More Photos: Paris

The process of sorting through photos and video takes another step forward--this will be my last post on our visit to Paris. Having visited Paris in July 2012, I frequently found myself bypassing photo taking and just enjoying the experience this time around. It is an amazing city, and having a bit of familiarity from a previous visit gives you a new perspective on things (instead of worrying about traveling in the right direction). Outside of planned SOA visits to Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and a nighttime river cruise along the Seine, tour members had some freedom to choose what part of Paris they wanted to see. I am very grateful for that opportunity.

 A brief rundown of what is shown here: (1) the chapel dome at Les Invalides, the complex which includes the military history museum for the French Army and the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte (which lies directly beneath the dome). This dome inspired, in part, the dome at the U.S. Capitol; (2) interior of the Musee D'Orsay. I did not visit the Musee D'Orsay on my last trip to Paris, so I wanted to make sure to visit this time (Jacob went with another group to the Louvre). I am so glad I made that decision. This is a mind-blowing collection of art, including many of the best known works of Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet, Gauguin, Pissarro, and many others. (Sorry--no photos of artworks were allowed!) The building itself if a converted train station, and this photo is from the top floor looking back across the center of the gallery. It is hard to believe that they were all set to tear this building down and build a hotel on this site! Thankfully, that did not happen. This museum opened in 1986, and is one of the finest art museums I've ever seen; (3) an exterior shot of one of the two clock towers of the Musee D'Orsay. When you visit the fifth floor of the museum, you can (4) look out from behind the face of this clock. (Behind the other clock tower, you can dine in the museum cafe.); (5) View from inside the clock. Looking across the Seine, you have a view of the Louvre (to the right) and the Tuileries Gardens to the left (including the giant ferris wheel);

(6) Jacob and friends waiting in line to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Yes, this photo is taken from outside the winding line to the elevator--I stayed on the ground! I figured that Jacob could take some photos from up top; (7) a view of the Eiffel Tower from our river cruise; and (8) one final shot from the river cruise. The Eiffel Tower is on the right in the distance, the American Church in Paris is the steeple on the left, and the moon and the clear night sky made their way into the shot as well.

 Au revoir, Paris!