Abu Dhabi is way too hot to stick around in during the summer, even hotter and more humid than the heat wave that just hit the states. Most trailing spouses (as we're called) and their families exit as quickly as possible once school lets out. Poor John has to stay in Abu Dhabi to work over the summer while the girls and I bounce around keeping ourselves busy and having lots of fun. Fortunately, John will join us later this summer, but in the meantime...Paris is about half way via plane between Abu Dhabi and Chicago, so the girls and I arranged for a five day intentional layover on the way back to the states. Here's what we saw:
The view from our rental apartment, one block north of the Centre Pompidou.
The Stravinksy Fountain plaza, next to the Centre Pompidou.
Lots of cool graffiti all over the city.
We ended up taking the Metro everywhere. This was our first view of the Eiffel Tower.
The view from the top...
...and from the bottom.
We hopped on the Metro to get to the Arc de Triomphe.
Then we turned around and walked down the Champs Elysees.
Street dancers on the Champs Elysees...
Mounted Policemen on the Champs Elysees...
Newlyweds on the Champs Elysees.
Lots of good but expensive food all over Paris. It was Hannah's birthday, lucky girl.
On Tuesday, we conquered Versailles.
The Hall of Mirrors.
The gardens of Versailles.
We absolutely loved the gardens on Marie Antoinette's Estate.
The Hamlet on Marie Antoinette's Estate.
Exhausted at the end of our full day walking tour. The vista from the Palace of Versailles.
Guess what we saw on Wednesday?
Notre Dame.
Exterior and interior details.
An statue in silhouette above the main entry door.
One of the main chandeliers was on the floor for renovations.
Then we sauntered over to the Louvre.
Nike of Samothrace still dominates the entry.
Not surprisingly, there was a mob of people in front of the Mona Lisa,
but we only had to wait a minute before we were able to view her unobstructed.
The expansive collection of priceless paintings is mind boggling.
On Thursday morning we visited the Catacombs. Most of the stone used to build Notre Dame and other large buildings in Paris was quarried from a mine under the city itself. In the late 1700s, the church cemeteries of Paris were completely full and causing problems with the Parisian water wells, so the old bones were moved into the old quarry, stacked neatly and labeled, church by church. There are over 6 million people buried here. The portion that is open to the public is a tunnel about a mile long.
In the afternoon we went to the Musee d'Orsay to see the Impressionist paintings.
Photos of their collection aren't allowed, but the building itself is wonderful.
One last walk in our neighborhood before we leave.
There is so much that we haven't had a chance to see. Can't wait to come again.
