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Post by htmb on Jul 16, 2015 20:04:17 GMT
Thanks, Bixa! Hope it's quieter where you are now than it is outside the Paris apartment. It's been nothing but "party central" since you left. This is a little out of order, but coming home tonight I encountered massive crowds on both sides of rue de Rivoli where there is a concert in progress in front of the Hôtel de Ville. There have also been lots of police sirens in the area. It's going to be a very long night.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2015 21:17:43 GMT
Yes, the "FHAC Music Festival" is a major event.
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Post by htmb on Jul 16, 2015 21:27:10 GMT
"Major hell" is more like it. Nothing but constantly honking horns and sirens out on the street since I last posted.
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Post by htmb on Jul 16, 2015 21:40:27 GMT
Despite the street noise, I believe Christine and the Queens is playing right now.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 17, 2015 0:56:59 GMT
Nice picture of the Hôtel de Ville, at any rate!
I had to laugh at your noise remark. When I first got to Paris, you warned me about all the glass bottle noise from the early morning trash pick-up, but I never heard it until that last morning. Well, on my first morning here I heard a bunch of noise that sounded like glass being broken deliberately. When I looked out the window of my low-maid-on-the-totem-pole-at-Downton room, I saw barrels & barrels of different kinds of broken glass & a sign indicating something about glass. If I can fight my way past the roll-down shutter, I'll try to get a pic.
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Post by bjd on Jul 17, 2015 12:53:10 GMT
It certainly looks as though you had a great trip to Paris this year, htmb. Lots of great photos and good weather. Perhaps next year you'll find a quieter place to stay? By the way, the other day at the beach, a kid was whining for his father to make him a sand castle. The father asked, "Tu veux Pierrefonds?"
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Post by htmb on Jul 17, 2015 12:58:21 GMT
Yes, Bjd, I've had a wonderful time. Much of that is due to you and other friends who made my trip quite special. Last night was definitely the noisiest night in my little apartment, but it was so centrally located that I might even consider it for a future stay. As I mentioned earlier, I did grow more accustomed to the noises, plus the size was perfect for me.
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Post by lagatta on Jul 17, 2015 14:59:26 GMT
It is EXTREMELY central. And also in a neighbourhood with ordinary shops and services. A bit west of there with all the grandeur, there is a dearth of ordinary supermarkets, pharmacies etc.
I was staying at rue du Mail when I was in that neighbourhood long ago; think it is a quieter street.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 17, 2015 16:38:53 GMT
So nice to hear the latest Htmb. I can't wait to move into my apartment and give a review. So far I think I've chosen a 'gem', but after moving in....who knows??
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Post by htmb on Jul 17, 2015 17:34:06 GMT
Bring earplugs, Tod, just in case. After all, it's the city.
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Post by htmb on Jul 18, 2015 13:51:48 GMT
Jumping back to Pierrefonds. We went the day after Bixa arrived in Paris and it was wonderful to visit a place I'd wanted to see since I first read Kerouac's posts. I am especially grateful to him for escorting me and Bixa. We had a marvelous day. I realized later that I had purchased the only souvenir of my trip at Pierrefonds; a 3€ magnet with a picture of the château.
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Post by htmb on Jul 18, 2015 14:00:36 GMT
The town below looks so picturesque. If Kerouac's photos are any indication, the autumn would be an especially gorgeous time to visit. However, with all the green, it didn't look too shabby in July.
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Post by bjd on Jul 18, 2015 14:05:42 GMT
How many tourists were there?
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Post by htmb on Jul 18, 2015 14:10:40 GMT
After escaping the crypt we went into some other areas of the château. I watched most if the first episode of Merlin again this morning and was amazed at how many of the places I could identify from our trip.
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Post by htmb on Jul 18, 2015 14:17:08 GMT
How many tourists were there? Bjd, we arrived at the opening, and hardly saw anyone at first. People were beginning to arrive about halfway through our time there, but I doubt we saw more than 20 other people that morning.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2015 15:56:10 GMT
The "tourist hordes" luckily all seem to go to the same places, and even after all of these years in France I am amazed at how many places you can have completely to yourself at the height of tourist season.
You photographs are outstanding, htmb, but it is really a shame how our modern cameras overcorrect some dark places like the crypt. It is in reality much more impressive when you have to squint to see things in the darkness. And all of the little spots of light reflecting from shards of mirrors are much more colourful.
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Post by htmb on Jul 18, 2015 19:42:02 GMT
Very true about cameras over-correcting, Kerouac. It was so dark down in the crypt that I could barely see anything without looking through my camera's lens. A few photos taken from the "New Faces of Tourism" cruise. Thank goodness the aggressive pushing, shoving and jockying for position had stopped by this point.
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Post by lugg on Jul 19, 2015 8:11:53 GMT
What a superb collection of photos and a such great report. Sounds as if you have had a fab time with your daughter and then meeting up with other AP's . I know I need to read it all again to really take in the detail.
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Post by htmb on Jul 19, 2015 11:18:47 GMT
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Post by deyana on Jul 19, 2015 15:33:11 GMT
Very much enjoying this trip report and all the great photos, htmb. You must be having such a great time.
I'm so envious that you met Kerouac!
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Post by htmb on Jul 19, 2015 18:08:51 GMT
Thanks, Deyana! Though I had passed by the Palais Garnier on many trips to Paris, I had never been inside. Wow!!! What an experience! We had a very nice time exploring and taking photos. Unfortunately, most of my pictures were not "thread worthy." I will post a few of my better shots here, but I'm sure Bixa and Kerouac will be along later with some of the beauties they took.
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Post by lugg on Jul 19, 2015 18:22:18 GMT
Wow indeed
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 19, 2015 19:26:43 GMT
Oh Htmb ~ I've been slow to respond, but I am so much enjoying all your pictures. You really capture the essence of places! And hey -- they are all more than thread-worthy.
How did you get that shot from below of the portieres (<-- have been dying to use that word)? Very beautiful & dramatic. Ditto the columns & their closeups. Also, you caught way more of the undraped stage than I did. Great job!
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Post by htmb on Jul 19, 2015 19:39:02 GMT
Bixa, I got the "good" shot of the portieres because I'm so much shorter than you.
I think I walked back in to photograph the stage area just as you had walked out. Just got lucky.
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Post by breeze on Jul 19, 2015 20:25:11 GMT
I'm not sure I've commented on this thread, but it is way past time.
I've been amazed at the quality of the photos, your various destinations, your stamina, and not least your ability to add to the thread frequently on the fly, so to speak. Didn't you have to take naps after lunch or crash every evening? And yet you had the oomph not only to be a visitor, but to guide a visitor.
Htmb's Specialty Tours to Paris, I can see it's coming. Sign me up!
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Post by htmb on Jul 19, 2015 20:40:38 GMT
Thanks so much, Breeze. For me, posting pictures is just a nice way to relax. Here are a few photos taken either from the Palais Garnier balcony or through one of the windows.
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Post by fumobici on Jul 19, 2015 23:22:32 GMT
Nice to see photos of the interior of the Palais Garnier, I'd also walked past the theater but never ventured inside. I'd read years ago about some controversy about the Chagall ceiling, and I'll admit it does look a bit strange in that setting but I think at the same time it looks wonderful in an unexpected and incongruous way. I'm still deciding if Paris will be on the itinerary next year--all this wonderfulness here is making it harder to decide I think.
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Post by questa on Jul 19, 2015 23:34:59 GMT
From these fantastic photos I can see where Catherine the Great of Russia got her ideas for her Palace outside St Petersburg. The same overwhelming bling that gives a sensory overload, but each part is exquisite in itself. Even the architecture in the streets is like St P. There must have been cross-overs of ideas between countries and designers on a large scale in those times.
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Post by htmb on Jul 20, 2015 8:10:20 GMT
On my last full day in Paris I was happy to go on an adventure to a place that has intrigued me for awhile. After an interesting ride through a part of northwest Paris where shop windows featured all different types of colorful and "exotic" bridal dresses, we exited the bus.
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Post by htmb on Jul 20, 2015 8:23:52 GMT
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