Paris Day 2 - Exploring Jardin Des Tuileries and The Louvre Grounds

Now, I have not, in fact, succeeded in posting less photos. I simply cannot. So, this is Day Two of Paris, up until dinner time. The evening portion will come shortly and it looks like I'll be posting photos of our 5 1/2 day trip, for the next 3 months.  

Morning of Day Two - Uncle Marko was off exploring, Uncle Dan, Suzy and Aunt Mary had pedicures and hair appointments (who knows?) so off we went.

Such an iconic Parisian Café and apartment building.

Thought this was comical: "CHANGE"

And just below it, printed on a plain piece of paper: "NO CHANGE". Ok......

Now, if you know me, you probably know that the whole of my wardrobe comes from the Gap, Target and H&M. I'm not exactly high fashion. I couldn't care less about it and I find most of it grotesquely expensive and soulless. So, that aside, even I found it oddly exciting to see all the world's biggest names in perhaps the first place they were ever "born". Now I could be wrong there and the epicenter may be Milan, or even New York, but Paris seemed pretty epic. So, walking down one boulevard that appeared to be the center of all high fashion felt oddly interesting to me. Wayne kept going, "Gloria, come on, please, we're in Paris and you're taking pictures of these stores?!"
They each have these incredible one-window displays, glass sliding doors and either one (often two) security guards peering out, (seeming to be dying of complete existential boredom).

Another interesting store display

Paris in the fall...

 Avenue des Champs-Elysees

 Looking toward the Arc Du Triomphe (My first time seeing it here)

The Grand Palais

 Place de la Concorde - BY far, the most incredibly expansive and awe-inspiring "Roundabout" I have ever seen. Of course, its much more than that. During the French Revolution, a guillotine was installed in the center of this space. In the time span of only a couple years, over 1100 people were beheaded here including Marie Antoinette and King Louis the XVI. It's no wonder the location is so awe-inspiring, I suppose. It was certainly meant to be.

Dubbed "Cleopatra's Needle" - this obelisk is 3,200 years old. It was installed here in 1836 after being gifted by the Egyptian Viceroy.

This is one street going off the Place de la Concorde and the buildings were just incredible - they are all exact replicas of each other and they do not end for several miles.

Sittin' with my sweetie pie in the Jardin Des Tuileries.

What do you think? Should we go to the Louvre? Alright, ya, let's go.

 I have never ever encountered a city with more runners, or one with more breathtaking paths to run on. The city seems as if it was created merely to have running-friendly pathways. Which was all the more torturous for me because I could not run this week (still out with a knee injury). It was awful to not be able to run there and see it on foot but it was also too hot for me so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. :)

Are those TRAMPOLINES?? In the ground?!

 Un Billet, S'il vous plait?

 2 Euro to jump for 5 minutes. (And no, the woman in front does not have two tiny toddler legs - that looks slightly odd)

One of the best things I have ever seen is the joy Norah felt in this park. First the trampolines, then the carousel and then one of the best playgrounds we have ever seen. All within 50 yards of each other.  

Norah up top, in the tunnel. If this girl would get outta the hammock, I might get a turn.

 Norah did this circuit about 15 times. You climb up the death-ladder (scared the crap outta me), and then they're, essentially, trapped in the tunnel, until they reach the end where there's an amazing tube slide. She had a ball and once we got her safely up the death-ladder, we knew we had a 10 minute break until she popped out the other side.

My first look at THE LOUVRE. It absolutely blew my mind. I remember saying to Wayne, "Wait, was IS that building?? Is that ALLLL the Louvre??"

Wayne pushing Norah along

Norah, just staying hydrated, in front of the Joan of Arc Statue.

  Another one of those boulevards that seems to go on, en perpetuity.

Norah really liked the story of Joan of Arc but she became a little obsessed with this idea that she was shot with arrows and "would be remembered forever". (I don't eve think she WAS short with arrows but I think Wayne told her this detail? Maybe to skirt the whole 'burning at the stake' aspect to the story). So for a couple days, she was talking about puppy dogs who were "shot with arrows" but "would be remembered because people made statues of them". Oops.

 Short picnic on the lawns of the Louvre, with the Eiffel Tower in the back. Yes, we realize this is sick.

 Norah and I enjoying our Macaroons from Laduree (a gift from the hotel), in front of La Louvre.

This young model was here doing a photo shoot, so next thing, I see Norah running over, asking me to hoist her up there and take her picture too.

This was zoomed in, as far as my camera would go, on one tiny section of one tiny wall along the Louvre. It is so ornate, it boggles the mind what each tiny detail must have signified. I'm sure you could spend two lifetimes studying the ornate architecture and carvings on the outside of the Louvre museum (before ever setting foot inside).

Norah, conked out, outside the Louvre. This poor kid, we put her through the RINGER this trip.

 Such a dork.

We wanted to get the Arc Du Triomphe and the Obelisk in the picture so this was how we accomplished it.

There has NEVER been a cuter car. NEVER. I mean, it's parked in between a light blue skittle and Smart Car... you can only imagine how small this is.

Conked out after our morning/afternoon of exploring. We're not done yet kiddo. Time for more walking and then dinner.

They even 'turned down' Norah's toddler bed.

I just wanted to remember this view out our door from our hotel room. I want to remember the smell, the sounds from below - everything about it.

Our corner market by the hotel.

 Another hour to kill before dinner so back out we went, to walk toward the Eiffel Tower. No time was going to be wasted by us. I had no idea, but this is the tunnel where Princess Diana died. It was eerie and very sad to stand in this place.

The memorial to Princess Di, at the top of the tunnel overpass. 

 

This....was... priceless. A Bentley giving a jump....to a Ferrari. Only in Paris. This is directly outside our hotel and there were three other people giggling and stopping to take photos.