Friday, 12 October 2012

Paris

 
We walked along the canal from our hotel into the touristy part of Paris, it was a crisp morning and we were in need of coffee so stopped at a litle tabac for a hot, strong cup as we stood at the bar, which was frequented by locals swilling beer and wine for morning tea.


 
Not the best illustration but a very pretty scene with the coloured buildings lining the canal.

 
Again I haven't managed to capture this facade properly but it has beautifully intricate tiling.


 
The obelisk at La Concorde
 
 
We strolled down to the Concorde area as we wanted to visit La Orangerie which is a gallery near the Tuillieres Jardins, which houses some of Monet's waterlillies. They are hung in a cicular room/gallery which was built specifically for these wrap around works. There are four of them in this otherwise white room with amazing light. Unfortunately it is impossible to capture the awesomeness of the works, or the essence of the room, especially as photography is forbidden, but I did my best.

 
A random person (or 3 1/2 ) in the way but at least providing some perspective 
 
 
Bundled against the cold

A sculpture adding colour to an otherwise bleak wintery garden
From the Monet's we strolled through the gardens towards the Louvre. We stopped for photos around the ponds, all bundled up, trying to keep the chill from invading our bones, somewhat unsuccessfully however. 

Posed in the quad around the Louvre

Inside, under the unside down pyramid

 
Our last day in Paris we walked from our hotel to this interesting park. It was again pretty fresh, the lake underneath this bridge was half frozen so we tried dropping stones off the bridge to crack the ice.
It was a long way down, some of the stones broke through but others just bounced away on the thick ice.


The view looking across to Montmarte from the park, with the Sacre Coeur in the distance

 
After lunch back at the hotel, bread and cheese and salad and tasty sweet treats, we caught the metro to a famous Parisienne cemetry called du Pere Lachaisse. Such famous corpes as Jim Morrison from The Doors, Oscar Wilde, Champollion, Edith Piaff and many others are buried there and there are also memorials for air disasters and from some of the halocaust camps/prisons/death centres.



 
 

Edith Piaff's family plot
 
 

Back in Milly-la-Foret




 
The cousins at work with their renovations

 
Milly in the winter -5degrees celcius, no snow, but mighty chilly


 
Our favourite little "supermarket" in Milly "coccinelle" (ladybird).

 
 
 

Biding our time in Fontainebleau 11-17th Jan



 
Walking through the grounds of Fontainebleau Chateau on a chilly morning




 
A shop front in Fontainebleau town

 
Gorgeous mosaic work outside clothing shop

 
Door handle mosaic


 
Hanging out at Etap Fontainebleau, waiting for our truck to be assessed for damage and "repaired".



 
 

Paris again 17th-18th

 
We had a wonderful few days in Paris, we stayed in the northern suburbs at an Etap motel, very basic but clean and very reasonably priced.  One day we went to Bastille on the tube and caught a "tour" on the canal from Bastille up to Villette (near we were staying), and on to the Science Museum. The journey took us under ground through tunnels and up a series of locks. There was a really interesting commentary about the history of the area, and the hangings that went on along the way. Hilary really enjoyed standing up on the bow, especially when the locks were filling. It was extremely cold, especially when the spray was flying up off the canal as the water poured through the gates to equalise the water levels. I managed to venture out for a few photo opportunities, but despite warm clothing it was too much for me!!
 
 
 
Bastille train station with tiling.

 
The beginning of the trip

 
The sculpture/statue at Bastille with the opening of the first canal tunnel in the foreground

 
The tunnels under the city of Paris

 
On the deck before we got too cold
 
 
Our boat approaching one of many bridges
 

 
Heading through a lock

 
"I'm not cold"


 
"I'm still not cold!"



 


The Geode (movie theatre) outside the Science Museum



 
Our boat on the return to the dock, we hopped off and walked back the few hundred metres to our hotel


 
Some erections