April 5, More tired than ga-ga now.

Well, I have a better handle on all the different train systems here as I used them all today. I was trying to go to Versailles again but the stop I went to was not the right one, so with the help of a friendly ticket agent I got a day pass for all trains/all zones and I got straightened around. I got through the Palace quickly because not that much of it is open to the public. Then I decided to take the surface train I had used to get over here and go to the Grande Arche which is at a stop called La Defense. When I got off the train I was surounded by tall buildings and I couldn't see the arch. Actually, I could see a bit of it but I didn't know that was it so I started walking. I came upon a giant thumb maybe 25 to 30 feet tall.

When I looked back from there I could see the arch. I was too close to see the opening at first.

The area is full of corporate buildings. There are no obvious retail outlets on the surface but later I found lots of shops underground.

Here is another view. You can see the size compared to the people on the steps. It is a least twice the size of the Arc de Triomphe.

Another view of the area. The Plaza is called the Esplanade du General De Gaulle. The Avenue of Charles De Gaulle runs between here and the Arc de Triomphe. You can see one from the other. I am standing on the steps of the Grande Arche looking toward the Arc de Triomphe.

Next I hoped a train again to go to the Opera House which closed at 4:30 and I missed it. I will try it again tomorrow because it looked pretty nice.

You can see people coming up from the Metro station across the street. This station is one of the main connecting stations for the different lines.

Around the corned from the opera house is the Opera Brasserie and Bar. It is so typical the way the tables are huddled together in two rows facing the street. None of these little places seem to have much space to spare inside or out and the patrons seem happy to squeeze in elbow to elbow.

I decided to head home early today because I am tired. I haven't been this tired since Australia. I can't say life was easier in Asia because things were difficult in a different way but I didn't seem to get so tired there.

I still had two more train rides to get home from here each on a different system but pretty straight forward.

I picked up some groceries to eat at the hostel tonight in case my doggie bag salad from last night is too dead to eat.

Tomorrow is my last full day in France and I must go to the Louvre. On the 7th I leave for Canada.

April 4 and still so much of Paris to see.

You can see the roof of the Sainte-Chapelle sticking up behind La Conciergerie, a former royal palace and prison. La Conciergerie is part of a larger complex known as the Palais de Justice, which is still used for judicial purposes. The beautiful church is built in the courtyard of La Conciergerie. To enter the church tourists go through the Palais du Justice.

This one was a good choice to visit, it is beautiful.

Notre Dame was nearby and since I hadn't been inside it yet I went there next. I could have gone up to the bell tower but there were a few too many stairs.

It was also nice but not so dramatic as the Sainte-Chapelle.

For a little extra cash you could get into the treasury where they keep all the really valuable stuff like these.

A lovely chalice.

The nave of this huge church is illuminated by daylight due to the many windows. There is a spot light on the statue though.

Walking around nearby I saw this amazing flowering shrub on the outside of a restaurant.

Here it is up close.

A double row of Nutella. They make beautiful crepes, smear some Nutella on them and fold them up. It seems to be a favourite. To me it is the equivalent of putting Cheeze Whiz on a baguette, but I really don't like Nutella.

Pont-Neuf park at the point of the island in the river.

You can see the Louvre from here.

This is the Citi Metro station which is also on the island. The walls of the underground were like a tank. I suppose the water table would be very high there.

I am back in Montmartre and we are just starting the Montmartre tour.

A view of the street.

And another.

A lovely house.

The Renaissance painters would have hung out at this resturant. There was a brothel upstairs at the time.

Paris is so photogenic.

Here's a view of the back of Sacre-Coeur.

You can see the Eiffel Tower from the Montmartre Hill.

We started the tour in an area known as Blanche, at least that is the Metro name. I was sitting in a Starbucks right across the street from Moulin Rouge, the most expensive cabaret in town at 80 Euros a pop.

There were a few other wind mills in the area. Moulin means wind mill.

Vincent Van Gogh's apartment is the second from the top, with the closed shutters.

This is an official Bocce Ball court.

Flowers....ah, Spring.

This Bistro on the Montmartre hill is the first Bistro in Paris .

By the end of the tour it was getting dark and the signs of the sex trade are becoming apparent. Pigalle is the name of the area. It was the former red-light district of Paris.

You think the sign is large enough? Four stories tall!

Well there is a lot more to Montmartre neighbourhood than meets the eye. My Metro stop is next to Pigalle called Anvers. It looks like we must be 50% African population here. There is also an Italian and Indian neighbourhood in Montmartre. I am just wiped out tonight. Touring here involves lots of travelling by Metro as well as walking to attractions and everything is so large it takes time to see it. I can rest in two days on the plane. Tomorrow, my plan is to go back to Versailles and go through the Palace and then see what else there is I can do.

Paris April 3

I woke up to a rainy morning and it only reached 15 degrees today. My toes hurt quite a bit but I got out my rubber sandals that I have been wearing for six months and put them over my socks and off I went. Nice look I thought! It was free day at the Louvre so I headed there first hoping that there wouldn't be a line to get in, but there was. The line went from the glass pyramid, where the tickets are sold, all the way around the outer courtyard, through the arch and half way around that next courtyard.

I just said I'm not doing that in the rain and decided to go for lunch. After lunch I donned my raincoat and headed out to walk to the Arc de Triomphe. If you walk away from the Louvre straight past the glass pyramid you will eventually come to the Arc de Triomphe.

This arch is not it but a smaller arch right behind the Louvre.

Looking back at the Louvre and thinking how stupid that pyramid looks.

From the small arch I come to the Garden of Tuileries with some nude statues popping up behind the shrubs.

After that, still continuing in a straight line I arrive at the Place de la Concorde, the big square which contains the obelisk.

Across the square I head into a wide street, the Champs-Elysees, a high-end shopping street.

There were lots of people out wandering in the rain.

I don't know if you can tell from the picture but the man in the center is wearing a lime green outfit with a patterend robins-egg-blue jacket.

They have walk behind street sweepers for the side walks here. This one doesn't seem to want to start.

It is not a skin condition but a lovely floral tattoo.

I was in one of the malls and used their public bathroom. It cost two euros to get in. You could buy supper with that much in Thailand. The place was also a bathroom boutique and decorated to show off their products.

After six months of absence from comfortable bathrooms I had to take pictures. What color toilet paper do you want or perhaps a floral?

Three Kermits are better than one.

I am here, at the Arc de Triomphe. It is really big.

I went up on top and looked down the street I had just walked down. You can barely see the Louvre down there at the other end.

Twelve roads bring traffic flow to the huge traffic circle around the Arc.

This is Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Montmartre, the area where I'm staying. It is the highest point in Paris and the elevation of the dome of the Basilica is the same as the top observation deck of the Eiffel tower.

I have seen this view of the Eiffel tower before and now I know where they took it from.

Looking the opposite direction from Champs-Elysees is this view with a square arch in the center. More on this later.

Back on the ground I saw the eternal flame.

I was curious to get down to ground level to see the police action. There was some kind of demonstration while I was on the Arc but they had everyone loaded onto the bus by the time I got down. Besides the bus there were six smaller paddy wagons but they didn't use them all.

The mounted police were there.

I didn't know that police had buses.

My Metro stop was right in the middle of that police action but it was fine to use by the time I got there. I headed back to my home stop and decided I still had enough energy to go up to Sacre Coeur. I have been here three days and it is only blocks from my hostel and it is time I saw it. I took this funicular railway to go up.

And here is the Basilica of Sacre Coeur.

This is its lovely bell tower.

I wasn't able to get into the dome today so must be satisfied with this view for now.

The thing I didn't know about is the neat little neighbourhood over there full of shops and restaurants......

...artists and craftsmen....

.....cobblestone streets and beautiful buildings.

This is not part of the basilica. It had a sign on it indicating it was used in national defense.

These guys with serious guns were hanging around underneath.

On a lighter note, the tulips are in bloom here now.

My feet are much better tonight after wearing the sandals so I think I can keep going. I think I will figure out a plan in the morning.