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Wednesday, June 27, 2001
We had the alarm set for 5, but were up a little before that. Finished packing and were ready to go by 5:30. We needed to start loading the vans at 6. I started downstairs with my rolling duffle and, evidently, the clerk decided it was too noisy. He was there to take it the rest of the way down before I had gotten to the third step!
We got the vans loaded and were ready to leave in plenty of time. Stopped for gas along the way. We had one almost wrong turn getting to the airport. We made the correction in time (despite the angry taxi drivers), but Adam’s van missed it. They turned around at the next exit and soon joined us at the terminal. We all jumped out and went in to check-in while Bill and Adam returned the vans and tried to find out how much a problem the thievery would cause.
We went up to the check-in desk and were told that we were too early. Our flight was for 9:30. Come back at 8:30. At 8:30, they told us to come back in half an hour. Bill and Adam soon joined us. The rental company had gone over the vans with a fine toothed comb, trying to find something else missing. I hope it all works out for Bill.
Finally, we were able to get in line. First there’s the line to make sure you’re at the right ticket counter (show ticket) and to verify that your carry on luggage meets their restrictions. Some of our group had to rearrange some of their items so that the film and camera gear got carry on status. Then there’s the line for the boarding pass and to check your luggage. Then there’s the line for Security. Once everything is x-rayed and you’re through the metal detector, it’s on to the gate. The rest of the trip to Paris was uneventful. Bill and I wound up on the last row of seats.
We landed at Orly, Paris’ other airport and Tom, our local guide, met us there. Quick trip to the restrooms for everyone and we were on to baggage claim. All the suitcases made it. We then got our tickets for the OrlyBus, which would take us from the airport to a Metro station downtown. Then down the stairs to the street level to meet the bus. Which is supposed to come around every 15 minutes. We waited closer to 45 before it showed up. By the time it left, it was very full.
Jockeying a large rolling duffle up the two steps into the bus wasn’t any fun. And the bus aisles were narrow. Since we were among the last to get on, we wound up standing all the way in to the city. I couldn’t move - suitcase in front of me, backpack on my back hitting the people on either side of me if I tried to turn, small camera bag in front. Then, at the bus’s second stop, two young girls behind me decide to get off. Since I’m between them and their suitcases and it’s a short stop, they decide to go over me. Not fun.
So, we get to the Metro stop and get our tickets for that. Then we get the thrill of the Metro ticket gates. Under ordinary circumstances, you enter the gate area, put your ticket in the front slot, it pops up out of the rear slot. You can then turn the turnstile in front of you and push your way through a narrow swinging gate that’s centered at shoulder level. It springs back quickly so that only one person per ticket can get through. Now, if you’re pulling a suitcase, there’s a slight modification to this. You have to push the suitcase through in front of you and be quick enough that the swinging gate doesn’t swing shut between you and the suitcase. It doesn’t bounce back.
On the way to the hotel, we had three of these gates to get through. And the Paris Metro system grew over time, so that the platforms aren’t all on the same level. To transfer from one train to another (we had two transfers - three trains), you have to go up stairs and down stairs. The arm I used to pull my duffle was numb by the time we finished. And the wheels got stuck getting off one of the trains. Fortunately, there was a friendly Parisian there and he helped me!
We finally made it to the Place de la Republique station, which was only a block and a half from our hotel. The rest of the journey was a piece of cake! We got to the hotel to find that our rooms weren’t quite ready. So, Bill stayed with the luggage and we headed out for lunch. Six of us (including Tom) wound up at the Taverne around the corner from our hotel. We’d wind up eating here a couple more times in the next few days. I had a salad with melon (yum), grapefruit (good), shrimp (very fishy tasting), ham (terrible), and marinated salmon (inedible).
Back to the hotel to find that our rooms were ready and Bill had delivered our luggage to ours. The elevator in this hotel could use some renovations - we weren’t always sure it would make it to the correct floor.
It’s a nice room - twin beds, tiled bathroom, very small closet, no dresser, but a small set of shelves. Two large windows that open. No air conditioning. Fourth floor.
We had a short meeting of the group with Tom to go over some of the basics of the city. It was mostly a get acquainted meeting, no real substance.
When the meeting was over, Deb and I grabbed our city camera gear configuration - minimal equipment and no tripods - and headed down the street towards Notre Dame. Rain threatened most of today, but we had our umbrellas in our bags, so it never materialized.
We walked down Rue du Temple, stopping occasionally to take pictures of the interesting architecture, past the nearest post office. We stopped in front of city hall (Hotel de Ville - left) for more pictures. They had some sort of promotion going on and had scaffolding set up in front of most of the building, making it difficult to take pictures of. Never did find out the occasion, but I think it had to do with Paris’ bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. There were signs everywhere, including on most of the bridges of the city, saying “Paris Oui 2008". We did get some interesting shots of the fountain that runs along one side of the Hotel de Ville, but the building itself was more difficult.
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Then across the river to the Ile de la Citie and Notre Dame. It looks just like all the pictures! We took a lot of pictures from the square in front of it, including some close ups of the magnificent statues and carvings that surround the entrances. We finally went in and walked around inside. It’s beautiful inside. A bit dark for photography, but we tried any way. The stained glass windows are fantastic, as are the paintings, the statues, and the general architecture. Deb bought a candle for one of the altars here (she’s Catholic). We spent over an hour inside the cathedral.
The photo on the left is the usual view of Notre Dame from the square in front of it. The second photo is the main Rose Window from the outside. The third photo is a closer view of the carvings above one of the side entrances to the building. The photo on the far right is a closer view of one of the Madonna and child statues above an entrance.
Then we circled the building. No matter what angle you look at it, it’s fantastic and fascinating. I wound up taking at least a half dozen pictures of Notre Dame each day we were in the city.
The photo on the left is a detail view of the carvings over one of the side entrances to the Cathedral and the last I took today from in front of the Cathedral. Then we started walking around it. The center photo shows one of the rose windows on the side of the church. The photo on the right shows the rear facade with its flying buttresses.
The photo on the left shows another view of the flying buttresses with some roses in the foreground. The ceonter photo shows flying buttresses with one of the towers in the background. The photo on the right was taken after we left the island and shows the cathedral from across the Seine.
Staying on Ile de la Citie, we walked over near Ste. Chappelle. However, it closed at 6:30 and the last time for admission was 6:00. It was 6:04.... We’ll be back. So we finished crossing the Seine and spent a little time in Place St. Michel. There’s a nice fountain there with St. Michael fighting someone and spitting griffins.
The photo on the left shows an overview of Place St. Michel. The center photo shows one of the spitting griffins at the fountain there. The photo on the right shows St. Michael fighting someone (we never did find out who...).
We also spotted one of the public water fountains that Tom had told us about. These are small green, almost statues with a thin stream of water. Drinkable water. We’d find several over the next few days and refilled our water bottles whenever we found them. Paris water is very drinkable.
We paralleled the Seine for a while, then crossed back over the Ile de la Citie by way of the Pont Neuf. The name literally means New Bridge, but it’s the oldest bridge still standing in Paris. They’re in the process of cleaning it. One section looks brand new while the part they haven’t gotten to yet is still blackened.
The photo on the left is one of the public water fountains mentioned above.
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The photo on the right is a detail of the Pont Neuf, showing several of the faces that grace the facade.
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The three photos above show some of the sights we saw as we walked along the Seine. The photo on the left shows one of the many tour boats on the Seine passing near the Conciergerie. The center photo shows some of the street life that takes place along the Seine river bank. The photo on the right shows some of the many riverboats permanently moored along the side of the river.
More of our photos from wandering today. The photo on the left shows the Seine River, some of its bridges, and some of the buildings that line this busy area. The center photo shows Pont Neuf crossing the Seine. The photo on the right shows the Conciergerie, a former prison which is mostly used for law offices today.
From there, we walked down a section of the Rue de Rivoli until we got to a good cross street that would take us up by the Pompidou Center. That building is a very modern one and a complete contrast to the rest of the city. Personally, I think it’s almost an eyesore, but the Parisians seem to like it.
Behind the Pompidou Center is a large pond with several kinetic sculptures in it. They are really weird. One looks like a pair of giant lips (center photo below). One is an animated skull (photo on the right below). Another is a rotating mermaid with jets of water squirting out of her breasts! Sorry. The picture I took of that one is on the one roll of print film that I managed to lose somewhere along the way.
The photo on the left above shows the stairs on the outside of the Pompidou Center.
From there, we headed back to the Place de la Republique and the hotel. The photo on the left shows the statue in the middle of the Place de la Republique.
On the way, we stopped at a bakery and picked up a piece of quiche for a light dinner. By the time we returned to the hotel, we had been walking for five hours. Our feet were very tired. So was the rest of the body. We got the room settled for the next few days habitation, opened the windows very wide, and settled in for the night. We both slept well this evening, despite the garbage trucks.
They have very interesting garbage schedules for this street that we’re on. They come by three separate times each evening. And they are there every day! The first trip through, they pick up about a third of the cans. The second time (looked like the same crew), they picked up about half the rest. The third trip they’d get the rest of the cans. And they’re just as noisy as the ones that pick up the trash on our street at home!
Our hotel is on a side street, just a block off the Place de la Republique. Most of the buildings on this street appear to be residential - apartments above the ground floor. As a result, it’s fairly quiet, but we’re just half a block from a major thoroughfare in one direction and a block from another in the other. And the solid facades of these buildings means that any noise at all just echos all over the place. A quiet conversation on the street is easily heard on the fourth floor.