Day 40

Ok; well French keyboards are even trippier than German ones, so apologies in advqnce for typos, especially any qs instead of as, qnd commas instead of ms... grrr! ha ha!!

I got up this morning at around 8, and had a quick (skummy) shower before going to my breakfast which was cornflakes and little mini baguette things, kinda like the ones you buy from the supermarket and bake a little bit. I knicked a couple and put the, in my bag for lunch then walked down to the Metro station and gotta train to some station I cant pronounce, and got out. The weather when I got up was rainy, but it cleared up and I started wandering around.. amazing!!!

I got out next to this huuuuge inpressive building that i think is like the city gallery naybe.. but man was it ever nice! Huge too! Along the road this was on there was a gorgeous bridge with big pillars with gold statues ontop on each side in each corner, and further down the road was this massive palace looking place, that aparently is a hotel!! Anyhow, I didnt visit this, but walked on and was soon at the concord monument which was great; it was in this big square with paved streets all around, and there were statues and fountains and everything.. I loved it! I took a bunch of photos, and then walked on through so,e awesome gardens towards the lourve. there were statues everywhere and pristene lawns, it was breathtaking!

The lourve is nassive!! I was so in awe, I took a bunch of photos outside, checked out the pyra,id thingies, and then went to go in (i firgured since it was cold and wet itd be a good museum day) but nope.. the lourve is closed on tuesdays haha!!

Thats cool tho. Oh!! Also the Eiffel towers visable from pretty much anyzhere;; looks great!! And the Arc de Triumph is in a straight line with the concord and the lourve and that was great to look out along to aswell!

Since I was nearby I decided instead to go to the Notre Dame. On the way I walked along the river and there were all these cool little stalls with art and prints and stuff to see which was nice. I was also lucky enough to see some random fireman drill on a bridge. French firemen have these super shiny chrome helmets.. guess it deflects heat (looks kinda funny tho :D). I corssed a bridge later and Woah!! Notre Dame!! I took a bunch of pictures outside, and inside this place is just as great; Entry was free, but I payed 2 euro to go and look at a treasury with some important catholic artifacts and stuff which was very cool.. Out of the blue my foot has started hurting a little bit again which is annoying, but back to the Notre Dame.. I dont think ima be able to adequetly describe any of the stuff I see for the next few weeks.. But hopefully Ill get photos up somehow sometime! I wanted to clinb up the notre dame but there was a big line and they let in 20 people every 10 minutes.. but I thought that would be a good break for the feet, and opportunity to eat my baguette thingys, so I spent a good hour 20 or so in line and then climbed up. I got some cool panoranic views of the city, great angles of the building itself, got to see some sweet gargoyles, and also visit the bell where Quasimodo 'lived'.

After this I wandered some streets, saw a ton more old impressive buildings and sculptures, and an artificial beach. Rain kinda came and went which was annoying, but cest la vie (hey.. I do know a little french!). I walked through this one part near the Notre Dame that had all these swall streets and tonnes of european food places. There was heaps of food out on display, and the smell was INCREDIBLE! After this I hit an area that would be a comic book, or tv series, or movie, or manga fans sweetest dream. Heaps of stores with memoribilia, pictures, clothes and accessories, firgurines, the lot!! and good quality stuff too. They were cool to look through when a 10 ,inute downpour passed through.

After all this I went to the Sainte Chapelle. This was in the same Area as the court and you had to go through a security check zone before entering (and paying 4.50 to get in). In here used to be the actual crown of thorns Jesus wore, and a section of the cross, and other important artifacts (some now in the Notre Dame). It would be soooo sweet to see those! But in the french revolution they were all dispersed and went ,issing.. gutted! The Chapelle was stunning tho,, the architecture was awesome, was almost like there were no walls. There were nassive stained glass windows everywhere too, and each large panel had a different book of the bible in it (there were around 10-12 panels all up).

After sitting and soaking this up for a while I went back to the Notre Dame and fed so,e birds who would fly up and land on your hand and eat the breqd (some cool pictures!) I then walked around a bit, went into a few shops, and headed back to the hostel. Its now 8 pm, and I think Ill stay in and rest tonight.. I need to find out what 'sunscreen' is in french tho haha! Oh and I actually understood someone on the way back;; she said excuse me is this train going to La defense.. and I said Oui!! Woo hoo!!! HAHA :D. Anyway.. I probably forgot lots.. I hope not too much, and if I did Ill write it down and put it in a later blog

Later!