Friday 22 April 2011

Paris the fifth

Blech. Wednesday must be the night Parisians come out to urinate in the street.

Anyway, back to enchanted tourist mode. Epic walk today dudes. I'm glad I don't check the distances before I set out, because I'd just say "Forget that. What's on TV?". As it is I haven't even turned on a TV since I've been away.

Today's destination was Pere Lachaise cemetery. I also went through Place de la Bastille, Place de la Nation and Place de la Republique. Oh, I'm going places, baby.

The Hotel de Ville de Paris. Sort of like the town hall, maybe. When you type Paris into Google Maps this is where the map centres. 

Same spot but towards the sunny side.

The back of Notre Dame. Not pictured: hunch.

Random Parisness on Ile Saint-Louis

Colonne de Juillet at Place de la Bastille. Nothing says violent revolution like a prancing angel.

Place de la Nation. In keeping with today's theme of monuments that celebrate the triumph of the republic, this statue is called The Triumph of the Republic. I guess this commemorates that one revolution where the French all became circus folk, before realising, "If we're all circus folk, who will come to watch the circus?"


Various lovely parts of Pere Lachaise cemetery. If you can't manage to bury me at Makeout Creek I'd be quite happy in here. It seems a weird place to visit, but it was pretty much the nicest part of Paris so far, in terms of atmosphere and lack of people and a break from the endless Flintstones-style repeating backdrop of streets lined with shops.

Our Lady of the Facepalm.


Oscar Wilde's grave.

Triple H was here. Figures that he'd be a closet Wilde fan.

D'oh!

Random street art. There's no Bloods vs Crips in Paris, just Origami Swallows vs Hipster Crows.

Place de la Republique. It's a fitting celebration of democracy to have your tax dollars go towards things like this.

I'm reclining luxuriously right now and may never move again - except that I'm going to Italy tomorrow!

3 comments:

  1. Wow wow wow. I have such a disturbing love/fear of old cemetaries. My fave pics so far! Find some old dead stuff in Italy for me!

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  2. I will crack into John Paul II's tomb and pry the secret pope decoder ring from his cold dead hand!

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  3. I like Hipster Crow!!

    Well, maybe I'm also littlebitscared.

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