The Goa Gang departing at Charles De Gaulle Airport:
The runway for planes, the road goes under...
Paris: On the banks of river Seine, population of 1 crore, with a density of 750 / sq.Mile. The most popular destination in the world, 4.5 Crore (need to check this number) tourists per year Paris would take one whole week of touring. In fact many tourists just do France for 10 days!!!! Tourist options are maddening, difficult to choose and do justice to Paris. Paris by itself is a travalogue.
The top attractions: Eiffel tower - long crowds - lift to the 2nd level, Cathedral of Norte Dame, Arche De Trimphe - take a lift to the top, Louvre Museum - Mona Lisa there & many others will take one whole day, Musse D'Orsay - Museum with Van Gogh paintings, Montmartre - Model Village, Les Halles -Shopping+ Transport+ entertainment hub, Latin Quarter- a rabbit-warren of all things, Pont D'Alma, Le Marais - a mixture of all culturs, Jardin des Plantes-botanical gardens and zoo + gallery of evolution, Saint-Sulpice Church - Da Vinci Code fame, The Lido Show, Moulin Rouge........ endless list here. I am sure others can add what I have missed and also some more masala to the Masala capital of the world.
0200: Grab lunch around the Eiffel area and on to the lifts to the 2nd level, had pre-arranged tickets so the queue was only 5 minutes, if not, you can end up with a 1 hr queue with half a day gone.
Dr.Balachandra, Hyderabad catching a quick coffee under Eiffel..
The tower was disliked by most Parasians then, was too be taken out but saved by the military antenna on top, then the radio and TV!!!! We go up the lift, secutity is tight, lots of crowd but regulated and spend 30 mts there on 2nd level, great view of the city and lovely spot to shoot from. Strap on the camera though, you can be jostled by energetic youngsters or necking couples!!!! They say this is the most romantic of all cities, most honeymooners / couples touch Paris to add sizzle to the mood.
Marie, the beautiful local guide gets on and explains in proud French tinted English the sights of the city. Trocadero Square, old palace gorunds also called terrace at Chaillot Palace from where you can shoot the whole of Eiffel Tower, is the next stop; the atmosphere is feastive, there are children plaing, a accordian player going on with popular numbers and whole lot of people shooting, all of us spend 15 minutes shooting there. Drive by the Arche de Trimphe, built by Nepolean to commemmorate the triumph, now the biggest roundabout in the world, 12 roads radiating around it, 8E to climb on top, the 8th district is one of the most expensive places in Paris. We drive down the Champs Elysees, where you see chic boutiques, expsnsive shops, Louis Vuitton et al & The Lido; often people proudly say I bought it from Champs Elysees, you need to get the pronunciaiton correct or it would be suspect!!!! The cafes are patronized by many film stars from all over the world, high profile deals are sealed. We pass through Square of flowers, Nepoleon in 7 Coffins (yes, 7 coffins), Pont Alexandre on Seine - most ornate bridge of Paris - arty lamps, winged golden horses - cute nymphs and we stop at the Concord Square.
Concord Square, 86400 sq.mtrs is the largest in France, full of fountains and statues, also known as Place Louis XV, connected with the french revolution. Louis XVI, Marie Antoinete, Robespierre and many other royals were guillotined in public view here, in 1794 about 1500 people were axed here. You have the French Naval Ministry here, expensive Hotel Crillon, US Embassy, Hittorf's fountain, the Egyptian govt. gifted 3300 year old tall pillar with hieroglyphics -The Obelisk. There are many traffic signal, you'd find high-powered bikes zooming away on the greens like a race pit. Next to Rome, found the highest concentration of Zooming bikers here.
Marie said good bye at the Les Invalides, where Nepoleons body finally came to rest under the golden dome; he is a national hero here and the less you speak of the UK and English the better. Marie's narration left a clear undertone that France is the plum of the world, it is more free-wheeling, allows diversity in contrast to the straight-jackected boors across the channel, no love lost between the French and the English. Wonder if this is true or just a popular saying ???????
France surely is the hottest destinations, the chicks out there dress classy and sexy; Lido , Mouline Rouge inspired???
The last pictue is the subway where Princess Diana met with an accident and died, the area nearby is a monument, you can still find people leaving flowers for her.....
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