Travels in the 2nd half

  Chapan Coats from Uzbekistan I love visiting large cities. They offer the opportunity to walk through interesting neighborhoods, see many sights, and visit a wide variety of museums. My last Saturday in Paris found me back along the Seine, where I explored a 400 year old tradition, and then visited one of the newer museums in the city. Église Sanit-Gervais My walk started at the Hôtel de Ville . The building holding Paris’ City Hall and municipal offices was built in stages between the 1550’s and 1650’s. Today it is also where you will find the main Tourism Center and a municipal history museum. The plaza on the west side of the building is a meeting spot for friends, families, and a gathering place for walking tours. Hotel du Ville I walked along the Seine towards Pont Neuf. The riverbank is lined with the stalls of the Bouquinistes , the booksellers of Paris. These vendors of used books and magazines have been an established market since the 1640’s. In 1859, the city establishe...

One of the really great things about spending time in the center of a large city like Paris is that there are a wide choice of places to visit, all within a short walk of each other. For example, The Cluny Museum is very close to the Ilé de la Cité. This offers and opportunity to visit several sights in one afternoon. Ilé de la Cité , an island in the Seine, was the center of Paris, and French life. It was home to the royal family through the 14th century. The former royal palace is now the Palais de Justice, where the highest courts in France have resided for hundreds of years. Between the 14th and 18th centuries, it was a place where royal tribunals were held. It is also home to the royal chapel - Sainte-Chapelle (Holy Chapel). Palais du Justice The Sainte-Chapelle was built between 1240 and 1248 CE by Louis IX. It served as the reliquary for the holy relics that Louis had collected, including the purported crown of thorns. There are two levels to the chapel. The ground floor was wh...