Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Thing 224 See Eiffel Tower

If I quit The Project now, which I won't, I'm having too much fun, then at very least I'd be able to say that it forced me to go to take in one of the most amazing sights that I'll ever see, and visit one of the most impressive cities on earth. The French didn't defend the city during World War Two, because basically they didn't want the Germans to wreck the gaff in a fight for it. On top of that, the Allies didn't bomb the crap out of it because it had little strategic importance, and when it was liberated in 1944, the retreating Germans didn't level the place like Hitler had ordered. Effectively, I think anyone who sees the place likes it too much to want to smash it up good. It's amazing to think it made it through the war unscathed.

Around sixty tonnes of paint are required to paint Gustave Eiffel's giant monument to amazingness, which he built with his bare hands in 1887... alright, I made up that last bit, but he was the main man involved in creating it (fun fact, he also designed the internal structure of the Statue of Liberty).
As world sites go, this one must rate up there with the very best and most incredible things to see in your life. The Colosseum in Rome is right up there too, and I've seen that. Statue of Liberty, Pyramids of Egypt, Great Wall of China, Big Ben... all of the world leading attractions, and now I've seen this one. It's the kind of thing that you can't really have an appreciation of until you've seen it. I mean, everyone's seen pictures of it. You all know what it is, but until you're right there and staring at its immenseness, you're not really going to get what I'm trying to say.

There are some other fun places to see in the City of Light. Arc de Triomphe being one of them. Another impressive piece of architecture that you won't really appreciate till you're watching nutcases drive like lunatics around it. The Thief appreciated the hell out of it too, not as much as the shops on the Champs Elysees mind you, but appreciated nonetheless.
I also got to walk along by the Seine River all morning, and stop off under one of the bridges. Just like Sinatra sang about. I know that's sad, but I've always wanted to do that. In fact, after the Notre Dame Cathedral and the open top bus tour, as well as Parisien coffee just off the Boulevard Saint Michel, I like to think I crammed about a weeks worth of Things in one day.

Too bad The Project doesn't work like that. Still, a pretty productive day right?

3 comments:

  1. Im new to reading this blog (love it by the way!)- but you'll have to explain to me, why is she called the thief? Is it because she stole your heart??

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  2. I <3 the above comment!!! :D

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  3. Stole it very thoroughly and entirely. That's not why she's The Thief though. It's because she's a scoundrel of a woman.

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