21.11.10 Love in Paris

yes, finally in paris.  you simply just feel love is in the air.  the streets, sights, architecture is simply stunning, and with the night view, is hard for anyone not to fall in love with this lovely place (except maybe the proud and unfriendly parisians spoil the day).

well, i was there in late nov, so it does look pretty gloomy in the day (its raining too!!)

1st stop was the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. with its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets in the world.  very pretty indeed.

The Arc de Triomphe, (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 Luxor Obelisk is a 23 metres (75 ft) high Egyptian obelisk standing at the center of the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. It was originally located at the entrance to the Luxor Temple, in Egypt.

The Fontaines de la Concorde are two monumental fountains located in the Place de la Concorde in the center of Paris.

the street of paris is quiet on the sunday morning (well, shops ain't open and people are all at churches).

wiki info: Les Invalides, is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building's original purpose.  The buildings house the Musée de l'Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France's war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte.The most notable tomb at Les Invalides is that of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821).

The statue in Place Joffre, Paris, before the École Militaire.

wiki info: The Eiffel Tower (French: La Tour Eiffel, nickname La dame de fer, the iron lady) is an 1889 iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris that has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.

yes, i'm going up the eiffel tower. woohoo...and its freezing cold up there with the strong wind blowing.

Directly below the tip of the downwards-pointing glass pyramid, a small stone pyramid (about one meter/three feet high) is stationed on the floor, as if mirroring the larger structure above: The tips of the two pyramids almost touch.

This is La Pyramide Inversée (The Inverted Pyramid) is a skylight constructed in an underground shopping mall in front of the Louvre Museum in France.  La Pyramide Inversée may be thought of as a smaller sibling of the more famous Louvre Pyramid proper, yet turned upside down: its upturned base is easily overlooked from outside.

wiki info:  The Louvre Palace (French: Palais du Louvre), on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, is a former royal palace situated between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois.  The Louvre Pyramid (Pyramide du Louvre) is a large glass and metal pyramid, surrounded by three smaller pyramids, in the main courtyard (Cour Napoléon) of the Louvre Palace (Palais du Louvre) in Paris. The large pyramid serves as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum. Completed in 1989, it has become a landmark of the city of Paris.

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel is a triumphal arch in Paris, located in the Place du Carrousel on the site of the former Tuileries Palace.

View of the Louvre Pyramid in the center of the Napoleon Courtyard of the Palais du Louvre. inside louvre, many fascinating artifacts...not possible to see all of them in 1/2 day.

This is one of the largest sphinxes outside of Egypt. It was found in 1825 among the ruins of the Temple of Amun at Tanis (the capital of Egypt during the 21st and 22nd dynasties.

Aphrodite, known as the "Venus de Milo"This graceful statue of a goddess has intrigued and fascinated since its discovery on the island of Melos in 1820. Is it Aphrodite, who was often portrayed half-naked, or the sea goddess Amphitrite, who was venerated on Milo? The statue reflects sculptural research during the late Hellenistic Period: classical in essence, with innovatory features such as the spiral composition, the positioning in space, and the fall of the drapery over the hips.

Winged Victory of SamothraceThis exceptional monument was unearthed in 1863 on the small island of Samothrace in the northwest Aegean. It was discovered by Charles Champoiseau, French Vice-Consul to Adrianople (Turkey).

the prized display - mona lisa (behind glass).

more nice paintings...

the royal crown jewels...don't all girls love jewellery?

walking here, walking there...and its 3 hours already.

my legs are starting to ache, and the museum tour has come to an end.  we covered the key displays in louvre, but its definitely alot more to explore, to see, to learn here.  this is indeed one of the greatest museum in the world.

do hope that i will come visit paris again in the future ^^