Paris 2004

We went to Paris this summer so that Geof could attend the International Zeolite meeting. We stayed at this cute little hotel, just off the Rue de Rivoli. We love the tiny Smart cars in Paris!

The elevator in this place was larger than the one at Les Gobelins, but it was still kinda small.

It also had this great spiral staircase going upstairs. It is very crowded in Paris, so floor space is a premium.

Before our trip, Judy located several free wi-fi hotspots nearby. This was a cafe where we would go with either the laptop or the PDA (or both) to check our email. You could also get free access at McDonald's.

We went walking around the neighborhood. It was rainy and cold for a lot of the time we were in Paris, but that didn't dampen our spirits one bit! This is the Fontaine des Innocents.

This is the view from our hotel room window.

We met our friends, Vlado and Mile Kanazirev, in Paris this year. The first evening, we took them to Rue des Lombards to the Sunset -- a jazz club which often features American jazz artists.

The next morning, we wasted no time and took off on foot to go to visit Notre Dame. It was just a short walk across the bridge to the Ile de la Cité.

There she is. Magnifique.

They have been renovating Notre Dame for several years. The front facade has been washed. You can see the scaffolding on the side of the building.

Milé had broken her ankle earlier in the summer. She just had her cast removed the day before she traveled to Paris!

The sign in the cathedral: In the year 1163, under the pontificate of Pope Alexander III and the reign of King Louis VII, Maurice born in Sully on the Loire, Bishop of Paris (1160-1196), undertook the construction of this cathedral in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary, under the title "Notre Dame de Paris".

Some of the gargoyles on the side of the cathedral.

Geof was very good at finding solid spots to rest the camera so that he could also be in the photo. Here we are in the garden behind Notre Dame.

We took the Batobus along the Seine. This is a boat that goes around and stops at the various tourist sites -- Notre Dame, the Hotel de Ville, The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and the Musée d'Orsay. We were headed for the Eiffel Tower.

This is a view of the Louvre from the boat.

This is the Pont Alexandre III, considered to be one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris. It leads to the Hotel des Invalides (where you can see Napoleon's tomb).

We got to the Eiffel Tower, but didn't get to go to the top. It was a few days before Bastille Day, so some areas were blocked off in preparation of the celebration.

We took the Metro from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre, and headed straight for Venus.

Remember Audrey Hepburn in "Funny Face", gliding down the stairs in with her red wrap floating behind her, yelling to Fred Astaire, "Take the picture!"? She was going down the stairs in front of this statue -- "Winged Victory".

The crowd in front of the "Mona Lisa" is so large that Geof simply held the camera above everyone's head and snapped away.

This is the plaza in front of the Hotel de Ville. That's the old City Hall. Not a hotel.

Later that evening, we were meeting Vlado's friends for dinner. We agreed to meet at Notre Dame. While we were waiting, a group of dancers in brightly colored costumes were there.

There were roller bladers exhibiting their skills. They would skate backwards intricately weaving their feet around the cups.

The Hotel de Ville all lit up in the evening. Paris is bidding to host the Summer Olympics in 2012.

We went to Montmartre to see Sacré Coeur. Montmartre is the highest hill in Paris. At one time, there were lots of windmills in this area. It was also the place where many artists lived (Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh).

Sacré Coeur

From one particular spot in the park by Sacré Coeur, you can see the Eiffel Tower through the trees.

We walked through the seedy part of Montmartre to get to the Moulin Rouge. We decided to buy tickets for the show that evening. It was a great experience!

We took the metro to the Place de l'Oper This is the gorgeous Oper Garnier, the National Academy of Music.

When you come out of the Metro station, you are at a circle where 5 or 6 large boulevards meet. It's difficult to get your sense of direction!

We were walking along one of the boulevards, and looking down a small street, you can see Sacre Coeur on the hill.

This is the Place de la Concorde. This was where Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Robespierre, and thousands of others were guillotined in the late 1700s. Don't worry. It doesn't smell like blood or anything.

There was a party on a boat for the conference attendees.

We walked along the river on the left bank to get to the Latin Quarter for some dinner, and passed some interesting sites. This building....

... and a statue of Voltaire.

While the fellas were at the meeting, Milé and I roamed the city. One day, we headed into the Latin Quarter toward the Panthéon. We got to the Rue Soufflot, and I saw this old pharmacy. We even went inside just to take a look!

The pharmacy is located in this building. Look at all the statues on the facade.

This is the Panthéon. We didn't enter the building, but among those buried here are Voltaire, Rousseau, Mirabeau, Victor Hugo, and Emile Zola. "Aux Grands Hommes La Patrie Reconnaissante" - To Great Men To Whom the Country is Indebted

Milé and I walked around the small streets around the Panthéon, and they are all named after great historical people. LaPlace, the great mathematician. St. Geneviève is the patron saint of Paris.

While we were walking, we saw some children roller blading on the narrow streets.

Just down the street, along Rue Soufflot, you run into the Jardin du Luxembourg. This is the Luxembourg Palace, built for Marie de Medicis.

The gardens were being spruced up for Bastille Day.

There are all sorts of fountains and statues to inspect in this vast park.

Milé and I were just about to go down to the Metro station, and I stopped to buy a newspaper. Suddenly, we hear lots of airplanes overhead. It was a major convoy of aircraft ferrying dignitaries. I returned to our hotel, and a short while later, these same helicopters flew overhead.

Here's the sign by the mass grave. 197 women, 1109 men. Inside the chapel at the cemetary, the individual names of the victims are listed on a huge wall.

The evening before Bastille Day, there was a huge dance party at the plaza in front of the H  el de Ville.

We stopped at this little café (yes, it is one of the wi-fi hot spots) and asked the waiter to take our photo.

On Bastille Day, we avoided the crowds by going to the Rodin Museum. This is his famous "Gates of Hell".

The "Burgers of Calais"

The gardens at the Museum Rodin were just lovely. There are hundreds of specimens of flowers in well groomed gardens.

"The Walking Man"

Overlooking the gardens from inside the museum.

"Le Penseur" et "Le Professeur"

Le Museum Rodin

We had lunch with Al and Colette Schweitzer. Al was attending the same zeolite meeting.

Sweetman underwear. How could I resist?

I can't even remember what Milé and I were talking about!

I liked this fountain because it looks like the sphinx is throwing up!

This is one of the many party boats on the Seine on Bastille Day.

One of my favorite photos!

Vlado discovered that my birthday is the day after Bastille Day. We were traveling home. Milé and Vlado had an early flight back to Sofia the next day. That night, he saw a man delivering these flowers. He bought them from the man and left them at the hotel desk for me!