Pantheon ~ Grand Palais ~ Hotel des Invalides ~ Palais de Chaillot ~ Paris, France

We have found, even on our RV travels that when we visit a new city, a tour bus can be the best way to learn our way around and hear a lot of the history.   We usually stay on for all of the bus tour to see and then decide where we are going back to.  It is nice to have the tour guide information, whether it is with a guide or the prerecorded audio system that many of them are using now.

Views from the tour bus in Paris, France

As with many of the English and European cities, the tour buses are often double deckers with an open top. That would mean you would really appreciate good weather but no matter what, the view is better from up there and so photo's are easier taken from there, too. We were able to purchase a ticket to use anytime within 24 hours, and with that we had a choice of several routes in Paris.

Palais de Chaillot at Trocadero Square

Most bus tours allow you to get on and off whenever you wish and that gives you the option to spend more time at any one particular place.  We began our tour of Paris from the stop at Tracadero behind the Palais de Chaillot which houses a number of museums.  Most of the names on the buildings are in French so we did have some difficulty deciding what was inside but we do understand that the Maritime Museum and the Museum of Architecture, dedicated to monuments, is housed here.  The Paris Modern Art Museum is also nearby.

The Pantheon in Paris, France

The Pantheon was built in 1757 to replace a sixth century Basillica but due to financial problems, it took 34 years to complete.  It was later decided to transform it to a temple to bury the remains of great men of France and then became the Pantheon.  Then in 1806 it became a church again but in 1885 it became a civic building, as it is today.

Flower shops line the street beside the Pantheon

 Seeing these spectacular buildings in Paris, surrounded by the excitement of this city creates a very special experience. We were in our tour bus as we came upon the Pantheon and it was a very busy place with traffic in front, around and behind.  The streets of this city are not a simple grid so the bus tour makes our sightseeing much easier.   

Hotel des Invalides, Paris, France

This was originally meant to be barracks only but King Louis XIV hired an architect to build a huge complex with royal courtyards including one of honor for military parades and a church.  The complex was completed in 1676 and could house up to 4,000 war veterans in the barracks.  There are several museums housed in the complex.

Dome des Invalides in Paris, France

The Dome des Invalides is a beautiful church connected to the Royal chapel and used for royals only. It took 27 years to complete the 107 M (351') dome, finished in 1708. This was where royalty was meant to be buried but that changed after King Louis XIV died.  Nineteen years after he had died, Napoleon Bonaparte's body (1769-1821) was relocated and entombed here. Napoleon was the Emporer (1806-1814), making him the military and political leader for the last years of the French Revolution.

The War Museum at Hotel des Invalides

The War Museum opened in 1905 and today is one of the largest military museums in the world.  The displays include weapons from many different time periods so offer a great variety for anyone interested in this kind of history.  The museum also features military items from India, Japan, Turkey and China.

Grand Palais, Paris, France

This very large complex was built for the Universal Exhibition, also known as the World Fair, in 1900 with the biggest glass roof in all of Europe and is now considered an historic monument.  The World Fair, held in many European capitals over the years, offered all nations to showcase business, industry and fine arts.

Grand Palais, the glory of French Art.

There are several museums and galleries as well as being host to many Chanel fashion shows and theater every year.  The statues that are seen were designed by 40 contemporary artists at the time of construction.  The mission of the Grand Palais is inscribed on the building: "This monument has been dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French Art".

We enjoyed our bus tour of the city and planned to see much more during our stay in Paris, France in September. We've only just begun to see all the wonderful sights the city of Paris offers. 

Eiffel Tower ~ Paris ~ France

We love RVing, so our typical holidays have been driving across Canada and the US for most of our travels but not this time. We have now left our RV at home and are doing some global travels so we will share our visit to Paris, France with you.



We are in Paris, France

We arrived by train from England having travelled under the English Channel and across some beautiful French countryside to our destination of Paris by mid-afternoon.  We caught a cab to the hotel and I was trying to get photos of everything we passed, even the street signs! 

The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

Our first day in Paris was short so we planned nothing but to get settled into our hotel, have a drink at a sidewalk cafe and have a look around before it got dark.  We were only a few blocks from the River Seine and the Eiffel Tower so that was the obvious destination and we were excited to see it.

Under the Eiffel Tower looking skyward

The Eiffel Tower is so much larger than I expected it to be, even though I have seen many photos of it!  We saw it from a distance as we rode in the cab to our hotel, but actually walking up to and under it, WOW, this made it a totally different story.

The elevators ride up the Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 for the World Fair and has been an icon ever since, although at times it was considered for demolition.  It is 324 meters (1063 ft) and 108 stories high.  There are elevators to take you for a tour of the tower or to one of the two restaurants on the first and second platforms.  On a great day, they say you can see 72 km. (45 miles).

A gathering and shopping area under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

There is lots of excitement around the Eiffel.  So many people are there enjoying the sights and sounds of the whole area.  The River Seine is across the street so between the two big attractions, it is great fun to just be there and enjoy it.

Carousel across the street from the Eiffel Tower

As dusk falls, we’re seeing the Eiffel light up and the atmosphere changes, it will soon be nighttime in Paris and it feels amazing. There are street performers under the Eiffel and a crowd gathers to watch and throw their coins into their hat, the carousel lights up across the street and the lights on the Tower are all beginning to show against the night sky.

The night lights of the Eiffel Tower

We enjoyed our evening walk along the river before we found a nice restaurant for a late dinner, although not as late as most of the diners eat over there.  Once we’re ready to leave, I need to take just a few more photos of the Eiffel Tower before we head back to the hotel to end our first evening in Paris. 

Stonehenge ~ Wilshire County ~ England

Our travels of England took us all over the south and we saw some beautiful scenery and historical places that we had only read about, but none were as old or as mysterious as the stone circle of Stonehenge.  There are many questions about how Stonehenge came to be that may never be answered but the interest is obvious by the many visitors who come to see it every day. 

The birds fly over Stonehenge in England

Stonehenge is located in Wilshire County in southern England and along with the surroundings, it became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.  Stonehenge is owned by the crown and the surrounding countryside is owned by National Trust.  We do not have access to the stones now that it is behind a roped area due to erosion that was happening, but until 1977 it was open for all to walk among the stones.

Horseshoe of sarsen trilithons of Stonehenge

Stonehenge evolved from between 3000 BC to 1600 BC in three stages of development in pre-historic times. The lost culture left no written records so the real story is still a mystery but there have been several suggestions given as to explain it.

Circle of bluestones in Stonehenge

Stonehenge was built in three different stages forming the stones into a circle.  The first was the Circle of sarsen stones with lentels, the second one built was the Circle of bluestones then the Horseshoe of srsen trilithons followed. Pictures cannot show the size of these large stones but I have tried to show size comparisons with the visitors in the pictures, shown on the far side of the circle.

Stones of Stonehenge

Some suggest Stonehenge was constructed by the supernatural due to the size of the stones, but that has been debunked by archeologists and historians to not be so. There are stories of how the stones that made the second stage had been transported and delivered over land, sea and river from Wales.

Stonehenge in England

There have been findings that suggest it was a burial ground for 500 years from 3000 BC. It is believed it may have been a healing site in that time that would then become a burial ground due to the cremated bones that were found.

Stonehenge stands tall

There are many that believe it was a place of religion and perhaps a source of inspiration to those who came to visit. They could celebrate and worship among the stones and some do that even today. No one knows the real purpose but the mystical stories are likely enjoyed by most.

Mystery of Stonehenge in England

What is real about Stonehenge is that the stones align with the rising and setting of the sun at the solstices.  This suggests an astronomical reason for construction of Stonehenge, which may have been their time of worship.

Stonehenge in England

There are so many myths said about Stonehenge that I think we can only conclude that we may think anything we want to describe the reason it is here and the history surrounding it but as we walk about these huge rocks, we can only try to comprehend that these were brought here by people all those thousands of years ago. What an amazing site to see and to feel the magic in the air.

Boscastle ~ Cornwall ~ England

Our travels in England have not included an RV but we've been enjoying some lovely travels and our wonderful trip continues.

We set out from Tavistock to spend our sunny day visiting some of the medieval villages on the northern coast of Cornwall. We drove across the moorlands and began our descent down to the fishing village of Boscastle. So many of these villages we were visiting are at the bottom of a long downhill drive to the water and this was no exception. The best part was that we were able to drive down to a parking area in the small village where other places we have had to walk down.

Village of Boscastle, England

We crossed the bridge to find our parking then walked through the shopping area of the village. This part of the village was only about a block long and had nice looking shops for those that may wish to browse.

Stone harbour walls in Boscastle, England

The stone harbor walls seen here, were built in 1584 and act as a buffer from the tidal waters that offer some very rough waves from the Atlantic Ocean.  The boats are able to come into the harbor to tie up behind the walls and away from the waves and dock safely when not in use.  Boscastle is the only natural harbor for boats along the 40 mile stretch of coastline.

Atlantic Ocean at Boscastle, England

We walked up the wet banks of rock overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and, as always, enjoyed watching the waves crash against the rocks. Waves are always fascinating and I wanted to take enough pictures to make sure I get the right wave and the right splash before I leave. It was very windy, I mean very very windy, so our stay out there watching the waves was shorter than we may have wanted it to be.

The natural harbour at Boscastle, England

Several people were walking on the other side of the harbor and one hiker can be seen up on top of the hill, giving us a perspective on how big that hill really is.  We had worn warm jackets and good walking shoes but these rocks were slippery and we needed to be cautious when walking on them.  Many visitors sat down on the rocks to enjoy watching the waves and weathered the cold stormy winds.  The blue sky is deceiving but the wind was blowing those clouds away, so we're not complaining.

Rivers running through Boscastle, England

The Rivers Valency and Jordon come together to create this natural harbor.  Then one day in August 2004 after torrential rains filled both rivers to overflow, there was a major flooding that devastated this small village.  The water tore through the town and damaged the majority of the buildings and homes as it ravaged its' way down the valley, including taking out the bridge.
 

Sunny day in Boscastle, England

We watched a video that showed the damage being done by the powerful force of that flooding and it is amazing that not one life was lost.  People were sitting on rooftops and had to be airlifted out by helicoptor.  The signage showing the water level that day makes it hard to believe their recovery has been so successful.  We had lunch in a quaint little hotel and saw the sign of the water level shown on the second floor. 

Fishing boats in harbour at Boscastle, England

Fishing was once a major industry in Boscastle but tourism is now the number one industry for this village and much of that might be due to the flooding then the recovery done by the strength and determination of the people of the village of Boscastle.  There is little evidence of the flood showing today, and it was great to spend some time in the village of Boscastle.

The Royal Mews ~ the Gold State Coach ~ Buckingham Palace ~ London, England

We planned our day in London around a visit to Buckingham Palace.  This was a 'must see' on our trip and I was looking forward to seeing the Queen's home in all its' splendor.  Our tickets were purchased online ahead of time, which is a very easy thing to do and likely saved us time when we arrived as we didn't have to stand in line.  Part of the ticket entrance included visiting the Royal Mews, where the carriages and horses are kept and we chose to visit here first.

The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace

There are several carriages displayed in individual rooms with some of their history and stories told on a story board as well as more information given on our hand held guide that gave us lots of information. They were all very grand and pretty exciting to see in their amazing condition, some of which had had extensive rebuilding done to be as they originally appeared. We also walked through the stables and saw some of the horses but the one coach we saw that was absolutely amazing was the Gold State Coach.

The Gold State Coach

 King George III had this coach designed by architect Sir William Chambers in 1760 for his coronation and wedding to Princess Charlotte. It wasn't ready in time for either celebration so it made its' debut in 1762 being pulled by eight cream stallions, when King George attended the State Opening of Parliament. The coach weighs 4 ton and needed those eight horses to pull that weight. The coach is 24 ft. long, 8 ft. wide and 12 ft. high. The cost in English currency was 8,000 pounds when it was built.

Mythical sea-gods on the Gold State Coach

Incredible artistry of the sculpture Joseph Wilton is shown on this coach. The details are amazing when you're able to see all that this coach is adorned with. The mythical sea-gods at the front of the coach, known as Tritons seem to be pulling it with straps as they blow on their conches to announce the arrival of the Monarch of the Ocean.

Panels of Art on the Gold State Coach

The eight panels, three on each side and one on each end were painted by Giovanni Battista Cipriani.  Each panel represents the pride the English took in their military achievements, their wealth and success and all that made it the great country that it was.  I find it interesting that Greek and Roman symbols were used by this Italian artist on an English coach but they are amazing paintings.  Cipriani, a neoclassical painter, was brought to England in 1755 by Sir William Chambers and Joseph Wilton several years before the coach was to become their project.



The Tritons on the Gold State Coach

The mythical sea-gods with the body of man and legs and feet of a dolphin on the back of the coach are representing England's imperial powers, together with the ones on the front. They represent Britain's strong maritime traditions and show England's dominant seapower. These carvings reflect the powerful position that England held in the world.

Sculptures on the Gold State Coach

At the back of the coach, this Triton carries a bundle of rods with an axe and that represented the power of the law.  Everything on the coach had a special meaning and told the story of what was thought of England in that time. They were a powerful nation in their worldly position and this was representing their triumphant chariot.

Cherubs sit atop the Gold State Coach

The three cherubs at the top of the coach represent the union of England, Scotland and Ireland. They carry the symbols to represent Knighthood, a sword, sceptre and a badge as well as the Imperial Crown. Their gifts symbolize abundance and prosperity to the gods.

This coach was absolutely amazing to see and learn about. The history lesson of this day was one not to be forgotten.

Alfriston ~ Birling Gap ~ Beachy Head ~ England

We spent several weeks in England with my sister and brother-in-law and we could not have asked for better hosts, company or tour guides! We spent most of our time touring and seeing the sights of southern England, making several photo-taking stops every day. There were so many sights to see and they were making sure that we could see as many of them as possible but still leaving many for a future visit. 

High Street in Alfriston, England

We began one day with our first stop in Alfriston, a small and very quiet village on this day.  The village square is tiny but has a bench that a few of the local gentlemen have gathered on to share their stories with one another.  We walked along High Street, which is also the highway that passes through town.  The building with the strips of wood on its' facing is The George Inn, and it has a sign on the outside that says, "First Transfer of Innkeepers License - 1397".  This inn has been in business for a very long time!

St. Andrew's Parish Church, Alfriston, England

 St. Andrew's Parish Church in Alfriston dates back to the 14th century and was built in the shape of a cross. As most churches on our travels, the graveyard surrounds the church and some of the headstones also date back a very long time. The open door meant we were able to go inside the church and enjoy the stained glass windows from the inside on this sunny morning while there was also a film crew working in there for an English television program.

Artist and swan on River Cuckmere, England

This old gentleman sat quietly sketching on the bank of the River Cuckmere, oblivious to the beautiful swan that was below his sight range. We walked over to see what he saw, which was the back of St. Andrew's Parish Church and he offered to show us his book of work. He may have been part of a very small group of artists, perhaps five or six that we'd seen scattered about the village, but he said he was there "to get away from the people". He was polite but I felt that our brief stop was long enough for him and we were on our way, he was an artist at work.

St. Andrew's Parish Church, England

The small canal of water (in swan photo) is the River Cuckmere that runs behind the St. Andrew's Parish Church in Alfriston. This is located about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of the river mouth at Seaford, It was during the 18th century that they first took measures to prevent flooding of the valley which had
occured in Alfriston, so the river isn't affected by the tide changes as it had been back then and leaves only this canal in this part of the valley. The River Cuckmere does widen once it leaves here to make its' way down to Seaford.

Seven Sisters at Birling Gap, England

I had always had an interest in seeing England and especially to see the white cliffs, most likely because of the song 'White Clffs of Dover' from WW2 and it seemed to have a personal connection as my dad was posted over there and had fought during that war. So the white cliffs of Dover was on the list. There are other locations that have white cliffs and Dover wasn't on our route plan so we were going to visit some cliffs that were farther south instead, at Birling Gap which is part of the longest natural exposure of chalk cliffs in Europe. They were distinct markers for seafaring ships.

White chalk cliffs at Birling Gap, England

Birling Gap is in East Sussex, Southest England, right on the English Channel. We'd driven through green pastures passing over the Cuckmere River and came upon Birling Gap, which is a parking lot with a small hotel and restaurants but I saw little else, I was anxious to see the white cliffs. There is
a staircase that leads down to the beach, so we approached that just as a busload of foreign highschool students did the same but once we got through the crowded platform, we were given the most magnificant view of the Seven Sisters, the white cliffs. I found that moment when I first saw the cliffs to be one of the most emotional moments I had on our travels. That was unexpected but the sight was as amazing as expected.

Beachy Head, England

Beachy Head is not far up the coast from Birling Gap. The lighthouse is one of two at this location and sits below the highest chalk cliff in the UK. It is 162 meters (530 ft) above sea level and offers an beautiful view of the English Channel. The name Beachy Head is a result of mispronouciation of the
original french name meaning 'beautiful headland'. In 1724, the name Beachy Head became accepted as the preferred name.

Lighthouse atop Beachy Head, England

The imagination can offer many scenarios as we look out over the English Channel. The history from this part of the world goes back forever, filled with many stories about ships and battles, a time that we read about in our history books. Today all we see is a sailboat so we are back in the moment and enjoying the special time that we have to spend here and enjoying the view.

Sheep on South Downs, England

The South Downs is splattered with sheep in green pastures, many times they are pastures lined with rock walls. I did enjoy seeing the faces of the curious sheep when we stopped to take some pictures as much as some of them seemed to enjoy our company! Sheep are a common sight in southern England and we did see a few different kinds, but these ones were very familiar, as the ones we see at home.

Our journeys in England continue and there will be many more photos to see.  We've visited London and other areas in southern England, click on the link if you wish to see some of those photos.

St. Paul's Cathedral ~ London Millenium Footbridge ~ London Eye ~ Big Ben ~ House of Parliament ~ London England

Another glorious day in London, England.  We walked for so many miles and still didn't see everything, but what we did see made it an incredible day.  Part of another London walk included several other sights that you may see by clicking here, but today we will see even more. This walk begins at St. Paul's Cathedral, the most beautiful cathedral that we had been looking forward to seeing on this visit.

St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England

St. Paul's Cathedral was originally built in 604 but the fourth one on this site was destroyed by fire and this is the fifth one that is there now and it was built between 1675-1711.  It was impossible for me to get one picture to show this incredible church as it is in the shape of a cross and the dome, standing at over 111 meters (365 ft) and highest in the world, sits over the intersection of the arms.  Beneath the dome, a symbol for unity, is where the daily services are held. 

St. Paul's Cathedral, South Churchyard entrance, London, England

No cameras are allowed inside St. Paul's Cathedral but it would have been great to get some photos.  The beautiful mosaics that line the walls and ceilings of St. Paul's Cathedral were added 1896-1904 and one could sit there for hours to enjoy these pieces of art.  The whole interior of the church is a work of art.  I would recommend allowing several hours in your day to be able to appreciate all there is to see in this church. A handheld audio with photos is included in the entrance fee and it gives plenty of information and history. They also have a cafeteria for lunch or a coffee break. 

London Millenium Footbridge

This steel suspension bridge was the first pedestrian bridge built to cross the River Thames in over a century but it wasn't without its' struggles. It first opened in June 2000 with 80,000 to 100,000 people crossing it on the first day. The effect of that many people crossing the bridge caused some movement that wasn't expected and the bridge, locally called the "wobbly bridge' was closed within two days. It was reopened two years later after a solution had been found and it was pretty neat to see.  For those who wish to learn more about this engineering feat, click here.



London, England's cityscape

I don't wish to mislead anyone into thinking that there has been nothing modern built in London because there sure has. Keith took this photo from 528 steps up high in the Golden Gallery of St. Paul's Cathedral, it didn't sound like a place I wanted to go to. The view is of the financial district, including the Swiss Re building, more commonly called "the gherkin" (as in pickle).  As we wandered along the River Thames after leaving St. Paul's Cathedral, we counted several cranes that were in the process of building new structures.  We had also seen many ongoing projects that may be due to the upcoming Olympics in 2012.

the London Eye, England

This was originally called the Millenium Wheel when it was opened in 2000 as it was seen as time turning into a new millenium.  It is now called the London Eye and takes 3.5 million people on a ride every year.  It carries 800 passengers per revolution and takes 30 minutes to complete the circle going slow enough that it allows people to disembark without it stopping.  The view is 360 degrees for 40 km (25 mi) but that wasn't enough to convince me I should go for a ride.  I enjoy looking from down here, thanks!

Parliament Buildings, London, England

The Parliament Buildings are beautfiul and sit along the River Thames just beside the Westminster Bridge. Tours are offered for visitors to see the interior and the workings of the parliament buildings.  Westminster Hall is officially a royal palace that was begun in 1097 by the son of William the Conquerer and another building for viewing is the Jewel Tower, built in 1365, and one of the two remaining sections of the medieval royal palace of Westminster.

Big Ben, London, England

Big Ben was one of those sights that I was anxious to visit and it was exciting to see that big clock tower looming largely ahead as we walked up the street.  The great bell in the clock tower is where the nickname Big Ben comes from and it stands in the largest four faced clock in the world.  The tower is 393 steps to the top and 96 meters high but only open to locals who can arrange the visit with their MP.

Sunset across the River Thames in London, England

As our London day came to an end and we walked along the River Thames in a very busy and entertaining part of the city, we saw this beautiful sunset happening.  I was taking photos every few steps to make sure I was not going to miss this incredible photo, one that I feel could be my favorite.  We are looking at the Westminster Bridge crossing the River Thames, and the Parliament Buildings with Big Ben standing tall overlooking it all.  A very special memory on a very special day.