Billie Goes to Paris

I've dreamed of visiting Paris pretty much my entire life, so this was an important trip for me. I only had 48 hours tacked on to the end of a fairly long business trip to Oslo, so I made a list of things I absolutely *had* to see in Paris, and stuck with it.

After the flight and settling into my hotel, I walked eight or nine blocks to Notre Dame. It had been raining all morning, but as I approached, the sun came out -- literally and emotionally. I had been kind of numb with all the traveling, but Notre Dame just overwhelmed ... (more)

Notre Dame
I have never been so overwhelmed by a place in my life. I took a dozen photos...

Notre Dame
Stained glass in alcoves.

Notre Dame
I lit a candle for my sister Ruthie under the statue of Joan of Arc.

Notre Dame
Okay, I have enough French to do some of it. "In the year 1163, under the...

Shakespeare & Co.
Here's the famous English-language book store near Notre Dame....

Tour boat on the Seine
See the Eiffel Tower in the distance? The clouds went in and out all day. I...

Eiffel Tower
Big, isn't it? And sort of brown.

Eiffel Tower
Directly underneath.

Eiffel Tower
Beaucoup de tourists.

Musee d'Orsay
This beautiful museum was once a train station. It pretty much takes up where...

The Louvre
Here's a shot from inside the Louvre's pyramid entrance.

The Louvre
If you've never been there, this photo may give you a feel for how...

The Louvre
See Winged Victory at the top of the stairs?

The Louvre's most famous resident
Yes, that's her. I had to see her. What's most annoying is waiting in...

The Louvre's second most famous resident
It was hard to get close to Venus, too. But not as hard as getting...

Window
Here's the view out the window of my extremely tiny hotel room.

article published 08/27/2005

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Paris Suggestions
It's always great to hear how moved people are by Paris, because I feel the same way. It truly is a special place, and I hope you get to return there someday.

Also, if you are a Claude Monet fan, you should visit his home outside of Paris. It's really a wonderland, especially for fans of his work. Or if you can't get that far out, visit the Marmottan museum; among its prizes is Impression: Sunrise.

There's a park behind Notre Dame that is a great spot to sit down with a good book and relax for awhile--and it has the added bonus of a view of the cathedral. My personal favorite is the park at the tip of the other island, from which you can sit and watch the boats on the Seine go by.

I just wanted to share my own suggestions and express my own love for Paris. I hope you are able to visit it again with more time.
— Kelly, August 3, 2006

Rain in Paris
So glad you made it to Paris. Apropos of not much, Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina made the point that it must be raining your first day in Paris or it simply isn't Paris. So there you go.
— Ben P, August 29, 2005

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