Paris
Myi 2002

This was my first trip to Paris.Now I had a special reason to visit the city with the Seine River: Kerstin. So I packed my pag and grabbed the next plane o Paris.
I arrived on Thursday afternoon and when I unload my bag at Kerstin's home we startet to discover Paris by night. We made a stop in a small parisian restaurant. The menue ended with a very tasty cremé brulée. At the banks of the Seine we enjoyed the view over these numberless bridges and certainly Notre Dame by night. In a cocktailbar was time to sit and talk. Good day!
On the following day, we stood off early and made a walk to Pére Lachaise. This is the oldest cemetary in Paris with "lovely" graves. By the way, did you know that Bill Morrison's grave is there? Then we took the Metroto the old Opera and  Lafayette. On the roof top of this mall, I had a first view over Paris. A beautiful city, with no skyscrapers in downtown area but with wonderful old buildungs. The next stop was called Louvre. First we had the plan to visit this museum, but, like every day, many people waited in front of the entrance, so we decided to do this later on. Of course the was a feeling of hunger in us and so we sat down in the Tuleries to have a typical french baguette. Then we visited the Place de la Concorde and the well known Champs Elysée. It smelled like coffee and we sat down in a small coffee bar. Phew, a Capuuccino and a coffee cost 7,5ß €, that's Paris! From the Triumphal arch we enjoyed the view down to the many cars in the roundabout, crazy! On the way back to Kerstin's home we walked through several parks and picked up a chinese menue. By the way, Kerstin's appartment is absolutely comfortable. Wood on the floor and these old blinds. Great!
On Saturday we met the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. It wasn't that overcrowded there and we enjoyed the old paintings and certainly Napoleon's rooms with original furniture. But you can't see all of the Louvre in some hours... It's much too big and there is a lot to see. However, I was a little bit disappointed of the Mona Lisa. Ok, I knew the painting, but it is nothing special when you look on it. Unfortunatly you have to stand there with hundreds of tourists, who are photographing like hell. But it's fun! Then we continued our way to the Dome of the Invalides and visited Napoleon's grave. On the Eiffeltower we went up to the 2nd platform and looked over Paris and the buildings we just saw. For the night, we planned a trip to Montparnasse, the only "skyscraper" in Paris. The rest of teh evening we drank some glasses of wine and this was the reason why we got up so late on Sunday.
First we went to the president's election. Hopefully Chirac would make it, but no one gave Le Pen a chance. Nevertless the analysts strayed once before. Then we took the Metro to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. We walked through the narrow lanes down to the Moulin Rouge. The last stop was Place de la Bastille, before we went home to cook our own menue. We wathced TV and saw that Chirac won, so we drove back to Place de la Republique and joined the big party. Wonderful atmosphere and Kerstin had to give an interview for the radio, unfortunatly I didn't understand it... However, I have learned to order half of a baguette and croissants with butter, and so I'm a little bit proud of myself.
Paris was beautiful and I loved it. Kerstin was the best tourguide I ever had and we had a lot of fun! I saw many places and I only missed shopping and nightlife. But I hope we can do this the next time. I come again, promissed!
Thanks again for these wonderful days!

Kerstin and I in a cocktailbar	Nightview of Notre Dame	The old Opera
Triumphal arch	Mona Lisa	Dome of the Invalides
On the Eiffeltower	Eifeltower	View over Paris
	Sacre Coeur

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