France

This is what Paris looks like!

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This is the local laundromat and our apartment.

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Landmark time!

The Arc de Triomph

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The Moulin Rouge after the show since cameras weren’t allowed inside during.

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The outside of Notre Dame since we got there too late in the day to venture in.

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That big metal Parisienne symbol thing:

Maybe this is the origin for “tall, dark and handsome”francetour2.jpgfrancetour2.jpgWhoops! My sentimentality is showing.francetour5.jpgfrancetour8.jpgMeeting up with some familyThe giant concrete feet where the metal legs sit into has this weird starred texture all over themThe nightly shimmer!from underneathCool building foot sunk into the floor outside the elevatorsfrom the first level upfrancetour13.jpgfrancetour14.jpgfrancetour15.jpgLook it’s the Louvre! And you can see Musee d’Orsay to the right of it (the curved roof)francetour17.jpgfrancetour18.jpgfrancetour19.jpgfrancetour20.jpgfrancetour21.jpgthe teeny version of Lady LibertyNotre Damefrancetour25.jpgfrancetour26.jpgfrancetour23.jpgfrancetour27.jpgfrancetour28.jpg

The Louvre, which claims to have been abandonned because revolution was feared, but after seeing the Chateau de Versailles I think they decided it wasn’t quite huge and ridiculous enough.

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Instead of going in the Louvre we crossed the Seine and went down a couple blocks to the Musee d’Orsay–that’s where the cool cats chill, yo.

It used to be a deserted train station. CRAZY.I don’t understand the French obsession with putting gold on things. It’s a clock! It tells time! Is time not pretty enough for French sensibilities?franceorsay3.jpgWho’s that feller over there?Trip-Inspired Self-Discovery #56: I have a thing for ceiling and floor details.This was part of a whole room that had neat carved sidingCome on, it’s carved right out of the darn wall! That’s super cool!franceorsay4.jpgHmm, what’s she got in her pail?I want this bed! It looks like a tree AND it has built-in side tables!She was being totally unreasonable.old lady with a baby–this was really really nice in person.franceorsay13.jpgfranceorsay14.jpgfranceorsay15.jpgTheir mirth was GIGANTICThey think this is the very first impressionist painting. . .so it got its own room.franceorsay18.jpgA model of the city under the floor.franceorsay20.jpgRococo makes me kind of nauseous but it’s impressive.franceorsay22.jpgfranceorsay24.jpgTehe! Cross-sectioned!franceorsay26.jpgHo hum we are so sadfranceorsay23.jpg

The Chateau de Versailles

This line was SO hot from the wide expanse of cobblestones and no shade.so hotfrancever3.jpgfrancever4.jpgfrancever5.jpgfrancever6.jpgfrancever7.jpgfrancever8.jpgfrancever9.jpgfrancever10.jpgfrancever11.jpgfrancever12.jpgfrancever13.jpgfrancever14.jpgfrancever15.jpgfrancever16.jpgfrancever17.jpgfrancever18.jpgfrancever19.jpgfrancever20.jpgfrancever21.jpgfrancever22.jpgfrancever24.jpgfrancever25.jpgfrancever27.jpgfrancever26.jpgfrancever28.jpgfrancever29.jpgfrancever29.jpgfrancever33.jpgfrancever30.jpgfrancever34.jpgfrancever31.jpgfrancever32.jpg

The Museum of Modern Art!

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The neat church on top of Montmartre (aka Basilique du Sacré-Cœur)

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TO BE CONTINUED!

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