can pay 6 euros for an adult and 4 euros for a child to climb the dome. While trying to purchase our tickets, I attempted to explain in apparently very bad French that we would like tickets for the dome only and not the crypt. The ticket person politely asked, “Please speak English. It will be easier.” Her English was much better than my French! The 300-step spiral staircase up to the dome is even narrower than that of Notre Dame and I began feeling dizzy with the endless spiral upward, but alas we came to the top. The cost and climb was all worth it. The city spread out below our feet. We were also lucky as the sun peeked out behind some clouds and lit up the city beautifully.
After our descent from the dome, we wandered around the streets of Montmartre seeing one of the only two surviving windmills in Paris and some unique art. It was also fun to window shop at some of the eclectic shops. We enjoyed a picnic at the base of Sacre-Coeur eating delicious stuffed baguette pizzas with chorizo.
If you are looking for some of the best views of Paris, lots of interesting art and a fun day out with children, Sacre-Coeur is the place to go.
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