TOP FIVE WORST PLACES TO BE IN A THUNDERSTORM…
5. In Lady Liberty’s torch
4. Atop London’s Big Ben
3. At the summit of Iona’s Dun’I
2. In the bell tower of Durham Cathedral
1. At the top of a 1,063 foot metal structure in Paris
- Enjoying the carousel in Paris
Today some of our most deeply held sabbatical wishes were fulfilled—though it didn’t start out that way. After a late start, we stopped by the Luxembourg Park play area in our neighborhood, only to discover that we would be denied entrance once again to the special children’s play area we had been hoping (especially the youngest among us) to enjoy, this time due to maintenance work being performed. After some tears of disappointment, I suggested we head to the Eiffel Tower, a surefire success, and so we did. We found our way on the Metro to Tracadero Station, and emerged to get our first full scale view of the Tower…WOW!
Climbing the first 700 stairs of the Eiffel Tower
It may seem to be almost a cliché, but there really is a reason this “temporary tower,” built during the Industrial Revolution to showcase the possibilities of building with steel, has maintained its iconic status—not only for Parisians but for the million visitors who come here each year from around the world.
After initial photo ops, and a stop for a carousel ride, we arrived at the Tower’s base at a moment when there were no crowds—likely due to the day’s on again, off again, rainy weather. We opted to climb the 700 stairs to the first level, then added the 952 stairs to the second. Then, finally, we decided to head for the top via the elevator—our only option. We conferenced about this before making our final move to the top, because one of the kids’ dreams was to see the Eiffel Tower at night. Having gone part way up, we decided we’d go up all the way while it was day so we could gain the full view of the city in the daylight, and we were rewarded with a lively experience, to say the least!
- A rain squall sweeps toward Napoleon’s Tomb
We saw, and then experienced, waves of rain squalls sweeping across the city. It made the experience more memorable—especially the hail! Our excitement multiplied several fold when peals of thunder and flashes of lightning (!) accompanied our time at the top observatory!
Looking east from the tope of the Eiffel Tower
Following that “high” we hopped the Metro for the Louvre (the only museum open in Paris on Mondays.) Though we hardly had time to see much, we did visit Leonardo’s famous lady, saw some other treasured Renaissance paintings, and took in some of Michelangelo’s sculpture, namely, two statues (“Slaves”) that inspired Paris sculptor Auguste Rodin, whose work we’d seen on our first full day in Paris.
View from our 3rd floor flat at corner of Rue des St. Jacques and Rue de Ursulines
Finally, it was time to head to our flat for some dinner, and though we were pooped, Kai reminded us of our plan—and his and Naomi’s dream—of seeing the Eiffel Tower at night. So, after a later dinner, a bit of down time, and a change to warmer clothes, we took to the Metro once more and headed back to Eiffel. We were not disappointed.
- Eiffel Tower under moon light
Our first view of the lit tower, just before 11:00pm, was breathtaking, rising with elegant strength— and seemingly lit up from within—under now clear skies and a nearly full moon.For the first 5 minutes of every hour, in addition to the fixed lights, the Eiffel Tower glistens with flashing lights spread throughout its full height. So five minutes after arriving, we saw the Tower in all its glistening brilliance!
“This is a midsummer night’s dream,” said Kai to Chris, as we took in a site that had been right at the top of hoped-for sabbatical experiences. Oo-la-la!