Anders & Sarah's big trip [56k No way get fucked fuck off]

[weemadando]

It's been a long time coming but I finally decided to sit down and just go hard or go home on getting all these done. I will also be taking quotes from the travel diary as appropriate.

Part 1: Melbourne to Paris

Shockingly it turns out that Bangkok (and no doubt Thailand in general) is damn humid. Especially after climbing off a flight.
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Though the staff were friendly, seats good and food actually quite nice - it doesn't shift from my mind that we just spent 9+ hours on a flight. And am currently waiting to board an even longer one.
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Now I'm off to find some toilets. Peeing on the plane is one thing, but going twosies in a stall narrower than my shoulders? I think not.

At Bangkok Airport I discoverd that the Thai's are fairly liberal with their habits. I mean, when tha cleaning ladies have a little pow-wow in the very crowded mens toilets you know that things are a bit different. The second flight was horrific,. What felt like a never-ending descent into a pinful hell was only made worse by the fact that the plane lacked in-seat entertainment. And comfortable seats. And leg room. And friendly staff. Yeah. Suffice to say that it sucked. Badly. There were some moments of levity, such as the two businessmen in front of us spooning in their sleep.
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Charles de Gaul Airport is really quite something. Most notable is that apparently they made the escalators out of cake, they are spongy and generally feel very off-putting. After a quick change in the airport toilets where it was confirmed that hte French don't know what "occupied" means, we set about trying to find Door 16,which was apparently on the departure level. This was our first real introduction to the French mind-set as Door 32 was next to Door 2 which was next to Door 17.
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Contrary to what Hollywood tells you, the Eiffel Tower cannot be seen from everywhere in Paris. The trip into the city revealed some interesting sights such as two giant sumos wrestling for control of a shipping container...
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It says a lot about the French mindset that even two police-bikes, three cars with the guys with balaclavas and MP5s hanging out the windows and a van still get cut off by traffic. Paris is, apparently, French for "fuck it, lets put a road here and damn the logic". We spent too long last night [not I'm writing this at 2am, fuck you timezones] wandering about lost as our every turn just seemed to lead us further and further from our hotel.
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Gare du Nord is nearby and is one of the most impressive buildings I've seen. It is simply large and like most buildings covered in beautiful carvings and statues.
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Paris is filthy. I've never seen so many street-sweepers but in true French style none of them are actually doing anything.

The first sight we saw on leaving our hotel. It was impressive enough (I believe it's the Church of St Vincent de Paul) to get us started.




Our first sight of Gare du Nord.




Turns out that it's pretty big.




One of the city gates. There was an awesome street of markets, cafes and a rotisserie place (open at like 9am on Sunday).






Eglise St Eustache de Paris




Paris cat is more arrogant than regular cat




Bourse de Commerce






Tour St Jacques (my favourite building in Paris)






Fountain at Centre Pompidou (and a video)




One of the many columns in Paris (this one is just near the Hotel de Ville, just across from Ile de Cite)




Ile De Cite




Notre Dame (not that impressive when you look at it from this angle)




Charlemagne motherfuckers. You wish you had a beard that bad-arse.






I just like the street name.




Stereotypical Paris street.




The Pantheon. It kicks the arse of a lot of the other buildings in Paris but you just won't find it on most of the tourist routes.










Some art outside the Pantheon. Triple-suplex jigsaw females FTW.




Luxembourg Gardens.


Giant head statue in Luxembourg Gardens. There were a few enormous head status in Paris. Maybe it was the art theme of the year.


You see, here's another from near Bourse de Commerce


You know, I thought it'd be bigger. And in NY.



That's it for the moment - day one (of a lot, but there's a lot less quality photos on many of the later days). I'm done with battling picture hosting websites (I'd uploaded and organised everything in Picasa only to find that you can't fucking hotlink, so I had to start over with Flickr.

[The Grim Squeaker]

Fucking awesome. I only had a few hours in Paris last time I was there (connection flight), and last before that I was a baby .
Looks like you had an awesome time, and beautiful weather. (We got rained on).

You have some really nice architectural close-ups, the first shot of your hotel is really beautiful, the second shot of the Arch of triumph from up close is nice.
The tower after the bours d commerce shot is nice (What is it and what's written?).
Your shot of the Notre Dame sucks only slightly more than mine . (didn't you go inside?).
First shot of the Panetheon sucks (same as the first of the arch), second shot is waay better, better sky, better composed, no street clutter.
The statue heads are nice, and better composed. (A lot of your shots have too much trees cluttering them, the warrior statue for example).

Nice stuff, now where's the rest of it, and add me on flickr

[Bounty]

Are you the type to go off the beaten path? Most people in Paris just make a beeline from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame, but you've really gone for the interesting sights.

The tower after the bours d commerce shot is nice (What is it and what's written?).

Off the top of my head:

"On the base of this tower and splendid building (are) [remains? tokens?] which attribute (this work) to Johanne Bullant..."

Not sure where they're going with the existantis, but basically it's just a dedication plaque - "this here nice building was built by [architect]", probably followed by a bit about when it was built and who paid for renovations.

[weemadando]

Fucking awesome. I only had a few hours in Paris last time I was there (connection flight), and last before that I was a baby .
Looks like you had an awesome time, and beautiful weather. (We got rained on).

You have some really nice architectural close-ups, the first shot of your hotel is really beautiful, the second shot of the Arch of triumph from up close is nice.

It's not the Arc du Triomphe - just a city gate. Apparently there's 9 of them.

Your shot of the Notre Dame sucks only slightly more than mine . (didn't you go inside?).

No, it was a Sunday morning and the queues were fucking insane. Plus we'd looking at it and gone, really? Is that it? But we were to discover some more later.

First shot of the Panetheon sucks (same as the first of the arch), second shot is waay better, better sky, better composed, no street clutter.

The first shot was one that I took when I still thought that the huge monolithic brick expanse was a retaining wall or similar landscaping thing (as it's up on top of a hill), not the side of this enormous memorial. When we reached to top of that street and realised that it was part of the building, well - minds were blown.

The statue heads are nice, and better composed. (A lot of your shots have too much trees cluttering them, the warrior statue for example).

Nice stuff, now where's the rest of it, and add me on flickr

I've still only added day one-three on flickr at the moment. I'll get onto it tonight when I get home from work and try and post the rest of the first stint in Paris.

[weemadando]

Are you the type to go off the beaten path? Most people in Paris just make a beeline from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame, but you've really gone for the interesting sights.

We tried to go off the beaten path where possible - and it was made easier by having local friends to lead us around some places.

As for just how off the beaten path - not terribly, but enough. Wait until I post some of the later ones in the trip where we end up in an mostly abandoned French town near the German border that looks like something out of STALKER.

[weemadando]

Part 2: More Paris...

Yesterday was the true tourist's day in Paris: Louvre, Champs-Elyseee, Arch du Triomphe, Tour Eiffel, Champs-du-Mars, Les Invalides... The Louvre was beyond anything I could really conceive. On arriving and entering the courtyard and being surrounded by such a massive and ornate building was something else.
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Once in the museum proper it was awe-inspiring. Such an enormous collection of art from all periods and across so many cultures simply beggars belief. And the walk-through of the medieval Louvre was also impressive.
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There is something truly humbling about looking at objects from 4000 years ago. The craftsmanship of the scultpures in the classical areas was also remarkable. The only disappointment was missing the Code of Hammurabi . . . All of this is to say nothing of the building itself, perhaps more a work of art than any of the pieces inside. The grandeur of the Palace is fantastical - it makes me want to see Versailles even more.
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The walk through the Gardens to the Champs-Elysee and Arch du Triomphe was impressive. It seems that everywhere you turn in that area there is another sculpture or statue or piece of remarkable architecture.
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The morning was a very early rise to catch dawn over Paris from Sacre Coeur. The Cathedral was huge and beautifully decorated, inside is perpetual prayer. We paid 5 Euro to visit the crypt. Turns out its via the towers. Tiring but worth every moment for the view from teh tallest dome [forgot to take pictures up there though - that's how striking the view was].

Arriving at the Louvre - early in the morning.


Gate at the Louvre.


Jacques Chirac! There was a Constitutional Convention on at the Louvre that day and it was pretty much a constant stream of VIPs and a shitload of security.




Inside the Louvre - we took a shitload of photos at all the museums we visited (and we visited a lot), but here's a selection of the best shots and most interesting things from the Louvre.
Various bronzes


"Check out these guns!"


I forget the name of this hall, but it had many of my favourite paintings in it (Wreck of the Medusa, Leonidas at Thermopylae and several awesome Napoleon ego-strokers).
Panoramic shot

And into the marbles.


My favourite Goddess - Artemis.


Pan, now with 50% less junk.




Hermaphrodite - possibly the most skillful bit of sculpting you'll see, in person that marble looks so perfect and inviting (as a bed).




Herakles.


Courtyard of the Louvre.


Tour Eiffel from the Gardens of the Louvre.


My wife and Julius Caesar, she'd prefer Augustus, but has to make do.



Musée de l'Orangerie des Tuileries - didn't go in, but it's a fantastic building.


Lion killing a snake outside Musée de l'Orangerie des Tuileries.


A Rodin outside the Musée de l'Orangerie des Tuileries, we didn't get to visit his garden and see the big collection, but it's still awesome that there's art like this EVERYWHERE in Paris.


Place du Concorde


Obelisk at Place Du Concorde


This is how all street signs should be mounted.


Grand Palace from the World's Fair/Paris Exposition.


Small Palace from the World's Fair/Paris Exposition.


An example of the kind of property you get along the Champs-Elysee.


A nice bit of modern architecture on the Champs-Elysee right near the Arch du Triomphe.


Some detail shots from the Arch du Triomphe (got lots more, but they just aren't as good).




Outside the Trocadero, possibly the most awesomely designed building you'll see in Paris.




Tour Eiffel from the Trocadero - there's no pictures from the Tour Eiffel, because you've seen it before and also because the upper levels were closed, but you could still pay full price and take a 1km long line ride just to go up to the first level. Fuck that.


Matrix Reloaded - there were ads for this EVERYWHERE in Paris. Apparently that's the hot new shit in France.


Tour Eiffel past a memorial outside L'Ecole Militaire.


Ecole Militaire.




Les Invalides, the French military museum - sadly closed the day that we went past.


Random Statue.


Terrible shot, but it's the cannons on display outside Les Invalides.


Lamp post.


Another angle towards the Grand Palace from the Worlds Fair/Exhibition.


The next day, Sacre Coeur - again, very early in the morning.


Paris at dawn from Sacre Coeur.
Panoramic shot

A great angle of Sacre Coeur.


Stairs from Sacre Coeur to Montmartre.


Nice piece of street art in Montmartre.


Streetscape in Montmartre.
Panoramic shot

An esoteric bookstore outside the Hotel. I wanted to go in there so badly, but kept missing the opening hours.

[Phantasee]

Awesome pictures, Ando!

One thing I don't get: apparently all over Europe, pharmacies are marked by those neon green Swiss crosses. I noticed them all over Rome, Naples, and Sicily. Is it just a major drugstore brand? Or what? Because some of them were just beauty products, I had to go into three in Naples before I found one that sold Advil (the other two sold beauty products and I can't even remember what the hell the other one sold, but it wasn't drugs at all).

[LadyTevar]

What amazes me is how many of those shots I looked at and said to myself "I've seen that! At the WV Capitol Complex!"

But the columns of the Partheon, the interior of the Arc de Triomphe .... hell, the Capitol Dome is a mix of the Pantheon's dome and the Les Invalides!

I knew the Capitol was done "Neo-Classical" but DAMN! It's like a weird mirror-universe to what I know!

[Simplicius]

I have to say, these buildings and places look a lot better from outside a bus. Some modes of tourism just aren't as good an idea as they might have first seemed.

[The Grim Squeaker]

I have to say, these buildings and places look a lot better from outside a bus. Some modes of tourism just aren't as good an idea as they might have first seemed.

When did bus tourism ever seem like a good idea?

More awesome photos, pretty!

[Bounty]

One thing I don't get: apparently all over Europe, pharmacies are marked by those neon green Swiss crosses.

That's the sign that says it's a pharmacy. Don't you have those in Canada?

And they also sell beauty products. Well, most of them - did you specifically ask for an Advil? Maybe they just didn't carry that particular brand.

Ando: did you go up into the Arc de Triomphe? Did they finally get round to finishing the restoration?

I have no idea what the hell that Matrix poster is, since the movie and the DVD's have been out in France for years. Either someone forgot to take down the ad or it's a spoof or something.

[The Grim Squeaker]

I have no idea what the hell that Matrix poster is, since the movie and the DVD's have been out in France for years. Either someone forgot to take down the ad or it's a spoof or something.

For some strange, European reason, it's not uncommon for popular blockbusters re-appearing on tv channels to be advertised on buses or tv commercials.

[Bounty]

I have no idea what the hell that Matrix poster is, since the movie and the DVD's have been out in France for years. Either someone forgot to take down the ad or it's a spoof or something.

For some strange, European reason, it's not uncommon for popular blockbusters re-appearing on tv channels to be advertised on buses or tv commercials.

TV channels I know. Buses though, that's a new one.

[weemadando]

One thing I don't get: apparently all over Europe, pharmacies are marked by those neon green Swiss crosses.

That's the sign that says it's a pharmacy. Don't you have those in Canada?

I actually went to the German Pharmacy Museum during my travels - they (Ze Germans) apparently decided on a different design. Because, you know, fuck standards.

[Phantasee]

One thing I don't get: apparently all over Europe, pharmacies are marked by those neon green Swiss crosses.

That's the sign that says it's a pharmacy. Don't you have those in Canada?

And they also sell beauty products. Well, most of them - did you specifically ask for an Advil? Maybe they just didn't carry that particular brand.

We use the recipe symbol and the mortar and pestle, but not on every single one. I know a guy with a pharmacy, his uses The Medicine Shoppe as the logo, because it's part of a chain. Rexall Drugs, the one owned by billionaire Darryl Katz (now owner of the Edmonton Oilers), uses Rexall in a blue oval as its logo. Basically, there isn't one symbol used everywhere.

And yeah, I understand them selling some beauty products, but in Naples there were three or four within spitting distance of each other, and a couple of them didn't sell any drugs at all. Just the beauty products, didn't see any drugs, didn't see a pharmacist, just girls selling skin cream. Very pretty girls, but that didn't help with the headache.

It's kinda like every burger place, whether it's McDonald's, Burger King, Burger Baron, Carl's Jr., or Fatburger using a burger as the logo on the sign. Yeah, you're getting a burger, but it's not the same everywhere...