Our visit to Paris was short. For 2 days [12/01/2008 - 13/01/2008]. Sun was shining bright in the city when we reached Paris enjoying the blazing 300km/hr mark of Thalys. Time was short. Places to visit... More or less very clear since our guys who have been in Europe for 2 years knew the nuke and corner of Paris.
And we started the adventure in Paris through the itinerary...
Basilica of Sacred Heart
The Basilica of Sacred Heart(Basilique du Sacré Coeur) was conceived as a symbol of thanksgiving at the end of the Franco-Prussian war. People poured money to build this church... But, the efforts were not enough to built it. The government took up its construction and was completed in 1914. The church was consecrated in 1919 after the first world war.Arch de triomphe
The arch was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate his victories. At the bases of four pillars, there are four relief sculptures. These commemorate The Triumph of Napoleon in 1810, Resistance, Peace, and The Marseillaise.
The Eternal Flame
Beneath the Arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and eternal flame commemorating the dead of the two world wars. It says... "Here lies a French soldier who died for his country 1914-1918".
Champs Elysees
The busy street of Champs Elysees boasts some major car makers display outlets. We made short visits to some of these.
It was quite a good experience. Cars... Cars... I love them!!!
Eiffel
The exposition of the Eiffel tower happened in 1889. Eiffel was designed by the French structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. It towers to 1052ft(including TV antenna) and has 1671 steps to the top. The Eiffel tower(with gold lighting) at night is a sight which should not be missed by a tourist in Paris.
Musee de Orsay
Being the former railway station; Gare d'Orsay, the Musee de Orsay now houses some of the world famous paintings. The best part of those being impressionist masterpieces. Vincent Van Gogh's 'Starry Night Over the Rhone' and the famous 'Whistler's Mother' were eye-catching.
Louvre
I'll say... The most happening place in Paris. The rush of tourists who pours in to see the mysterious painting 'La Gioconda' aka 'Mona Lisa' for 10th or a 20th time... Photographers; amateurs and adepts who carries all their equipments for shooting the evening louvre sky... The elegant transparent 'Pyramid', raised in courtyard of Louvre is a symbol of national pride for the French. Well, Louvre is a place of action!.
Statistics: It takes 5 weeks for a visitor to properly appreciate the 65300 art pieces in Louvre.French President Francois Miterrand who had an affinity towards Egyptian culture commissioned 'The Pyramid'.
The neomodern glass pyramid was designed by Chinese born American architect I.M.Pei.
Behind the scenes:
Well, critics can happen... Seamlessly an urban legend, the pyramid is said to be constructed of 666 glass panes on explicit demand from Miterrand. '666' being termed as 'Satan's' number, the request from Miterrand had been termed as 'Bizarre' by the conspiracy buffs.
Seine
Seine is beautiful at night. Lights of Paris gleams in the river which extends within the regions of France flowing into the English channel.
The Notre Dame was a destination that i always wanted to visit. But, i could'nt make it during that trip. Well, wrong planning or timelessness... the reasons are many. Still, i felt that i missed
that great place.
After all, psychotic Jason Bourne's have fatal attraction towards Paris.
For us, it was just a chance. A happening. :)
