Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The Eiffel Tower is Everywhere

If there is one icon that identifies France, and especially Paris, it has to be the Eiffel Tower.  It was built in 1889 as the entrance to the Exposition Universelle , a World's Fair commemorating the centennial of the French Revolution.  When it was built the French people hated it!  It was considered an eyesore and was scheduled to be torn down in 1909 but by then it had become a familiar sight to Parisians and it was decided to let is stay.  It is the tallest structure in Paris and visible from just about everywhere in the city.  You might not be able to see it if you are in a windowless, interior room of a building, but other than that, you can't miss it!  See the video below for what the Eiffel Tower looks like at night!  [as usual, click on a thumbnail to enlarge it]


















The Eiffel Tower Sparkles

Every evening, on the top of the hour, the Eiffel Tower glitters and sparkles for about five minutes.  I'm sure if you live in Paris you get used to it, but for a tourist, it is worth the price of admission!  We captured this video on our last night in Paris.


The Doors of Paris

Walk along the streets of Paris and you will undoubtedly see some very cool looking doors.  Colorful doors, ornate doors, carved doors; you name it, Paris probably has it.  I took a lot of pictures of doors, but never knocked on one to see what was on the other side.  That will be for the next trip!




















Around Town - Part I

A few photos taken while walking around Paris to try and give the flavor of the city.
















One of the fountains at the Place de la Concorde, the spot where Louis XV and Marie Antoinette were beheaded in 1793, along with thousands of other French men and women, during the years of the French Revolution.