More Frenchy Stuff

In the past couple days we have mostly re-visted some sights. We have been to the Eiffel tower 3 or 4 times now to go up to the top and still haven't made it. Today we went again and they only had one point of entry open so the line was half a mile... errr 0.8 kilometers, long. We stuck around for them to light it up when it got dark.

Waiting for the lights to turn on

The white lights were flashing twinkly lights so it looked like it was sparkling

Each morning we go out for our delicious baked goods. Everything is ridiculously tasty!

We have here a quiche, a croissant, and an apple tart

I had some escargo at lunch. Not bad at all!

My snails. Brannan is having onion soup while proudly representing his alma mater.

We went back to Notre Dame and went up to the top.  It was kind of cold and windy, but what a spectacular view!  Plus we got to see all the crazy gargoyles up there. Of course we had to imitate some of them.

This one was gnawing on the leg of another little gargoyle. Who thought this stuff up?

Here are some more views of Paris from the top. Wow!

All those steps up the spiral staircase were a killer

Stopping for a rest in this nice window

We also saw the bell in the bell tower.  One interesting fact: the bell tower is made of wood because if it was made of stone, the vibrations from the bell would make it crack and crumble.

They had a lot of the old mechanisms used for pulling the rope to ring the bell. Over the next year for the 850-anniversary celebration, they are going to restore the 8 bells to their original tone quality. Right now there's only this one and they don't ring it.

Nope, not Quasimodo

But look what we saw in a park at the bottom of Notre Dame...

Quasimodo!

That guy on the left is a hunchback, I'm not even kidding! We about died of pure awesomeness.

Very beautiful all lit up at night

We also went to St Chappelle church, which had nearly floor to ceiling stained glass. Each panel was something different: Birth of Christ, Miracles, Crucifixion, etc. There was so much detail. It was a really beautiful room.

As a small tangent - we were walking along the street and found an English bookstore with a Canadian flag out front. HOLY SMOKES there were books everywhere with a tiny walkway leading through them. We browsed with mouths agape for a good 30 minutes.

Can you spot the Brannan in this picture?

That evening we went to a piano concert in the oldest church in Paris; St. Julien-le-Pauvre. He played Chopin and Liszt pieces and it was awesome! Here's a link to one of the songs he played. Our favorite was his last piece, but we don't know what it's called and can't find it. But if you Skype us, we can sing it for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alGaVou6lfk .
(Edit: We found out it is Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody #2, fast forward to about 5:20 for the really impressive parts.  So awesome!)

We visited the Opera Garnier, or Paris Opera House, which is where the story of the Phantom of the Opera is based. Everything was so over-the-top ornate, with gold everywhere; it was so beautiful! Especially the Grand Staircase.

Masqueraaaaade! Famous faces on parade!

The grand foyer, which was long and extravagent

Standing on a balcony above the entrance

Brannan is... twirling...

We walked around the outside of the auditorium until we found Box 5 (which is to remain empty!)

Box 5 - the Phantom's box!

We got tickets to see an opera there on Saturday night - Capriccio by Strauss. Not sure what language it will be in... but we'll get fancied up and go!