Bonnie and I enjoyed our first trip to Paris immensely. Bonnie is shown here (looking very European I might add) crossing a bridge to the boat shaped island, the Ile de la Cite', located in the middle of the Seine. Here on the Ile de la Cite' is the origin of Paris, first settled by Celtic tribes in the 3rd century BC. Major attractions on the Ile de la Cite' include the Notre-Dame cathedral which dates from 1163 and Sainte-Chapelle which through its stained glass windows portrays more than 1000 biblical scenes.
While in Paris, we stayed on the Rue de Rivoli, near the Ile de la Cite'. Our hotel, just a block from the Seine, was well within walking distance of most attractions (at least the ones we wanted to see). Bonnie and I voted unanimously that driving in Paris can be hazardous to your health so we opted to garage the car for the duration of our stay. Walking around Paris is a pleasure - about every 20 steps there is another sidewalk cafe' where you can rest your weary feet and quench your thirst while you people watch.
For those sites which we felt were too far for walking, like the Eiffel Tower and TGI Fridays (after living in Europe for a year, TGI Fridays will become a major attraction), we used the subway system. The Paris subway system is extensive, fairly clean and inexpensive. On the weekends there are "performers" on the subway, providing musical and/or theatrical entertainment for the small price of a tip. Their "shows" last a few stops and then they move on to another subway car to do the same thing again.
One of our favorite expeditions in Paris was to the Musee du Louvre. The Louvre houses one of the most extensive collections of art in the world, with such works as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Bonnie's picture of the Venus De Milo is shown here. The Venus de Milo was found on the Island of Milo in 1820, and moved to Paris the following year. The Venus is an example of Classic Greek sculpture, from the 2nd century B.C., whose artist is unknown.