Whitest Church we've ever seen
Early on Day 2 in Paris the Metro takes us to the Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre (Sacred Heart of Montmartre). Its dome is two hundred meters above the Seine overlooking all of Paris and its suburbs. Apparently it is the second most popular tourist destination in the capital after the Eiffel Tower. Walking the porch of the church takes us through the several bays built in the Romano-Byzantine style.Amazingly this basilica remains perpetually white seemingly untainted by the weather. The secret lies in the type of limestone used in the building. It is an extremely hard stone with a fine grain that exudes calcite on contact with rainwater, making it exceptionally white.
The familiar and the unexpected
One curiosity was the meditative fountain. The not so curious was the quotidian beggar.
Cameras are forbidden which is just as well since the inside is dimly lit giving a mystical aura to the glasswork and mosaics.
We join the people sitting along the sloping lawns soaking in the atmosphere afforded by the 2nd most popular tourist attraction in Paris.
Useful keepsake
A short walk after that stops us at a souvenir shop that sells a tempting array of berets. We get three of them and the males cover their pates with the soft round hats symbolic of French culture.
Wander to discover: history infusion
Our preferred way of exploring the city without a plan is very ideal for Paris for even though it feels like a city it is surprisingly small. A walk near the Tuileries Garden takes us to a prominent sight in the Parisian landscape thanks to its famous gilded Dome. Hotel de ville ( city hall) is known not only for royal celebrations of marriages and births but also for executions.
We were not aware that the Tomb of Napoleon I was in the vicinity.
In the distance is the 150 year old Palais Garnier, the stunningly opulent and majestic legendary theatre.
Exploration gives the grandchildren a taste of the history and culture surrounding them as in discovering ( rather than identifying) something, like the 381 mascarons (masks) along pont Neuf. Crossing it we come by Daphne Place, a triangular square with a row of houses across from the base of the triangle of which only two retain their original appearance.
An architecturally beautiful building with red brick outlines and an eye-catching bas relief is Carrefour Curie. The next marvel is the hallowed Military School and the large shallow pool along the Champs de Mars into which children, adults and dogs casually dip their feet and little paper boats float with abandon.The Champ-de-Mars, which originally served as the school’s parade ground leads us up to the Eiffel Tower.
Inside the laced steel
Now we are at the base of the Eiffel tower. Should we get the tickets to take the elevator up to the viewing platform? The queue seems long and stationary. We decide to sit on the lawn which is quickly becoming crowded. The queue seems to have moved a little. The grandchildren and I decide to take our chances. We join the line. To our delight the line is moving faster now. We have got our tickets. But the wait seems to be forever. There is no turning back now. Might as well marvel at the jumble of steel that insanely makes the tower built for a Expo the most popular tourist attraction in Paris. We understand why the wait is long. The viewing platform, for safety's sake,can only handle a certain number of visitors at a time. The number of visitors leaving the platform will decide how many from the line can go up in the next batch!
Going up in a glass walled elevator gives us glimpses of Paris between the gaps in wrought iron lattice that makes up the light airy and strong tower.
Appreciation of the beautiful whether day or night
We are at the top. It's about 9: 30 pm. A glorious sunset is awaiting us. In the interim we are treated to great views of all the places we'll have to miss on this trip. We spy L’Arc de Triomphe and the boutique strip that goes all the way to Pariss largest square, Place de la Concorde. Then we get a quick look at the 60 lush acres that make up the Luxembourg gardens and the palace in the distance. In another direction appears Place du Trocadéro, where the Palais de Chaillot,a complex used for three museums and one theatre, stands. In about 30 minutes we have had a superb view of the city. The sun sets at 10pm and we reluctantly leave for the ground.
Drink is handing me a single long rose stem! It's never happened before. I had earlier seen peddlers selling them for what I thought was a prohibitive price. This is Paris, a City of Love, after all. I had also seen some discarded rose stems. But, I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt and accepted the gesture in good humour.
Can't complain
All through the evening we've been hearing all kinds of music at different venues. And then there were the roses. Was it an everyday thing! Surprise,surprise! This, the 21st of June 2014, is the longest day of the year. The Summer solstice is celebrated with the Festival of Music. I've read that every block hosts parties and great performances all completely free to the publ8c. We have been feted by the city – be completely free to the public! The first festival in Paris was such a huge success, that today, the concept has been exported throughout France and to over 100 countries around the world! Well done Monsieur Lang!For the last 43 years in France, the 21st June is not just the longest day of the year but also the day of the fête de la musique
