I’m posting this a long time after the event. In fact, I’ve just spent 10 days R&R back home in England, and I’m on my way to a Frencher, more Neutral version of Germany (Switzerland, home of the Cuckoo Clock).
My last post covered the Normandy Beaches. After Normandy, I went to Paris. I arrived mid-afternoon on Monday 13/02, so after locating the hostel, and dumping my bags there (Check in was from 16:00), I went to the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. I went up to the top of both monuments, the views were quite amazing, especially from the Eiffel Tower. I actually thought the Eiffel Tower itself was somewhat (read: way) overrated, but it was still enjoyable enough.
The Arc de Triomphe
I spent the rest of the evening relaxing at the Hostel.
My plan for the next day was to go to the Palace of Versailles and the Forest at Compiègne, where in the Hall of Mirrors in the Former, Bismarck and other German dignitaries declared the German Empire and the Country of Germany into existence, and in 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed. At 11:00hrs on 11/11/1918 in a clearing at the Forest of Compiègne, the German High Command signed the Armistice, ending the Great War of 14-18.
Versailles was amazing, I wandered around the Palace, and I got my photo taken at the spot where in the painting of the Declaration of the German Empire (which is the background of my iPod, iPad, and my Laptop) Bismarck was standing.
I spent some time wandering around the Garden, but due to the extreme cold, the bulk of the garden was closed, but from what I could see, it looked rather amazing.
Me at the spot where in the picture, Bismarck is standing (taken at a different angle)
From Versailles, I went to the Gare du Nord, where, while I was waiting for the train to Compiègne, I went to the Tourist Office, to enquire about any Museums at the site. I found out that the site is a museum, which is closed on Tuesdays (Story of my trip), so I went back to the hostel for an early night.My final full day in Paris started at the Sacre Coeur, which is a 5min walk from the Hostel. On the way up, I got accosted by some men to buy an African friendship bracelet, I managed to avoid buying one on the way up. When I got to the church, there was a busker with a violin, playing a very French sounding piece of Music, that I recognised from the movie Amelie, which is one of my favourites.
Sacre Coeur
On the way back down, one of the men selling these bracelet things, wouldn’t give up, so I relented, thinking that it would cost me a couple of Euros. (they make it as well). After he finishes making it, he asks for a “donation”, I get my wallet out to give him €2, he asks for €, saying that the Americans give him €20, I flatly refused to give him any notes, especially as he had more money than I did, however, 2 of his friends walked up, and they surrounded me, and all “persuaded” me to give him at least €10, when no one came to help after I used my loud voice to say “I’m not giving you my money”, I gave up a precious €10, just to escape. This whole event really pissed me off, and I had a foul mood for quite a while. My next port of call was the Louvre, after I got in, I decided to go see the Mona Lisa, which, despite people complaining about it being “too small” is the size I have always expected it to be. I was then going to go see the “Declaration of the German Empire” painting, however, in true trip bastardry, that wing is “closed on Wednesdays”, and considering the whole gallery is closed on Tuesdays, makes me wonder what the French do most of the time. Surely, if the whole gallery is closed on Tuesdays, then have the whole gallery open the rest of the time?!?!?!? *rant over*
the entirely normal sized Mona Lisa
After the Louvre, I went to Notre Dame, which was not as impressive as I was expecting, rather like the Eiffel Tower. St Pauls in London is much more impressive than Notre Dame, hey; even the “Notre Dame” in Bayeux is more impressive. All that being said, it wasn’t that bad, although they charge an arm and a leg to go up the spires, so I declined that.
The final place I went to was the Musée d’Armie in the Invalides the Museum was really interesting, I went to the Tomb of Napoleon, I also had a look at the Exhibits of the 2 great wars, Lousi XIV-Napoleon III, and I finished there by going to a display room with models of different Fortifications and Fortresses in France. I spent most of the time having a look at the displays, I was rather fatigued by this stage of the trip, and I didn’t really have much energy to read all the displays. With that done, I returned to the Hostel and packed my bag, as I had booked a ticket on the 10:00am Eurostar.
a Kaiserstandarte from WWI
The trip on the Eurostar back was really good, I was next to a German girl, and we got on like a house on fire, which helped make the trip fly by.
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