We Have Joy *

JJ and I had the most wonderful time in Paris. Not sure that either of us has ever done so much walking before. Well, not since we were last in Paris.

Previous visits to this city have seen me merely gasping in awe at the beauty of the city and the exterior of the buildings. This time, however, we made sure that we actually went into a building or two, apart from the odd bar and restaurant of course. Add to this was a discovery of places and parts of the city which I/we had never seen before.

A view of Paris from the steps of the Sacre Coeur is simply stunning. But equally as stunning is the inside of the basillica itself, with its unbelievably beautiful mosaics and stained glass windows. Then, after having previously discussed whether to take a trip to the Pere Lachais cemetery, we instead decided to visit the Cimetiere de Montmartre - and we were well happy that we did so. Graves of Zola (well, a monument was visited as his body has since been moved elsewhere), Nijinsky, Berlioz, Offenbach (who he, I wondered, before JJ informed me that he composed the Can Can)and many other famous people we had never heard of. The cemetery itself is a beautiful sight, cut into an old quarry. Some people find cemeteries romantic, so, if you are one such person, then this should be a must when you next visit Paris.

Then it was on to the architectural beauty of the Passages Couverts, a series of glass-covered passageways which have largely remained untouched since being completed in the first half of the 19th century.

And, after all that, it was then on to the Musee d'Orsay and, well, fuck me, wow and various other exclamations. A beautiful building both inside and out, this former railway station houses some cracking art. Visit and see for yourself.

Then, a nice couple of drinks followed by a really disappointing meal, which certainly did not spoil a beautiful day.

Be back to this with a bit more later maybe. Maybe mention the free champagne and wine on the way there. And maybe the perfect location of the hotel, situated as it was just north of the Sacre Coeur. But, then again, maybe not. I may just leave the rest for JJ to describe.

* Killing Joke