Btw, if I sound sad, it's only because my ext hdd had been silenced and my comp couldn't detect it anymore after I dropped it from knee level... and my original photos (e ones that would actually look normal if developed) are all gone w it. If you have solutions... please let me know.. Thank you. Much obliged.
I thought a collage of the major landmarks would be a decent start. =) It's kinda not in any order... certainly not order of visit. =) And now, having created some kind of content page for my own reference, I shall launch into the places.
Our hostel/hotel being in Montmartre, it seemed almost natural we should start our tour from there. And the first major spot that seemed to be leaping out of e map at Herm (yeah cuz I was a lazy girl and decided to take a backseat for couple tours =P) was e Basilique Du Sacre Coeur de Montmartre (Basilica of the Sacred Heart)
The Basilique is - if you haven't already realized - atop the highest peak of the city... which means many flights of stairs. haha Somehow, Europe is like that; very hilly - up and down, up and down... But it also means you get fabulous views from up where we were. Mm... actually it's a view of the city... From an entirely egoistic point of view.. I guess it's quite a view of man-made achievements..
Posing on the flight of stairs leading up to the Sacre Coeur. Quoting Guibert, the successor of the Archbishop of Paris, "It is here, it is here where the matyrs are, it is here that the Sacred Heart must reign so that it can beckon all to come." So there we were..
Abstracts from biblical scenes. I've never been well-versed in the bible... so I shan't even attempt to describe the above... From wiki though, it's said that construction reflected heavy Romano-Byzantine influence or Roman/Greek of sorts. hehe I have seen too many churches and have them too mixed up in my head to comment. =P
A smaller, more nondescript church along the path down from Butte Montmarte - St Jean-de-Montmartre. All net searches yield results in French. Being a total idiot in e lang... we'll just quietly admire the colorful panes and architecture of the church.
The famous Notre Dame de Paris - a model of. hehe It's french-gothic style (which makes me wonder if there's german gothic, austrian gothic, etcetc.. or gasp! Chinese gothic! hee my crazy mind maps..) And nowadays, gothic just reminds me of Sam. Yeah so if you're looking... do keep popping by, cuz my latest trip to Bratislava and Prague saw me clicking away at all that gothic architecture that kept popping up everywhere... Maybe it could inspire more great works =P
The exterior of the Notre Dame. This church, like many others, has a rich history - particularly in construction. The initial building was deemed by Bishop Maurice de Sully to be unworthy of the role of "Parish Church of the Kings of Europe" - so he ordered the demolition and threw in huge sums to have it as it is today... It was dedicated first to the cult of reason (Culte de la Raison) - creed based on atheism - during the French Revolution, and then to the Cult of the Supreme Being after. And then you realise... it's really all about the period the building's set... what the building means changes with the people... and in the end.. perhaps it means nothing and everything - sitting quietly and bearing witness to the changes of time.
This church featured in Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame. Partly due to the awareness raised from that, it was saved from a fate of demolition.
And now, we admire the beauties hidden within. These painted glass panels have never ceased to fascinate - no matter how many churches I've seen. =P
Taking you away from the churches of Paris... we end off this entry with a cemetry; Cimetiere du Pere LaChaise. This is the last resting ground of many personalities who made a mark in their present, and ours.
In honour of the country that hosted me for the past 5 months... This is of course the grave of Chopin. We found his grave easily enough - guided by the massive tributes of flowers and a crowd of Polish speaking tourists taking pictures at the site. Hats off to this composer who's famous for his nationalism. It's said he carries a bottle of Polish soil around as he travelled - the truth of which, I know not. But his piano music brings a peace to my soul - my only regret being that I've never played his pieces.
There are other personalities of course, like Bizet (composer of Carmen) and Jimmy Morrison.. But my foremost interest is my old idol - Oscar Wilde; the controversial homosexual who's always creating commotions with his serious trivialities. =P Most would be familiar with The Importance of being Earnest and Portrait of Dorian Gray. I read Salome as well... but that one was beyond me... haha Now... to showcase his celebrated grave.
His followers are numerous and have trailed his footsteps right to his grave, not forgetting to leave their mark on his death stone as he had doubtlessly left on their lives.
The tomb you see here was designed by sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein. The modernist angel depicted as a relief on the tomb was originally complete with male genitals (hha how appropriate for Wilde!). They were broken off as obscene (as with a million other things associated with Wilde) and kept as a paperweight by a succession of cemetery keepers. Their current whereabouts are unknown.
I leave you with a quote on his grave:
"And alien tears will fall for him
Pity's long broken urn
For his mourners will be outcast men
And outcasts always mourn."
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