Evenings in Paris - Day 2

Ravi had left the apartment all to me for the three days. I slept in later than usual. But come morning, I couldn’t put my legs down. They were weighing a ton.

From the living room, you could spot all kinds of trains entering and leaving the Gare d’Iest – a trainspotter’s delight. In the distance, you can spy the tip of the Eiffel tower. But dominating the skyline was the majestic dome of Sacre Coeur.

Situated on a hilltop in Montmartre, you can access the cathedral either by foot or by a funicular. Taking the funicular (the Paris metro tickets work) is a better option if you do not want to be harassed by the young men stationed on the steps, trying to tie a piece of thread to your fingertip. They don’t take “no” for an answer and try to forcefully pull you by hand. “It’s for the church…for God!” they argue. If you allow them, you pay the price for the thread – 10 euros, 20 euros or even 100 euros as the young couple behind me found out.

Behind the cathedral, snake the by-lanes of Montmartre – one of the most beautiful localities in Paris, a quaint little village in the middle of the bustling metropolis. It’s heaven for budding artists. At this early hour, men and women were setting up easels, ready to showcase their crafts. The paintings ranged from the sights of Paris to still life. Tourists were getting their silhouettes or portraits painted.

Common sense is not the best companion of travelers. And so, I climbed up 300 steps to the dome of Sacre Coeur. A spiral staircase winds upward through a claustrophobic column. At some places, you need to cross over from one dome to the other. The way down is not the same, so there’s little chance of bumping into someone coming down through those narrow steps. A slow climber though, can cause a delay for people going up. Thankfully, at that early hour, I was the only one climbing. The dome of Sacre Coeur offers one of the most magnificent views of the city, and as Ravi had pointed out yesterday, Paris was a small city.

A long queue stretched into the entry gate of Saint Chapelle, since it was also entrance to the Palais de Justice. Bags were being meticulously scanned and checked. “Museum Pass” holders seemed annoyed that they were not treated with privilege. The highlights of the chapel are the sixteen huge stained glass windows. Around the corner stands the more famous and bigger Notre Dame cathedral. Another long queue stretched into its doors. Whereas the entrance to Saint Chappelle was a tree-lined avenue that offered shade, here we were at the mercy of the scorching sun. Thankfully the queue moved very fast. Inside the massive cathedral was a ticket counter – the access to a gazillion steps that take you to the bell towers. Common sense prevailed.

For those who have read Victor Hugo, Notre Dame evokes familiarity. There are many shops around the cathedral that carry the name Quasimodo. But being well-read is not always good. Under the watchful eyes of the gargoyles, stood a tourist posing for a photograph hunched up like Quasimodo!

Another Parisian specialty for lunch – Crepes with sugar syrup and lemon!

Across the seine from Notre Dame stands the Hotel de Ville. No, you can’t stay there - It’s the town hall. The huge courtyard of the majestic structure was filled with picnickers. A stone’s throw away stood the gates of the Louvre – something I had deliberately avoided since I had spent a whole day inside during my previous visit. Still I had to have some “been-there-done-that” snaps. I got my first (and only) photo clicked in front of the pyramid. The place was immensely crowded. Many people were around the pyramids, trying to touch them. Others were fast asleep by the fountains. Everyone else would be crowded around the Monalisa. But most importantly, the place had free WiFi.

Straight past the Arc de Triomphe, the avenue leads to La Defense. A vestige of modern-day Paris, the place is full of glass-laden skyscrapers. The huge tesseract of the Grande Arch stands tall facing the Arc de Triomphe, challenging the old structure. There were people perched on its steps. The Arch stood like a gateway into the city. There were hundreds of people running about, to catch a bus or train home. And approaching the city from outside were the ominous dark clouds of a storm.