Ah, Paris!

Carie came to visit me in Paris this last weekend and we had a fantastic time. We saw the Notre Dame, made fun of art at the Louvre, and wandered through an over-the-top palace complete with beautiful gardens at Versailles. We also enjoyed lots of delicious French food in cute cafes and restaurants.


Day One: Notre Dame and the Louvre

Carie being her usual silly self on one of the many bridges on the Seine River. The spire in the background is the Notre Dame cathedral.

The front of the Notre Dame, which was an awe-inspiring place. I didn't take any pictures inside because the light was poor and it just seemed disrespectful somehow. It was certainly grand and breathtaking; a must if you visit Paris. I've seen many many cathedrals before, but this one still impressed.

Carie in the Louvre. Poor Carie injured her knees in 15k-run-sans-previous-training last weekend and it hurt to walk, especially up and down stairs. Standing and walking around a museum for hours was not what they needed, so we got a wheelchair from the museum and I pushed her through the museum. Sorry Jason, I know you were gunning for most doting boyfriend this weekend and it seems I stole your thunder.

The imperial apartments of Emperor Napoleon III in the Louvre gave us some interior decorating ideas for our new place once we move back to LA.

Carie reading the Code of Hammurabi in front of the original Code of Hammurabi, the first recorded written law. I didn't previously realize it was in the Louvre, but it was neat to finally see it.

The entrance of the Louvre by evening. Paris really is a very pretty city.

Day Two: Versailles

More interior decorating inspiration from the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

There was a neat hall of paintings of French military victories in Versailles, with battles from 600-1809 (to be fair, it was comissioned in 1830, though I can't imagine what victories they would add since then). This was one of Louis XV's victories somewhere. Note the skull and crossbones on the cavalryman on the left in the background; this one's for you, Jeannie.

Napoleon to the world: "Yo. Back atcha." From the same hall.

The statues in the Versailles garden were apparently too obscene to display publicly.

Carie and me in the Gazebo o' Love in Mary Antoinette's gardens. Louis got the war room, Mary got the nice pretty gardens.

THATCHED-ROOF COTTAGES!

Even cuter THATCHED-ROOF COTTAGE! with some sort of tower thingy in Mary Antoinette's estate. Apparently people actually live in these; we're trying to figure out how to get that gig.

The Versailles gardens and giant canal at sunset.

Versailles by night.