These boots were made for walking
Paris. Just the name conjures up fear in the people who went on the Europe trip last year. Not because of the pickpockets. Not because of the CRAZY drivers. Not even because of the eerie catacombs (well, except LB, who didn’t really see the catacombs with her eyes closed the whole way – hey, by the way, LB, I spent your 5 euros, and then I ate what I spent it on – thanks!). No. Because of the walking. Paris is a busy day for the feet. But not as busy this year as last year, even though we saw all the same things this year Sorry 2006ers – I know you wanted the newbies to have the same thigh burning, foot blistering workout, but I learned from my map reading error last year, and Rens comfortably transported us the long distance from the Latin Quarter to the catacombs entrance, and was waiting for us where we emerged back to the land of the living 1.5 km away. I’m getting ahead of myself now.
We began the day at Sacre Coeur, one of my favourite cathedrals for its beautiful Byzantine mosaics. The weather looked promising over top of Montmartre, the hill where Sacre Coeur is located, but looking down across Paris it was starting to cloud over. The students have, throughout the trip, been so well behaved and respectful in the holy sites we visit. They are good ambassadors for the young people of Canada!
A handsome group, as ever.
I like my new wide angle lens.
Rens did some commentary about the buildings we passed, in his deep Dutch accent, as we drove through Paris, down the Champs Elysees, to Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe. We climbed to the top of the Arc, and once again Paris was laid out before us, but now some serious clouds were moving in, and we got our first sprinkles of rain. This didn’t dampen the kids’ spirits at all – they’re an enthusiastic bunch.
[Image:arc craig.jpg]
From the top of the Arc.
We are so puny under the mighty arc.
Off to the Catacombs were we, not walking but riding as I said before. Last year the walk to 1 Rue Denfort-Rochereau (the address of the Catacomb’s entrance) was a serious error on my part, and I apologize to those of you who had to endure it! The catacombs are a huge series of underground tunnels in Paris which were limestone quarries started by the Romans. These particular catacombs house the bones of 6 million Parisians whose remains were exhumed from the cemeteries of Paris in the late 18th century to make room for more buildings and roads. They decided these ancient quarries would be an appropriate final resting spot for the bones of the dead, and neatly (and sometimes artistically) stacked the bones up along the edge of the tunnels, noting which cemetery each of the groups of bones came from. It is a very unusual experience to walk through this place (just above the entrance, there is an old engraving in French which says "Stop – This is the Empire of the Dead". A group of girls, who were with a mom quite far ahead of all the boys commented that they were glad the boys weren’t there to try to scare them. Some man who was in the catacombs with his son overheard them and took the opportunity to hide and jump out at them himself. The girls have recovered, but I think Tyrel was disappointed it wasn’t he who got to scare them.
[Image:catacombs 3.jpg]
We are warned not to enter. Don't look down the page any further, LB.
[Image:catacombs 1.jpg]
ouch.
[Image:catacombs 2.jpg]
A work of art?
[Image:catacombs jialin.jpg]
Jialin makes friends so easily - with Belgian students, with French skeletons...
I can’t think of a better thing to do after walking through piles of bones and skulls than to go for lunch, which is what we did down in the Latin Quarter (the old university district). After lunch we visited THE Notre Dame Cathedral (of course, there are Notre Dame Cathedrals all over France, but this is the big one). After discussing the finer aspects of flying buttresses and guys who are beheaded, pick up their heads, and walk to a more appropriate resting spot (St. Denis, the patron saint of Paris), we left Notre Dame behind and went shopping, finally. I totally couldn’t wait! ha ha ha. It had started raining in earnest now too, but no one seemed to care – we are from the West Coast after all.
[Image:notre dame group.jpg]
These guys are always a little off balance.
While they shopped, I searched for American Express to cash the remaining traveler’s cheques. They are very inconvenient – almost no place takes them, or their rate is ludicrous – one place quoted me 8% (and 8% of what I was cashing is a LOT of Euros!). I had a long walk ahead of me to the actual amex office in Paris, near the Opera. After assisting two motor scooter riders who collided with each other right in front of me while I waited for a crosswalk signal, I got my directions mixed up and ended up walking several km in the absolute wrong direction. I knew when I arrived at what was supposed to be the Place D’Opera, and instead saw Place du Republic I had made an error. So I took a suggestion Kelly (Ashley’s mom) had given me earlier and hailed a taxi. That was worth it – I got there quickly and got to experience driving in Paris the way it should be experienced, not in a large and safe bus, but in a tiny fiberglass Peugot.
We ended our day with an early evening at the Louvre. I gave the tired and hungry kids a pep talk before we split into two groups to join our professional guides. They rallied and seemed to get a lot out of the tour, despite their weakened state. The underwhelming (my opinion) Mona Lisa is always a favourite – hype wins out for this one! The kids were excited to see it, but I was more enthralled with the guide’s description of some of the grand paintings we saw, such as the Wreck of the Medusa.
Introducing the Louvre - by Tyrel.
Chris can't believe this is the courtyard of the place King Louis gave up to build a fancier residence in Versailles.
[Image:louvre pyramid.jpg]
Interesting perspective.
[Image:louvre becky.jpg]
See any resemblance?
One of our capable guides at the Louvre.
After a quick meal at Cafeteria Rivoli across from the Louvre (these guys have tour groups down to a science – with a choice of 9 entrees, everyone in our group of 37 has their food in under 15 minutes. Amazing) we were back at the Etap, tired but happy, ready for a nice relaxing day on the bus on Saturday!
Craig
Paris. Just the name conjures up fear in the people who went on the Europe trip last year. Not because of the pickpockets. Not because of the CRAZY drivers. Not even because of the eerie catacombs (well, except LB, who didn’t really see the catacombs with her eyes closed the whole way – hey, by the way, LB, I spent your 5 euros, and then I ate what I spent it on – thanks!). No. Because of the walking. Paris is a busy day for the feet. But not as busy this year as last year, even though we saw all the same things this year Sorry 2006ers – I know you wanted the newbies to have the same thigh burning, foot blistering workout, but I learned from my map reading error last year, and Rens comfortably transported us the long distance from the Latin Quarter to the catacombs entrance, and was waiting for us where we emerged back to the land of the living 1.5 km away. I’m getting ahead of myself now.
We began the day at Sacre Coeur, one of my favourite cathedrals for its beautiful Byzantine mosaics. The weather looked promising over top of Montmartre, the hill where Sacre Coeur is located, but looking down across Paris it was starting to cloud over. The students have, throughout the trip, been so well behaved and respectful in the holy sites we visit. They are good ambassadors for the young people of Canada!
A handsome group, as ever.
I like my new wide angle lens.
Rens did some commentary about the buildings we passed, in his deep Dutch accent, as we drove through Paris, down the Champs Elysees, to Napoleon’s Arc de Triomphe. We climbed to the top of the Arc, and once again Paris was laid out before us, but now some serious clouds were moving in, and we got our first sprinkles of rain. This didn’t dampen the kids’ spirits at all – they’re an enthusiastic bunch.
[Image:arc craig.jpg]
From the top of the Arc.
We are so puny under the mighty arc.
Off to the Catacombs were we, not walking but riding as I said before. Last year the walk to 1 Rue Denfort-Rochereau (the address of the Catacomb’s entrance) was a serious error on my part, and I apologize to those of you who had to endure it! The catacombs are a huge series of underground tunnels in Paris which were limestone quarries started by the Romans. These particular catacombs house the bones of 6 million Parisians whose remains were exhumed from the cemeteries of Paris in the late 18th century to make room for more buildings and roads. They decided these ancient quarries would be an appropriate final resting spot for the bones of the dead, and neatly (and sometimes artistically) stacked the bones up along the edge of the tunnels, noting which cemetery each of the groups of bones came from. It is a very unusual experience to walk through this place (just above the entrance, there is an old engraving in French which says "Stop – This is the Empire of the Dead". A group of girls, who were with a mom quite far ahead of all the boys commented that they were glad the boys weren’t there to try to scare them. Some man who was in the catacombs with his son overheard them and took the opportunity to hide and jump out at them himself. The girls have recovered, but I think Tyrel was disappointed it wasn’t he who got to scare them.
[Image:catacombs 3.jpg]
We are warned not to enter. Don't look down the page any further, LB.
[Image:catacombs 1.jpg]
ouch.
[Image:catacombs 2.jpg]
A work of art?
[Image:catacombs jialin.jpg]
Jialin makes friends so easily - with Belgian students, with French skeletons...
I can’t think of a better thing to do after walking through piles of bones and skulls than to go for lunch, which is what we did down in the Latin Quarter (the old university district). After lunch we visited THE Notre Dame Cathedral (of course, there are Notre Dame Cathedrals all over France, but this is the big one). After discussing the finer aspects of flying buttresses and guys who are beheaded, pick up their heads, and walk to a more appropriate resting spot (St. Denis, the patron saint of Paris), we left Notre Dame behind and went shopping, finally. I totally couldn’t wait! ha ha ha. It had started raining in earnest now too, but no one seemed to care – we are from the West Coast after all.
[Image:notre dame group.jpg]
These guys are always a little off balance.
While they shopped, I searched for American Express to cash the remaining traveler’s cheques. They are very inconvenient – almost no place takes them, or their rate is ludicrous – one place quoted me 8% (and 8% of what I was cashing is a LOT of Euros!). I had a long walk ahead of me to the actual amex office in Paris, near the Opera. After assisting two motor scooter riders who collided with each other right in front of me while I waited for a crosswalk signal, I got my directions mixed up and ended up walking several km in the absolute wrong direction. I knew when I arrived at what was supposed to be the Place D’Opera, and instead saw Place du Republic I had made an error. So I took a suggestion Kelly (Ashley’s mom) had given me earlier and hailed a taxi. That was worth it – I got there quickly and got to experience driving in Paris the way it should be experienced, not in a large and safe bus, but in a tiny fiberglass Peugot.
We ended our day with an early evening at the Louvre. I gave the tired and hungry kids a pep talk before we split into two groups to join our professional guides. They rallied and seemed to get a lot out of the tour, despite their weakened state. The underwhelming (my opinion) Mona Lisa is always a favourite – hype wins out for this one! The kids were excited to see it, but I was more enthralled with the guide’s description of some of the grand paintings we saw, such as the Wreck of the Medusa.
Introducing the Louvre - by Tyrel.
Chris can't believe this is the courtyard of the place King Louis gave up to build a fancier residence in Versailles.
[Image:louvre pyramid.jpg]
Interesting perspective.
[Image:louvre becky.jpg]
See any resemblance?
One of our capable guides at the Louvre.
After a quick meal at Cafeteria Rivoli across from the Louvre (these guys have tour groups down to a science – with a choice of 9 entrees, everyone in our group of 37 has their food in under 15 minutes. Amazing) we were back at the Etap, tired but happy, ready for a nice relaxing day on the bus on Saturday!
Craig
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