So I am dismayed to discover that a large variety of my pictures have disappeared from one of my memory cards. I have no idea how this has transpired, but thankfully they are stored safely on my external hard-drive (I hope) and facebook. So until they can be safely stored on this computer, I will have to press on to my next random location: the Eiffel Tower.
As one of the most iconic building in existence, the Eiffel Tower is truly a wonder to behold. Built in 1889 to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the French Revolution, this marvel has led a quite remarkable life. From the millions of visitors from all over the world to the pioneering experiments of telecommunication, this edifice has remained in the forefront of touristic experience. See http://www.tour-eiffel.com/everything-about-the-tower/the-eiffel-tower-at-a-glance for a more complete history of the tower.
My experience with the tower is one of those tiny dreams come true. When I was a kid I had two versions of the Eiffel Tower as a 3-D puzzle, a mini and a regular size. I had decided that I was going to get pictures with all the “real” versions of all the 3-D puzzles I had, and obviously the Eiffel Tower is one of them.
The experience I had in Paris is quite a complex situation. Well not so much complex as chaotic. At least the first day was. I’ll detail that later though (tomorrow). It was on the second day that we would get to see the tower. My friend Feyi and I split off of the rest of the ground (her sister Ade and a friend of theirs) and we headed off to explore Paris. She had been there many times but this was my first. I got to see so much already, but this day was just as special as I was going to see the Eiffel Tower, the replica of the Statue of Liberty in the Seine river, Notre Dame, the Bastille (which was a tragic disappointment) and Sacre-Couer. Busy day I know, but it was incredible.
So we had wanted to get up early so we could go see Versailles, but we couldn’t be bothered to get up so it never happened. Instead we were able to spend all our time in the heart of Paris as I detailed above. Our first stop was the iconic Eiffel Tower. Well if truth be told, the first stop was the Arc de Triomphe so that Feyi could get some pictures. I had seen it the day before (which I will discuss tomorrow). I believe we walked down Avenue Kleber from the roundabout upon which the Arc de Triomphe stands to get to the tower.
We got our first shots from by the Musee national de la Marine, which is across the Seine from the tower. The above picture was taken by the staircase leading down from the museum. I won’t lie, you truly feel minuscule whilst walking up to and standing under the tower. It is massive.
So here comes the exciting part when we got to go up into the tower. There are four lines one can stand in. You need to be careful which line you stand in because some are for the lift while others are for the stairs. Naturally, the lines for the stairs are cheaper and go much quicker. That was no problem for me, but it was for Feyi. We both have asthma, but mine has been pretty dormant for the last 10 years and her’s is still very active. We made it about half way up to the first etage when she began having problems breathing. She was not doing very well when we finally reached the first etage. She had to sit down and could not go any further, so she told me to continue up to the second etage and she would wait there.
I was sad that she wasn’t doing well, but sure that she would be okay, I headed up to the second etage to view the panoramic view of Paris. It was incredible. I was able to see everything from Sacre-Couer to the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame, and that was only two sides.
After I got my panoramic shots, I headed back down to find Feyi. By this time she had gotten her breath back and was wandering around the first etage. It was a lot easier going down than it was going up.
Overall, I loved the tower. It was so awesome to see it. I do wish that I had gotten to go all the way up to the third etage (the top), but I guess that gives me another good reason to head back there 😉
From the Mind of C.E. Tracy 