Today was predicted to be sunny and warm to I got up early and headed north to the Eiffel Tower area before all the tourists hit. I got off the train at the Champs-Elysee Clemenceau stop. I think this is a statue of Charles De Gaulle, but it could also be General Clemenceau. I couldn't find a name on the statue and I was having a little trouble getting my bearings standing in the middle of one of those crazy traffic circles.
After starting out the wrong way, I finally found the bridge I was looking for, Pont Alexander. I couldn't get a picture of the whole bridge - the structure is so massive and all trimmed in gold, but I got this shot of a part of it with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
The bridge leads across the Seine to Les Invalides, a complex of museums and monuments dedicated to French military history. Napoleon's Tomb is also on this property. They were having some kind of military celebration today, because several bands pulled up in big busses and were tuning up in the parking lot. I also noticed several snipers getting into position on the roof of the building (creepy), so I'm guessing some important dignitaries were going to show up. I tried going in, but it was invitation only or maybe I wasn't dressed up enough with my tennis shoes. I'm not quite sure why the girl said I couldn't come in, because she said it in french.
I always wondered how people got their furniture up to their apartments in Paris, because the stairways are so narrow and steep. Then I saw this moving van across the street from the Invalides. They hoist a big ladder up to the apartment (like a fireman's winch) and shuttle the furniture and household items in that big gray box. Clever.
I also saw this costume in the window of Pierre Cardin, only I think it is supposed to be a haute couture dress. It reminds me of the Crayola crayon and marker costumes we made for Halloween and Nerinx sporting events.
I went to the Rue Cler area. It's supposed to be a big outdoor/indoor shopping area recommended in the Rick Steve's travel guide. It was OK, but I think the Bastille market is better. I stopped off at this cafe for a petite dejeuner (breakfast).
You had the option of ordering a french breakfast (shown here) or an American breakfast (it included ham and eggs).
I spent the rest of the day at the Rodin Museum. This is a statue of the Thinker, probably my first introduction to formal art. Every year our school would go on a field trip to the Nelson Art Gallery in Kansas City and pass a replica of this statue on the front lawn. I
