[11] Paris, France
Bonjour tous le monde! Je suis en fin capable de vous donnez des nouvelles!
On the first day (i'm not counting the day I arrived in the Beauvais airport) we went to Ile-de-la-Cite, where we saw Ste. Chappelle, La Conciergerie (for history buffs, this is where Marie-Antoinette and other prisonners through the ages were held until their executions. For M.A., it was at the Place de la Concorde), and Notre-Dame. Since we didn't arrive early enough and I didn't want to stand in a line around the building, I didn't go to the top of the towers. I have been before, and my Mom is not too keen on heights.
We also visited the Eiffle Tower (again, not going to the top) and wandered around the Quartier Latin. Highlights of that area include "Shakespeare and Co." books, La Sorbonne, Les Jardins de Luxembourg. For those of you who are not intently watching the Paris weather reports, I would like to let you know that it was +38 C here that day.
My second day in Paris was even warmer. I'm not made for temperatures like this! It's difficult to be outside. And that first night (after flying in from Glasgow), I'm not even sure we slept, since we had to keep the window open in hopes of breeze (no luck) and so we heard everything from the street. We are staying just outside of the main city of Paris in the Boulogne the Billancourt (south west on Metro 9, direction: Pont de Sevres). So this morning we spent in the Louvre. Most of the Greek Antiquities were closed, but I saw some pretty cool stuff.
And even stuff I didn't have the time to see in high school. We stayed until about 3 pm, then decided to take the Metro over to the Musee Rodin. Mind you that it's +40 C out, so the outside gardens, although picturesque, felt like a death trap, where could hardly breathe or move without sweating a bucket. I wanted to buy a fan the other day, but my mom said my money would be better spent on water. We enjoyed the Musee Rodin very much. Then we went back to the Louvre. We ate dinner at the Carousel du Louvre shopping centre cafeteria. It's a posh version of the food court in a mall. Then we went back and did the last half of the museum, since the museum was open late (until 9:45 pm). Sorry Andrew, the Mesopotamia part was closed yesterday, so we couldn't see it.
Today (thus far): Late breakfast at the hotel. Metro 12 to Abbesses. Walked up to Montmartre. I can't believe it (and Andrew, neither will you), but Mom went up the tower at Sacre Coeur. Yes, that's right. Mom went up the tower (well, it's more like a dome). She was freaking out, but she did it (because you had to go to the top before you could go down the other way).
We were harassed by the illegal immigrants selling braided bracelets on the walk up to the Basilque Sacre Coeur, and no matter how persistent you are in ignoring them, they still pursue you. Just keep walking (my philosophy). We plan to visit the Musee d'Orsay later this afternoon, and then stroll along the Champs d'Elysee this evening. It's not as warm today because there was a massive thunderstorm last night. It was terribly windy, and the loud clashes and bright flashes danced across the sky until long after we were asleep.
So, in other news: I've been reading as voraciously as one can whilst travelling (Ian McEwan's Atonement, P.G. Wodehouse's Something Fresh (John, I recommend it!), the Devil Wears Prada, Matthew Pearl's the Dante Club (Rob, you would enjoy this, if you have time), and currently Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting. I've sent out a few postcards. Hopefully the intended recipients have been receiving them. You can never tell with the Royal Mail. I am really looking forward to my time in Italy, and have been enjoying my time in France.
I can recap quickly (as internet time is running out) what I've been doing since I last updated:
July 13-14: Isle of Skye,
July 15: Inverness and Ullapool
July 16: Elgin Cathedral, Brodie Castle, Cawdor Castle, Brogehead Pictish Hill Fort
July 17: Dunrobin Castle, Latheron (near family farm on my mom's paternal grandparent's side of the family), Scrabster
July 18: Ferry from Scrabster to Orkney Mainland: Skara Brae, Brochs of Birsay, Skaill House, Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stenness, Kirkwall
July 19: Ferry from Stromness to Scrabster, Sinclair Castle, Bower Graveyard (found grave site of John and Helen Sutherland Clyne, my great-great-grandparents), Inverness.
July 20: from Inverness through Aviemore to Perth (watched "the Lake House")
July 21: Perth and environs (watched "Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest" -- another sequel!)
July 22: Stirling Castle and Argyll Lodging in Stirling. Attempted to find second-hand book store called "McCutcheon's", but it had closed down last year
July 23: St. Andrews: Castle and Cathedral
July 24: Flight from Prestwick Glasgow via Ryanair to Paris Beauvais. The air plane was really noisy, and the children on it were very loud!
I hope to update soon with interesting stories.
