The Phantom of the Opera

The Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier) was built on top of a subterranean lake in the mid-1800's.  In 1896 the Opera's grand chandelier fell from the rafters and killed one of the performers.  Sound familiar?  Well, those true events turned into the basis for Gaston Leroux's classic novel, and later a famous Broadway show, The Phantom of the Opera.  Although we didn't go inside the opera house, the outside is stunning!

Galeries Lafayette

Supposedly it was the French who invented the department store.  And if that is true, boy did they do it right!  The Galeries Lafayette is probably the most amazing looking store I have ever seen.  We didn't find too much to buy (because we didn't want to take out a second mortgage) but just to check out the six-story domed ceiling was something else.

30 Years!

Part of the reason for going to Paris was to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary!  Thursday night we went out for the "big blowout" french dinner at Leo le Lion Restaurant - champagne, magret de canard grillé avec pommes de terre à l'ail et les pommes, crevettes sautées avec du riz, tarte au chocolat avec des fruits frais et de crème glacée, and pomme au four farcie avec de la glace. Taking photos of your dinner is probably somewhat bourgeois, but this meal was incredible.  The food tasted even better than the photos look!

Pere Lachaise Cemetery

While I do not have a fascination with cemeteries, I am fascinated by old cemeteries and the various tombs and crypts that you can find there.  Pere Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris and quite a few famous folks have found their final resting place here.  Oscar Wilde, the Irish novelist and playwright; Edith Piaf, the great French singer; Frederic Chopin, the composer; and Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors (for photos of the Lizard King's grave see the post below this one).  When checking out the guide books before we arrived in Paris, one of them said of Pere Lachaise - "a peaceful refuge in the midst of a hectic city."  Well, it certainly was peaceful, and I suppose that if you think this is going to be your final resting place, you can't do much better than Pere Lachaise.  (be prepared, this post has a bunch of photos)

Edith Piaf - French Singer

Oscar Wilde - Irish novelist, playwright and major partier!

Mr. Mojo Rising

Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, died in Paris in 1971 and is buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery.  Over the years his grave site has become a sort of mecca for Doors fans.  When we were looking for the grave we were told "you can't miss it, it's the most popular gravesite in the cemetery!"  When we stopped by, there was a small crowd taking photos.  It was the only grave in the entire cemetery with a barricade around it.  Graffiti was everywhere, including all over the tree next to the gravesite.  The Greek inscription on the headstone, ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΝ ΔΑΙΜΟΝΑ ΕΑΥΤΟΥ, essentially means "to each his own demons".  Sad!

400 Steps Up! 400 Steps Down!

To get to the top of the towers of Notre Dame, and one of the most spectacular views of Paris, you have to climb up 400 steps inside a circular staircase.  No elevator, no escalator!  Quasimodo may have had a hunchback, but I think he was in great shape!  It was a tiring climb, but the pictures made it worth the effort!