Graves, Arches and Towers

When I got in last night I was so tired it was all I could do to download my photos and put the batteries on to charge.

As I write this I'm sat under the pyramid of the Lourve with a cup of Lipton's Yellow Label Tea (I have to admit that I'm not a massive fan, it's not strong enough). Note the date on this blog will appear that I wrote it yesterday for consistancy!

So, where did I end up yesterday? The morning was spent with the Paris dead, in the Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise.
A wonderful place for photos even if the sun was abit bright really. I wandered for a bit but made a point of visiting Oscar Wilde. His grave is an amazing winged man who once had a large penis but it was thought too obsene and so was broken off! Recently the monument has become covered in 'kiss' marks where people (women and men probably) have donned lipstick and kissed it! Unfortunately photography is hampered due to a large tree right in front of it.
It was amusing to watch all the American and Japanese tourists trying to find Jim Morrison's grave - the clue should have been the barriers!! All in all I was very underwhelmed by his grave but then I've never been a massive fan of The Doors.

After a fortifying tea and sandwich I once again ventured into the Metro, this time I intended to get a day ticket but my French, and the ticket sellers English, were not up to it! I ended up with a single ticket - much easier.

Since it's supposed to be amazing I decided that a walk up the Champs Eylsees would be nice, especially since the sun had risen enough to start giving off some heat. I can't say it's really my thing, most of the shops are the same as you would find in any large city, but the christmas decorations were worth seeing. And then of course there's the Arc de Triomphe at the top.

Very spectacular! But the best was yet to come as I had timed my visit perfectly (more by luck than judgement) - after a short amount of waiting around and taking copious photos I was on the top of the arc when the sun set, worth the wait but off course the photographs could never do it justice.

Fifteen minutes later was an other wonderful sight - the lights came on at the Eiffel Tower, not just the lights on the tower itself, but at 5pm (and every hour afterwards) the whole thing started sparkling.



In the gift shop of the Arc de Triomphe I managed to locate the tackiest gift for Colin - a pink Eiffel Tower on a spinning top - truly hideous - I had to buy it!

Having seen the tower from the arc I decided to rush across the river (in the Metro) to the Eiffel Tower. Since I was there I visit to the top in the dark was called for, although I have to admit that the hour wait in the queue wasn't welcome (what the hell must it be like in the height of summer!?).

Bloody hell it was cold at the top, but the view was worth it. A really sweet Korean girl and I had a go at taking each others photos, the one I took of her (on her Nikon) came out really well but after half an hour of trying she couldn't get my camera to work correctly and so ended up taking one of me with her camera (she says she'll email it to me).

After a dinner of ham and cheese baguette and a cup of tea I made my way home - tired again. I'm not sure how much more of this my legs will take!?

Getting the Metro has turned out to be much easier than I thought - just like the underground in London really. All you have to remember is to make a note of the line number and end station of the direction you wish to travel - just like the tube (except it's numbered instead of colour coded). Generally the trains and stations are clean and tidy, I'm quite taken with the plastic chairs (don't ask!), and each station name sign appears to be in a different style. I'm not sure about taking photos down there so have been very restrained.

So, I guess I'd better go and see the Mona Lisa - well, its compulsory isn't it?