We started our first full day in Paris by getting some breakfast on-the-go. I was so proud of myself because I ordered it completely in French. The only problem is that I have no idea what they are telling me because they are so fluent. Luckily, I knew the price, handed her the money, and was on my way. We got a petite brioche. Even that was huge and we saved half of it for another day. We took the métro on over to our first destination: Arc de Triomphe. It took us a while to figure out how to get over there because it is a huge roundabout with about 4 or 5 lanes of cars. Eventually we found a tunnel that diverted us under all the traffic in order to reach it safely.
The Arc de Triomphe is a symbol of French patriotism. It contains the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the names of numerous soldiers engraved onto the arch's inner walls. We were able to climb up the 284 steps via a spiraling staircase to the viewing platform. This was probably the most beautiful view of any cityscape I have ever seen. From this view, there are a dozen broad avenues that radiate out towards every compass point. We stayed up here for quite a while and just took in all the different viewpoints and snapped tons of pictures. Afterwards, we walked back down and viewed the Tomb and the arches underneath. This Tomb honors the 1.3 million French soldiers who lost their lives in WWI. The Unkown Soldier was laid to rest in 1921 and the eternal flame is rekindled every day at 6:30pm.
After spending our time there, we walked down the broad avenue of Champs-Élysées. This is where the Tour de France holds its final sprint and is also known for grandiose and glamorous addresses, such as Cartier, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, to name a few. We stopped into a burger joint off this avenue called Aubrac Corner. It is a gourmet deli of a famous steakhouse. The burgers come with either a bowl of fries or aligot (mashed potatoes with melted cheese). We were able to enjoy our lunch downstairs in a hidden wine cellar.
Next, we walked on a side road and walked past the Grand Palais. It was erected for the 1900 World Fair which now houses several exhibitions and a restaurant. Its roof is made of 8.5 tons of art nouveau glass.
We then walked across the Seine on a bridge heading towards Hôtel des Invalides. It was built in the 1670s by Louis XIV to provide housing for 4000 invalides (disabled war veterans). On July 14, 1789, a mob forced its way in and after fierce fighting, seized 32,000 rifles before heading on to storm the prison at Bastille and start the French Revolution. We started at the Musée de l'Armée (Army Museum), which contains the nation's largest collection of French military history. After admiring all the artillery and armor, we headed to the Église du Dôme, which is crowned with a sparkling golden dome. It is also the inspiration for the US Capitol building. Inside is Napoleon's Tomb and it comprises six coffins that fit into one another like a Russian doll.
We headed out of there soon after and cross the Seine again to head towards the Place de la Concorde. It is a city square which was first laid out in 1755 and originally named after King Louis XV. King Louis XVI was the first to be guillotined here in 1793 and over the next two years, 1343 more people (including Marie Antoinette) all lost their heads as well in this place. The center contains a 3300 year old Egyptian obelisk which is engraved with hieroglyphics. It originally stood in the Temple of Ramses at Thebes.
After viewing that, we were hot and tired, so we headed back to our hotel to cool off and rest for a bit. Dinner at restaurants isn't served here until about 7:30, so we waited until then to eat. We ate at a nearby restaurant called Pizza Amalfi. I had a pizza with unknown seafood on it (I'm pretty sure snails and squid were on it), but it was so delicious. Dinner here does take longer than back home, so we had room for dessert after. We both shared a banana split, which was probably the most delicious one I've ever had. We went back to the hotel to watch the opening match of the World Cup and then passed out. What a long day!
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