September 7 -- on to la Sainte Chapelle, and le Pont Neuf

.

On our way to la Sainte Chapelle.

Many of the subway stations have individual decoration.  This one looks a bit like the inside of a submarine.  See the port hole, beyond the four empty seats (lower left)?

Many Metro stations have these excellent signs to let you know when the next train (and maybe the one after that) will come.  When the trains come every two minutes, it's hard to think of an excuse not to use public transportation.  (Aside from the fact that, in nearly every station, you have to manage stairs.  Sometimes quite a lot of stairs.)

Here is where we emerged.  The black spire is la Sainte Chapelle.

This is the only Metro station on Ile de la Cité.  More lush art nouveau design.

To the right of la Sainte Chapelle is le Palais de Justice.

Which has a very fancy gate.

Unfortunately, la Sainte Chapelle was not open "a cause de la grève." ("because of the strike"). Ok................

Strike? What strike?



Well, nevermind, we'll, we'll, we'll go see I. M. Pei's pyramid at the Louvre.

Crossing the bridge away from Ile de la Cité, looking back at Notre Dame.

St. Michael's fountain.

We were distracted by a store with lots of paper goods (still looking for that 2011 agenda).

This display had books to help a person speak a bit of the language, when traveling.

Most of the covers were what you'd expect in the way of touristy destination shots.  I was amused by the covers for Romania and Russia.

Disappointed on the agenda front yet again.

In a home decor store window.....

I don't do frou-frou, but am sort of taken with this extraExtra ruffly confection.  To look at, only.....

And what's with the sparkly helmet?

(You can see I have my orangey-red 80-cent Monoprix shopping bag, as usual.)

Brick and stone together were not usual, in the buildings I saw in Paris.

Crossing another bridge.

This bridge is the Pont Neuf. It is named "the New Bridge," because it *was* the new bridge when it was constructed, in the end of the 16th century.

Now it is the oldest bridge over the river Seine in Paris.

Strolling across the bridge, seeing what we can see.  That's the Louvre, on the far side of the river.

Here's something else I want to do when I go back -- stroll along beside the Seine, and, perhaps, bring a pique-nique.  Sit on a bench, enjoy a baguette and some cheese and, perhaps, a reine de reinette apple, watch the tour boats go by......

Of course you recognize la Tour Eiffel. I believe the dome is le Bureau des Longitudes.

More sky.  It was trying to clear up.

Looking back at le Pont Neuf.

See my daughter's take on this morning here.


In order to facilitate chronological traverse of these posts, here is a link to the post that comes after this one.

.