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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Random musings and bit more of Paris for you

What a lovely day it is today, just a bit cool, perfect for being outside. Tomorrow, we're going to spend the day with our daughters who are at university about an hour and a half away from here. Can't wait, I miss them so much! It's been so strange and lonely having both of them gone.

Thankfully I'm keeping busy by painting furniture and I also took on a new Mama cat to foster for our local animal shelter. Her name is Kisses and she had three beautiful kittens on Monday. I saw two of them being born. What a special treat. I so enjoy watching them grow.

Unfortunately, one of them took sick yesterday. She wasn't thriving, she was dehydrated and her breathing was laboured, so I called the shelter and we made the decision to take her to the vet. She is now in an incubator being treated and I'm keeping my fingers crossed. She is seemingly feisty so this is giving me hope.

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I thought I'd share a few more pictures of Paris with you. I took way too many, because I wanted to remember every sight, every bit of the beauty I witnessed. Paris has such a rich history, there are visual treasures recounting it everywhere you look. I wonder if Parisians, in fact all Europeans, get blasé with it all or if they appreciate the wealth of culture and history that surround them. I'd like to think they do. I know I would.


A window display at the famous pastry shop "La Durée", a feast for the eyes as well as for the palate.

The famous gargoyles at Notre-Dame

A beautiful door handle gracing someone's home

Details of the Alexander the III bridge, probably one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. The bullrushes light up at night.

A ballerina posing in front of the Eiffel Tower. I wanted to have the focus on the shoe and the Eiffel Tower blurry in the back, but the ballerina moved right after this shot. (I have a fascination with pointe shoes, so this was a delightful photo op for me, combining two amazing elements!)

The vault that runs around Place des Vosges

 A pigeon sunning himself on the edge of the patio at the musée d'Orsay, with Paris as the background. You can see the white Sacré-Coeur church way back on the top of the hill, in the Montmartre area.

Beautiful marble detail on the floor of the Pantheon.

 Metro entrance designed by Hector Guimard, master of the Art Nouveau style. (Similar to a metro entrance in Montreal donated by Paris, in the same design. I blogged about it here.) I absolutely love Art Nouveau.

Mosaic details of a church in Montmartre

Close up of the entrance to the Palais de Versailles, honouring the King Sun.

Details of a door at the Palais. I just love the colours! 
I will have to paint some furniture in these colours.

 Marie-Antoinette's intertwined initials on the stairs at the Petit Trianon. Such history!

Swans just enjoying the pleasant weather in one of the fountain pools at the Palais. Not a bad life.

 The ceiling and chandelier at the Opéra Garnier. The ceiling was painted by Chagall. The chandelier weighs several tonnes. This is the opera house that inspired The Phantom of the Opera. There is actually a subterranean manmade lake under the Opera! We didn't know what to expect when we visited the opera, but we were wowed by it all! Quite an amazing place. Next time I would love to see a ballet there. The theatre is so spectacular, it's just as much a part of the show I think!

A gelato ice cream cone, but no, they don't just serve you a scoop plopped on a cone, they make it look like a rose! How civilized!

Young people spotted on our nighttime Seine cruise enjoying a meal and some wine, and raising a cheerful toast to us. There is quite the night life along the Seine!

So much to see, so much to do! There was never a dull moment. I'd go back in a heartbeat!



6 comments:

  1. Wonderful photos! I absolutely love the of the Eiffel tower and ballerina.Paris and ballet - two of my great loves!
    http://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/

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  2. I am going to Paris sometime next year (my long awaited trip) and so I'm soaking up all your lovely photos! I can't wait to enjoy this amazing city. LOVE the Eiffel Tower photo with the ballerina's toe shoe! Thanks for making my day start with these lovely photos!! Hugs, Linda

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  3. You should be a photographer Nicole! You've captured this beautiful city perfectly!
    Dying to go back!
    Hugs,
    Suzan

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  4. Your pictures make me want to go to Europe all that much more! I would hope that I could take such beautiful pictures too, but I'm not very good at it.

    I love all the stunning details the Parisians put into what they make & do. No wonder we Americans love their style! It would be hard to eat that "ice cream cone" looking like that!

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  5. Just found some time to read a few of your previous posts and came across more lovely Paris photos. You have a lovely blog and I'm delighted to be your newest follower.
    http://missbbobochic.blogspot.co.uk/

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