So we headed out to return to the Eiffel Tower in the hopes of getting up there to match up another photo or two.
Fortunately, it was a much nicer day, but that also meant that the lineups to go up the tower were much longer than they had been the day before.
Yes, you can book tickets in advance, but you have to schedule a time slot and you are only allowed up during that time slot. Also, the time slot tickets sell out far in advance and we weren't able to get them even when we tried a couple of weeks ago.
Yes, there are a lot of sidewalk cafes in Paris.
We walked by the famous Moulin Rouge Burlesque Theater.
Despite some nudity, the Moulin Rouge show is billed as "family friendly" and children above the age of six are welcome. However at €110 ($118 USD. $162 CAD) per person, we decided against it!
Scenery along the way.
Notice the nice blue sky!
The tracks leading to the Gare de Paris Saint Lazare Train Station.
More Paris scenery.
We purposely took the long route to the Eiffel Tower that would bring us by the Arc de Triomphe.
Unfortunately, my father's photo must have been taken in the afternoon, and we were there in the morning so the opposite side was lit up. Nonetheless, here is our photo matchup...
In 1954.
In 2024. Kind of loses the effect when the sun isn't shining on it.
We got to the Eiffel Tower at about 10:30am, and we had to be back to the apartment by 1:00pm. Cutting it very close. But, we stood in the first security line of 20 minutes or so, then into the ticket line for the stairs. There are several ways to buy tickets for the tower... depending on the variety of combinations of stairs and elevators and which level you want to go to.
The famous Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world from 1889 to 1930.
My dad had a photo from the third floor, and a couple from the top.
But they were saying there was a possible 45 minute wait to get on the elevator to the top once you make it to the third floor.
And, we had this to deal with!
We decided that we wouldn't have time to make it to the top. So we bought the stairs only ticket to the third floor. Cost of the stairs ticket to the second floor was €11.80 ($12.70 USD, $17.40 CAD).
The line moved slowly, but eventually it was our turn to start climbing the 327 stairs. I was surprised that by the time you get to the first level, there is actually quite a good view already.
View from the first level.
Looking down through the center.
Sadie and I standing on the see through floor.
Then another 347 steps to the second floor...
View from the second floor.
Zoomed in on the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
My father had one photo taken from the second floor.
Same photo 70 years later!
By the time I took that photo above, it was already 11:55am and we had to be back to the apartment by 1:00pm. I knew that I could walk the 5.5 kms (3.4 miles) in less than an hour, but I was still going to have to do 674 steps to get back down to ground level! We decided that I would then walk back and get our things out of the apartment, and the girls would take the bus back and meet me there so they wouldn't have to rush.
It was a good workout, and I made it right at 1:00 on the nose!
Ruth, Lindsey, and Sadie took the bus, and made it back about 1:45pm.
With all of our things, we walked up the hill to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart...
From there, we walked over to get a late lunch.
When Ruth and I had arrived in Paris, we had taken the bus from the airport and then walked to the Airbnb. During the walk, we passed through an African neighborhood that we thought was really interesting. Very few tourists, and almost 100% black people. It was like you were in Africa all of a sudden! And, we had seen a really busy cafeteria style restaurant that you could tell was inexpensive.
It was called "Best Africa Restaurant".
I managed to get a photo of Sadie without a silly look on her face!
Lunch was a hearty plate of tender beef stew on rice.
A very reasonable €6.50 ($7 USD, $9.50 CAD) which is inexpensive by Paris standards.
Ignoring Sadie's silly face, I was just trying to capture the ambience of the place!
With full stomachs, we walked another kilometer or so, and caught the local bus to our airport hotel.
I had booked us a room for 4 people, and it was kind of interesting because there was one double bed on one level, and then two singles on the upper level. Absolutely no room to walk around, but it would do for one night.
€89.50 ($96.30 USD, $131.80 CAD) for the 4 of us for one night.
The upstairs level.
Big bright window.
The facilities.
Ruth and I had stayed at this same hotel a couple of years ago when we were transiting CDG airport, so we knew that we could walk to the mall, so that's what we did in the evening.
Strange pedestrian walkway in the middle of a busy road.
Up early Saturday morning for our flight to Bristol, England coming up next!
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How exciting to go up into the Eiffel Tower and to see the Arc de Triomphe as well. Looks like you all had a great time. I bet that African restaurant was delish!
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty neat to be able to say we have gone up the Eiffel Tower. Too bad we didn't have time to go to the top but we were pretty happy to get to the second floor and we had a great view even from there.
DeleteWe have been having such a great time with Lindsey and Sadie, we are so happy that we have had this time together with them. Yes, that African restaurant meal was delish and the meat was really tender. It was a fun experience!