Paris, 2006
A trip with Gary and Zach Cohen

The purpose of the trip was to give Gary and Zach their first taste of Paris. I was pretty much the tour guide,
but being with them I experienced new things, so between regular sight-seeing, new adventures,
and lots of good food in this glorious city, a delightful week was had by all of three of us.

After an harrowing adventure of being separated from Zach (see link below),
we settled into our beautiful, 2 bedroom apartment on the rue Montmartre.

Zach slept in the living room, but Gary and I had our own bedrooms - Gary's with an internet computer.
	A view from our terrace.

Click here for "Zach's Harrowing Adventure"

First stop, figuring out the ATM to get some Euros, then on to a Bateau Mouche,
for a riverboat ride on the Seine.

This statue was right around the corner from our apartment, which was just north of Les Halles.

I had never been inside the Palais Granier, or the great Parisian Opera House. For a small fee, we were allowed to wander around it's magnificent halls.
"Masquerade, all those tourists on parade."
This would be the chandelier that was represented in "The Phantom of the Opera". It is huge, and mounted on the stunning Marc Chagall ceiling.

One excursion I didn't particularly want to take, that the guys did, was to see the Catacombs.
	I spent this time in a cafe, enjoying the Parisian sidewalk scenery (though not at the famous Les Deux Magots).
	A wonderful dog-patron at the cafe.

For Modern Art, you can't beat the Centre G. Pompidou, inside and out.
The ride up the exterior escalator gives an amazing view of the city.

The exhibit, "LA Art" offered some marvelous images.	Under plexiglass, was a roomfull of "uncompleted architectural models".

The famous "Sewers of Paris" used in "Les Miserables", was a new experience for me. We took the tour and it was quite fascinating (if a little smelly).	These are the huge balls that were run through the sewers to clean them out.
Gary and Zach recreate the "Les Miz" scene with Jean Valjean carrying Marius through the sewers (though it looks more like Marius is schlepping Valjean).

A rainy day is perfect for a trip to the Louvre.

	Gary observes the beauty of Venus, "Quelle tush!" and the wonders of Napolean III's apartments.

	The Cohens ventured up the many steps to the top of Notre Dame wanting to visit the gargoyles and where Quasimodo rang the bells.
	I wondered around and found the theater where the original production of Ionesco's "Bald Soprano" is still playing. I saw it there some 40 years ago.

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And of course, the most amazing sight in Paris, la Tour Eiffel.
No one can imagine its immensity, until one sees it in person.

I got up to the 1st level, had a cup of coffe and a coissant in the cafe, while the guys went all the way up. (I'd been to the top once, and it was SCARY)
	A chilly, but clear day to go up the tower.
Zach was quite cold, but at least he made it to the very top.	A replica of the photo taken of me in 1987, at the top. (This, however, was only on the first level).

	Jim Morrison's grave, in the huge, maze-like Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise. Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Gertrude Stein/Alice Tokles, and many others are there.
	In the soaking rain, they stand proudly next to Morrison's grave, while I stand sheltered in a mausoleum.

In Pigalle, with it's blocks and blocks of porn stores and sex shows, stands the famous Moulin Rouge.

Gary sits expectantly in front of the Erotic Museum,
with 8 floors of quite amazing erotic art from many centuries and cultures.

With a smile on their faces, we prepare to leave beautiful, historic, whimsical, delightful Paris.
I'm sure they will return again; as most certainly will I.

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