Sunday, January 7, 2007

Seine-sational!

A walk on the banks of the Seine is a pleasure at any time of the year and especially invigorating in winter when the quays, ponts and river banks are less packed with tourists.
Along narrow riverside parks, grand town houses and monuments stand witness as barges glide silently by on the grey winter waters of the Seine.

The Seine flows through the heart of Paris dividing the city into its left and right banks. Starting on the left bank at Champ De Mars, under the Eiffel Tower, I crossed the Seine at Pont d'lena.
While stopping to admire the bateaux mouches on the water, my journey took me past the Trocadero, Pont de l'Alma towards Pont de la Concorde. Strong winds and cloudy skies added to the briskness of the trek across town. Pont Alexandre III in the Invalides quarter stood out as a jewel among the many bridges in Paris. Its gilded statues and ornate carvings complement the grandeur of Paris. On reaching the massive square at Place de la Concorde, the 3200 year old obelisk from Luxor, Egypt, reached out in the midst of fountains and intersecting roadways all around. From the base of the obelisk, the Avenue de Champs De Elysees leads to the Arc de Triomphe in the distance - a view worth a mille mots.

Appreciation of Paris is incomplete without visiting one of the world's great museums - the Musee du Louvre. Its entrance, the famous glass pyramid by American architect I M Pei, accents the central courtyard. The Louvre's historic buildings, spread along the right bank, house treasures which include the fantastic Egyptian, Babylonian and Greek antiquities collections. In the European painting collections, the Mona Lisa and other paintings by Leonardo da Vinci beckon the visitor.

Meandering through Ile De La Cite and Ile St-Louis is essential for truly capturing the spirit of Paris along the Seine. Crossing into Ile De La Cite on Pont Neuf to enjoy a view of the city overlooking the Square du Vert-Galant was just the start to an adventure through the narrow streets of the islands. The Celtic tribe, Parisii - from whose name the city's own is derived - inhabited this island over 2,000 years ago. This is the oldest spot in Paris and places to see include the Notre-Dame, Palace de Justice, Sainte-Chapelle, Hotel Dieu, the statue of Charlemagne and the Crypte Archeologique. I especially enjoyed walking through the Marche aux Fleurs et Oiseaux, Paris' main flower market, taking in the colors and fragrances at every turn. Farther along, Ile St-Louis is just south of Ile De La Cite, connected by Pont St-Louis. This quaint corner is full of boutique shops with vibrant window displays of toys, artwork, and masquerade party masks.

Next time, we'll visit other quarters of the city - the Marais, Les Halles, Montparnasse and more.

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