Paris I

I have to warn you that this post has an over-abundance of photos.


Paris simply does that to you.


Click. Click. Click.

I guess the Paris post is as well to begin with the Eiffel Tower. I believe when the Eiffel Tower was erected, most Parisians were horrified by the ugly mass of metal spoiling the classic beauty of their city.

It was, however, only to be a temporary building, and so the complainers were placated.

Having been there since 1889, I'm doubtful that there are any calling for it to be dismantled now. After all, none of us thinks of Paris without this image being in our mind.

One of the differences between the Paris open-top bus tour, and the London version we'd done the day before was that in Paris, the journey between the famous sites gave a display of buildings almost as beautiful as the best of London sites.

London's famous buildings are plonked right there within the working city. Buckingham Palace has traffic driving all around it; Westminster Abbey is surrounded by busy streets; St Paul's Cathedral, too, is to be found in the midst of busy-ness. 

But in Paris, it seemed that all the buildings were placed there to be a display of someone's talented architecture and design.

Simply beautiful.

And yet, though my eyes enjoyed and appreciated what I was seeing, Paris did not find a place in my heart like London did. I was glad to visit Paris. I'd love to go back for an overnight stay and do things and see places we simply had no time for, but ... the city did nothing for my heart.

My mind? Yes. My senses? Yes. But my heart? Nope.

See what I mean about the architecture?

When we were going through the photos as a family, the immediate comments accompanying this one really made me laugh.

In unison, Catherine and Katie said, 'Ooooh, look at the cute trees!'.

At the very same time, and again in unison, DR and the Wee Guy exclaimed, 'Oh, wow! See the cannons! Howitzers?'. (There then followed a discussion on cannons and what they were or were not.) 

I guess guys an' dolls really do see things differently.

This Love Bridge ...

glistened in the sunlight.

The reason?

Young couples have taken to attaching padlocks to the railings, and the overall effect makes the railings glisten like brass.

The Paris Opera House

The architecture of this building is simply breathtaking. 

Seriously breathtaking.

Along the front are busts of some of the most famous composers: Rossini, Beethoven and Mozart are all there. The architecture is so opulent. It really is captivating. Breathtaking. Stunningly beautiful.

And whilst I was able to appreciate the beauty of it - I really was - yet, there was just something in me that hesitated at the opulent display of extravagance. I was glad to visit Paris. I was able to delight in its beauty. And yet I was glad that my country's famous buildings were more ... well, more staid. 

Lovely, but more modest. Less flashy. More cautious, maybe. 

It may be the Scottish Presbyterian in me showing itself again!

It was just how I felt. Interesting to myself. Rambling to the rest of you, I suspect.

On to the next photo...

This is scaffolding. Paris style! How cool is that - their ugly scaffolding is hidden under this huge sheet which is part advertising, part building facade. 

Very French. Very attractive.

I think I'll end this blogpost now, and have another post with some more of my Paris photos. There's only so much opulence one can take, don't you think? 

I'm only kidding about the not being able to take any more. But I'm not kidding about another post.