Keyswench After BLUE MAX ADVENTURES: 2013/08

We were told that the closest grocery store to the B&B was a block away but it was underground?? They said, "go down the stairs like you're going to the Metro, bear right & you'll see it." I wish I had a picture of the underground area, dark, scary then in the distance, you see bright lights. Voila!! This was SO kewl...Have you noticed that I've been intrigued with the European grocery stores ?? go figure. Well, I have to say they are so clean & squared away you just HAVE to wander around. The employees were curious about me taking pictures & most were happy to pose. Also, these employees were happy with their jobs & it showed - their particular areas were so perfect & beautiful. So, here we are in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, & we're in a grocery store.

Adjacent to this store was the bakery - oh...the smells were enticing. OK-enough of that. We also found an underground shopping area going further along the metro - it's located in a place called the 'Congress', a very large building a block away. Awesome & expensive shops.

Congress building - That's the Hyatt, tall building on the right. you can get into this building by a suicide walk across the street or go underground into the Metro area

A amazing light in an upscale furniture store. I was told 'no picures' - too late

View from around the corner of the B&B

We walked to the Arc de Triomphe. Surrounding it, are probably 6 lanes for traffic encircling the Arc - you must go underground to get to it. So much history-I never knew.

"The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Étoile), at the western end of the Champs-Élysées....The Arc de Triomphe (in English: "Triumphal Arch") honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner & outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I...The monument stands 50 metres (164 ft) in height, 45 m (148 ft) wide and 22 m (72 ft) deep. The large vault is 29.19 m (95.8 ft) high and 14.62 m (48.0 ft) wide. The small vault is 18.68 m (61.3 ft) high and 8.44 m (27.7 ft) wide. It was the largest triumphal arch in existence until the construction of the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, in 1982. Its design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. The Arc de Triomphe is so colossal that three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919 (marking the end of hostilities in World War I), Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane through it, with the event captured on newsreel."

We risked our lives to get this shot in the middle of the street

From the web

Zoomed

There are 280 steps to climb to the top - & I mean climb...I forget how many times I had to stop & rest. Word was, you had to take the steps, but not true. There is an elevator which we found by accident - we took it back down.

Interesting pic of the steps without using the flash

Inside the Arc

Live cam of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Here's a list of the 12 Avenues of the Place de l'Etoile:

Avenue de Wagram
Avenue Hoche
Avenue de Friedland
Avenue des Champs-Élysées
Avenue Marceau
Avenue d'Iéna
Avenue Kléber
Avenue Victor Hugo
Avenue Foch
Avenue de la Grande-Armée
Avenue Carnot
Avenue Mac-Mahon

Some views from the top

"Edgar Brandt, a wrought iron craftsman, was selected to execute the torch, designed by architect Henri Favier: a circular bronze shield at the centre of which opened a cannon muzzle from which radiated a frieze of swords. On 11 November 1923, surrounded by a multitude of former combatants, Maginot ignited the flame for the first time. Since that moment, the flame has never been extinguished."

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

"A daily ritual pays tribute to the Great Dead: each evening, at six-thirty, a flame is rekindled by one of the nine hundred associations of former combatants regrouped under the association La Flamme sous l’Arc de Triomphe. During the Occupation, this daily kindling rite was performed unperturbed."

As luck would have it, we were half a block from the Arc sipping wine at a café when I heard music & walked towards the sound. You can't cross the street (circle) so these pictures were taken with my zoom lens. They do this every day! It was magnificent & I'm happy I got to witness the entire event - Wayne missed it as he was chatting to a very nice young lady - a blond, of course.

We walked by Notre Dame but there was at least a two hour wait it get in. We'd seen so many churches, cathedrals & palaces on our trip so we decided not to go in.

The southern façade of Notre-Dame de Paris. (from the web)

The organ inside (from the web)

Wayne had to check out this Lamborghini with a very unique brownish color - looks kinda purple in this picture.

These 3-wheeled motorcycles, made by Peugeot, are all the rage.

These electric outlets for cars are everywhere & should be in the US

There are massive-sized streets & lots of traffic. Some streets have cross walks with traffic lights (cross at your own risk) - others have a walk-way under the street.

We splurged & went to 'Crazy Horse' to see a cabaret show called 'Summer Gets Crazy' - a more contemporary show than at the Moulin Rouge. While waiting for the theater to open, we stopped at a cafe for a drink.

(that's my new necklace from the Afghanistan store in Amsterdam)

Lots of options to see the show; dinner & show; show & champagne; show & tid-bits; or, the least expensive was to watch the show from the bar - we chose that option. The room was relatively small but cozy with seats in a semi-circle so everyone can clearly see the stage. We were seated in the back, right in the center of the stage. We couldn't have gotten better seats if we tried. Champagne was delivered immediately - the show enjoyable.

that's the curtain

It was turning into a magical night. But it wasn't to be. We walked to the Eiffel Tower. WOW!

Some of the lights go on, then off, another set goes on but it's hard to capture how awesome it was without a video.

I was busy taking pictures, after all, when would I ever return? Wayne was waiting a few steps away. We were chatting about what we wanted to do...I put my camera away & when I looked up, he was gone. I figured he was just ahead of me or went to see something. I waited & searched for him. He was no where in sight. I circled & circled the large area looking for him. I figured even if he went up the tower, he had to come down sometime. After about 1-2 hours, reality hit me like a brick - he simply wasn't there. What should I do? I had no money, no ID or a phone, didn't have a key to the flat & wasn't comfortable walking alone to the metro station - that would be IF I knew where the station was. I approached two police officers - one was a lady. I told them my woeful story. Thankfully, she spoke enough English to understand me. I was close to tears, not from fear, but because I was frustrated. She made a phone call; I was led to their police car & taken to the police station. (a first for me & I felt intimidated) It was a horribly depressing & dreary place except when the young & fit officers came in. Eye candy. I was taken to an office where four men attempted to communicate with me. "do you have ID?" was one of the questions... "no, nor do I have money or a phone", I said. Murmuring between themselves in French they seemed amazed that I didn't have anything on me except a Metro ticket & lipstick. One made a phone call while I kept asking why I was being 'held'...& couldn't someone just take me home? I was taken out into the main room with the others being held - at least I wasn't put in handcuffs like the rest were. I suppose you're wondering what happened to the missing Wayne. Turns out, he thought I went back to the B&B so that's where he went. When he realized I wasn't there, he got a taxi. He told the driver (a very nice woman) the story. She took him to another police station where they gathered the necessary information about me. He described me as 'a little old woman in a black dress with grey hair' (WHAT?!- are you kidding me?) I guess the word went out to all police stations & that's how I was found at 2am. Of course we didn't agree to how this all happened - he said he turned around & I disappeared & I said I turned around & he was gone. Oh well...it was a hell of a night is all I can say. Brigitte sent me the following pictures taken during their independence day celebration.

"Bastille Day is the name given in English-speaking countries to the French National Day, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale...The National Celebration and commonly Le quatorze juillet - (the fourteenth of July). While the date is the same as that of the storming of the Bastille, July 14 was instead chosen to commemorate the 1790 Fête de la Fédération. It is a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic during the French Revolution."

My favorite picture remains the one I took on our first night in Paris.

We flew to Miami on August 14th - a 10-11 hour flight; rented a car & drove to Cape Coral where Mickey, Kathryn & Bob greeted us at the door & shoving their way past them were our babies, Scupper & Jack. So much excitement, tails wagging, screams of happiness - but wait, there's another pup vying for our attention - tiny & tan with a beautiful face. Who is it? & more importantly whose is it?? Mickey & Kathryn realized they'd be dog-less when we got home so they rescued this sweet little, 8-week old, half doxie, half chiwawa & named her Trixie. She & Jack are the best of friends & play endlessly.

Scupper gets in on the action when she wants to but only if they let her.