Paris: Top to Bottom

Day 30: Adventures :)

Today is completely free until we met at the Eiffel Tower at 7:00 p.m. Eirini insists we must see the neighborhood of Montmarte where Sacre Coeur is. Bri and I ventured out for the day alone. Once we find Montmarte we know exactly why Eirini sent us. It's so homey there. Shops and restaurants line the hilly streets. Sacre Coeur sits at the top of a hill that we make our way toward. Before walking the steps up, we stop at a carousel. How could you not ride a carousel in Paris? Europe loves its steps, ha. Up we go. I actually enjoy this church. It is beautiful like all the churches I've seen in the last 30 days. But unlike the other churches I've seen, this one is the most in use. Mass is in session and worshipers fill the pews hands clasped and heads down. Aside from being used, Sacre Coeur was the most beautiful church I saw.

Could not stop snapping photos of this place

On top of the world!

"started from the bottom"

From Sacre Coeur we walked back through Montmarke browsing a few thrift stores on our way to Pere Lachaise Cemetery, the resting place of many celebrities. Famous rock n' roller, Jim Morrison of The Doors, French singer Edif Pilaf, Polish composer Chopin and the man who supposedly taught Michael Jackson how to moonwalk, French mime Marcel Marceau are all buried in this cemetery. 
This cemetery is so large their is a directory and maps upon entering the 119 acre attraction. As morbid as it sounds I love the cemetery because it reminds me of home. The above ground tombs, crypts, mausoleums, whatever you call them fill the cemetery. Granites, marble, new, old; the rows of family and single plots are endless. The use of the above ground tombs creates a shrine-like atmosphere to the grave. And for the celebrities buried there, a shrine is exactly what these sites are.
In addition to reminding me of home, the cemetery is surprisingly not creepy, but beautiful. Fall is approaching and the leaves have already began to change color and fall. The stone paths lead the way down each aisle of graves. The trees grow up and inward providing shade for the stone paths. Moss and vines cover some tombs creating the perfect discoloration of the stone tombs.
Thanks to my Louisiana raising, and the French heritage of our state, I knew a lot more about the French than I thought. Their is a city in France called Orleans, hence where New Orleans got its name. The use of "-eaux" isn't uncommon here like it is in every state other than Louisiana. And, suggests why we use above ground tombs in south Louisiana, other than for weather purposes I suppose. 

Jim Morrison's grave for you Doors fans.

From the cemetery we headed to the Louvre. Bri hadn't used her free ticket, and although I saw it already I can never have too many pictures, ha. I waited outside on the steps while she went in to see Mona Lisa. There is something surreal about sitting on the steps of the Louvre reading a book as if it were any other day. We still had time to kill until meeting the others to see the Eiffel Tower. So we walked through Tulliperies Gardens and down Champs Elysees toward the Eiffel Tower.
Nicole met us and we bought a snack and some champagne and sat in the grassy knoll on the other side of the Eiffel Tower until it was time to meet the others. 
So, it was time to go to the top. Look, I know I climbed that mountain in Delos in the wild wind, but this Eiffel Tower business had me shaking right out of my sandals. I did it. On the verge of tears, but made it to the top nonetheless. Any normal human being, like my friends, would love this opportunity of taking selfies at the top of the world, but I stayed as close to the center as possible. I took enough pictures and I enjoyed the view of all of Paris from a bird's eye view, but it was hard to really take it in without fear of falling over the ledge. 
From the second level we rode another jam-packed elevator to the very top. This was surprisingly better because it was enclosed in glass. I was still shaking, though. I took my pictures on the edge and quickly returned to safety against the wall next to Eirini. Once we descended back to earth, we all walked to the other side of the river to a grassy area where we could sit and watch the light show. Every hour after nine o' clock the tower lights up for 10 minutes or so. a twinkle little star number. It's fascinating simply for the fact that it's the Eiffel Tower, it would be completely unimpressive on any other structure. 
So, in a city of a million lights, sitting under the Eiffel Tower, you can still see the stars in the sky. And, in this moment watching the light show, with everyone around me staring silently, in awe of the tower, I realized how happy I was in my decision to go to Europe for 35 days with a group of strangers. I realized everything that hadn't gone my way in the past year was not and would not be the end of me.

Second level

I am SO SCARED right now.