When I turn 46, I say "No more nonsense": Rain on Day IX: Staying HIGH in Paris and Joanna a Les Associes

This whole post just got deleted. I was almost finished editing it, hit the undo button once to get rid of an incorrectly placed immage and the FRIGGIN Blogger software substituted the ENTIRE post with the draft of the post I edited before. GOOD WORK GUYS !

That's too bad. All the impressions and feelings I was experiencing at the various times throughout the day were in that post. Many more impressions have accrued, so I can't recall the old ones. Well, this debilitated version will just have to do ;-(

Standing room only (and barely that) at just after 9 am

I had planned to take the Metro to Concorde, and to walk 2.4 km from there to the Eiffel Tower. But on a whim, I stayed on the Metro to the 'Etoile' station. Somewhere in the depth of my memory banks something was stored relating to Arches and star-shaped road patterns. But it was still a nice surprise to be greeted by this view when I ascended from the Metro.

It is 9:30 am when I find out that it is possible to climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. But the ticket office does not open until 10 am and I think I might as well walk the few kilometers to the Eiffel Tower in that time.

I pass through the local market. Looking at the ingredients I start to understand why French food tastes so good.

Then I'm surprised to din that my estimate for the time needed to the Tour Eiffel was pretty accurate

I expected loooong line-ups at the Tour Eiffel. Accordingly, the maze of people-herding metal barriers is extensive. But there is no line-up what-so-ever; I just walk up to the cashier and then through the security search booth.

A sideways elevator in a leg brings me to level 2

Another expansive herding device in front of the elevator that takes you from platform 2 all the way to the top. Again, I just walk in without any wait. A rainy December day seems to be perfect to beat the crowds ;-)

While I am usually not afraid of heights (as long as I'm not being hurled around), travelling in the elevator to the top presents me with short moments of panic. It's not the height though; What is that the metal girders forming the tower and holding up the 4 elevators are coming closer and closer and closer together. If this continues, the elevator will get stuck! Rest assured, the tower is well designed and we reach the top without the elevator being crushed even a little bit ;-)

Yes, these are clouds

Like the lightning rod?

Yes, those are the legs of the Eiffel Tower visible at the bottom of the picture

A pretzel for 3 Euros? I lost my appetite.

When I get off the tower I am starving and I plan to walk to Place de la Concorde (~2.4 km) and to take the Metro from there back to Le Marais to get some take-out food from a place I discovered yesterday.

Even the Fussball tables look more stylish in France ;-)

But along the way I discover another Metro station on the other bank of the Seine and after another Metro switch I reach Concorde much sooner. And what do I see? A Ferris Wheel !!!!

I can't resist Ferris Wheels !

my next destination

Les Champs Elysees

I don't seem to be the only one taking a Ferris wheel to take pictures

The first one I have seen in France

Tiled wall in Metro station (Concorde, if I remember correctly)

What can I say ?

There is a certain story of a woman with one tooth in her upper jaw staring at me in the Metro and opening her mouth wide and lasciviously moving her tongue around when I look back at her, but that was only fun telling the first time.