**Click on any picture to see a gallery of the post**
(like this needs a caption...)
Previous posts: PART 1; PART 2
I don't know what it is about the Tour Eiffel (and other places for that matter), but you just go wow! Pictures can never do these sights justice, and I don't pretend mine will, but here are the highlights from "the Eiffel Tower day".
We started our day at Jardins du Trocadéro, grabbed some munchies (I´ll say more about that on the food post to come) from a recommended bakery across the street and went strolling. The view of the tower from the top of these gardens (Esplanade du Trocadéro) is stunning. You get a perfect, full, in your face view of the tower -- as seen in picture one. I have about 20 shots from that same spot, in slightly different angles and settings, and it was tough to choose just one.
The gardens are beautiful, there are benches to sit and munch on a pastry while looking at the tower, and lots of nice kissing spots. I haven't said so before, but Paris is one of those places you shouldn't visit alone.
I´m not saying it's utterly romantic and can't be done with friends, because it's not necessarily and it can, but I am saying that Paris doesn't really have a good vibe for solo strolls and sightseeing. Some cities do, Paris doesn't. The rhythm of Paris is not one that you feel connected to the people around you if you're not really connected to them.
In the words of
David Lebovitz (you should stop by there sometime), "the omnipresent tristesse of Paris - 'the sadness' of Paris, as it's called, is rather difficult".
Maybe that's what people find romantic, I don't know, but personally I think that romance is much more a product of who you are with and how you choose to experience your days than what a place brings to you, but what do I know? Oh, yeah, I know that Paris should not be seen alone.
Back to the tower... to reach it you cross the Pont d'Iéna (not that I knew that before google mapping that just now) and the view is pretty spectacular. Lines to go up the tower vary a lot... depending on time, day, season and how you choose to climb. We waited about 15min...
... and we chose to walk up. Yes, you read that correctly, we WALKED up. All the way to the second floor because you can´t walk aaaaaall the way up, the skinny part of the tower has to be done by elevator.
704 steps which we took well (your level of fitness and the wind and temperature will determine how comfortable it is), but whoever knows that I have an absolute horror of heights can imagine how I felt. My legs literally shook all the way up. I have no idea why heights freak me out like this, but they do. I face them anyway.
I would recommend that anyone take the stairs at least up to the 1st floor... it´s super cool to see the "innards" of the tower.
We got a little bit of rain up there while it was sunny downstairs. Funny.
Proof. Oh, this picture reminds me... Paris is a very expensive city, so I always left home with a bottle of water.
People say that Parc du Champ-de-Mars is the best view of the tower, the park is very nice, but I liked the view from Trocadéro better. In a way it´s the same difference, but go and judge for yourself. :)
On our way to see Napoleon's tomb we passed through Pont Alexandre III. It's special because it´s seriously beautiful.
One of my favorite spots was this huge area of Invalides. It encompasses a huge park, buildings and gardens, with a chapel in the middle housing the tomb. The park is simply spectacular.
We sorta (ok, completely) have fun and laugh pretty much anywhere we go...
Canons were no exception.
Inside the chapel...
From all I've heard Napoleon was a small man... this tomb seems like a bit much, but who am I to say?
We polished off the day with a stroll and sit/chat in the beautiful gardens.
Once again thanks for scrolling and I'll see you Friday for part 4. :)
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