Paris: People Mountain

"The lack of internal control by individuals breeds external control by governments."

- Anonymous

On our way to Flixbus

We had a week vacation from school and I planned a trip with Xining. We had an early morning bus to Paris on Sunday.

French Countryside

Mistletoe in winter oaks

I noticed trees that looked like they were out of a Dr. Seuss book. My research revealed these small bushes to be wild mistletoe. It was a peculiar sight.

Shared room in the 13th Arr.

Paris Metro Pass

30 Euros got me unlimited travel in all of Paris for the week.

Chinese Hotpot

Our first stop in Paris was a Chinese Hotpot buffet with one of Xining's friends. I had hotpot with Xining a few weeks ago, but this was next level. 

I didn't catch his name, but I got his Insta

I met a fellow travellors in my shared room. The guy on the left is from China and doing an exchange program in Spain. The guy in the bed behind him is from Mexico and doing a Europe trip. We all got to speak Spanish together, which was fun. The last guy I met was from Scotland, also doing a Europe trip. While there is less privacy, you get to meet great people when sharing housing. 

Les Invalides

Xining's first request was the French Military Museum of WWI and WWII, as well as Nepoleon's final resting place.

French Generals

Nazi invasion of France

Fighting for Freedom

7.92mm ZB 53 machine-gun model 1937

The Browning Arms Company is headquartered in Morgan, Utah.

Allied Flags

Nazi Banner

There is a section focused on deportation during the German occupation and it is truly horrifying. The images are not appropriate for this blog, but they demonstrate what happens when a society made up of unprincipled individuals is led by a bad person. Ignorance is not always bliss.

Pidgeon-chute

I remember listening to a podcast about attaching incendiaries to bats. Innovation abounds in the USA. Meaning no offense, the cannon-submarine the French built was not exactly, er, um, it was also innovative. 

"There's a reason the French lost" -- Xining

Renault FT-17 73523

Cat Royalty

@warrengray These looked right up your alley. I would have bought you a set if they didn't cost $150 and need to be carried halfway around the world. I hope the thought counts.

Napoléon I

Being honest, it kind of seems like a lot for one guy. I'm not French though, so I kind of missed the national pride.

The Louvre

I had read an article that many of the solicitors at the Louvre had been arrested which may explain why I was not approached to donate to a fake charity.

Azulejos in the Arab Section

Perhaps one day I will go to an Arab nation and get to see authentic ceramic tiles.

Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss

Target Acquired

I hunt through the Denon section finally led us to the African and Asian Pacific exhibits.

Mona Lisa and a room full of people

More honesty, I wouldn't take a second glance at the Mona Lisa if it were tossed up on some random wall. 

Where man and woman meet

Having read Dan Brown's, The Davinci Code, my first week in France, I was glad to finally make it to the resting place of the Holy Grail.

Ladurée

"Jeanne Souchard, Ernest Ladurée's wife, merged coffee and pastries to invent tearoom to encourage the development of women meeting on their own."

"In 1930, the Parisian pastry chef Pierre Desfontaines, grand cousin of the creator of Maison Ladurée, had the ingenious idea of joining two macaron shells, filled with a tasty ganache.

This is how the Parisian macaron was born."

- Maison Ladurée

Parisian macaron

These macaron's were delicious with strong flavors. They ended up being my favorite pastry during my time in Paris.