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Pont Neuf Bridge looks very pristine in early morning

After unpacking we came down for a walk. It was already dark outside. So, we didn't go far and back to hotel seeing Notredame Cathedral and Pont Neuf Bridge. It's probably the oldest bridge in Paris. There is a bronze statue of King Henry IV riding a horse, who named the bridge, locates at the center of the bridge on the square du Vert-Galant.

Paris at night

Notredame Cathedral

Next day we went Louvre following our plan. [I have another post regarding it] It took all morning and a lot of walking. It was really amazing to see too many tourists even in this off season! At about 3.00 pm we came out from the museum. We were looking for something to eat. Next to the museum there is a large garden, it's the Jardin des Tuileries. It connects the Louvre with the Place de la Concorde. We began the long-winded walk through the garden and finally came upon a solution for lunch. It was a small shop in the open place, not stuffed with enjoyable items. However, we settled for a small snacks, which we ate at outdoor sitting on stairs.

Lots of visitors in Louvre

I already felt tired walking inside Louvre and on the long path of Tuileries. So, got on a bus for Eiffle. Paris buses are nice and modern but tickets are not valid for 1.30 hours that we got in Canada and Sweden. Each ticket admids only once ride. Bus left us near Eiffle. Although Eiffle is visible even from a far distance, to get a closer look you can go at the base of the tower and can ride up to the top to get a panoromic view of Paris. After we reached the Eiffle first watched it from the base. Then had a long walk to get other side crossing the Seine river for pictures. Actually I couldn't enjoy much, my weary legs were killing me. Left is the picture of Concord.

We saw a cart while waiting for bus near Eiffle

We ended up for that day visiting Jardin des Luxemburg. It's a garden with huge area, a pond, fountains, statues of French queens, but nothing much interesting. Later on thought it would have been better if we hadn't gone there. There were more important sites than it and we were short of time.

Jardin des Luxemburg

Our plan was to spend the last day in Disney land. But later thinking of my exhausted feet decided to stay and enjoy the nearby attractions. Next morning we again passed some time outside Louvre. It was really a lovely place, people sitting in the sun lazily, kids running around the pyramids, seagulls swimming in water.

We headed Arc of Triomph in the afternoon. The road was nice, series of trees of same category and same form made it prettier as you see below. We thought we could reach the Arc on foot as it was looking nearer. But after few mins walk we realized it was not that close at all. Continuing on our walk through the street, we made a wonderful discovery. We found some fabulous perfume stores stocking wide range of exccellent perfumes. I am a huge fan of Paris perfumes especilly Dior and Amor Amor are my favorite.

A beautiful shot of 'Avenue des Chames Eylesses' and Arc from far away

Arc of Triomph

After the arc we approched our hotel from a different side than we did previously. We found a shopping street that contains lots of brand boutique stores like Boss, Gucci, Armani, Dior, Channel with fashionable and expensive clothes and gifts. I stunned to find a fashion bag at 1500 euros, a pair of shoes 1200 euros, quite expensive.

A nice resturant

Shopping street with expensive stores

Musee Du Louvre Pyramid

Inside the Musium

On sunday morning when we reached the entrance of the museum a long queue of the visitors came into view. It was good that the day was the first sunday of the month, so we didn't need to buy ticket. On any other days tourists need tickets depending on the packages they want to see. There are three accesses: Richelieu, Sully and Denon. If you don't wish to see the entire museum or are bit short of time you can choose some selective items first and then collect a guided map which is available in the information desk. Then decide which gate will be the best access to see your selected items. Cameras are allowed, so you can snap photos of the ancient arts and sculptures.

Painted ceiling inside the Museum

Code of Hammurabi: Fisrt Babylonian dynasty, reign of Hammurabi (1792-1750 B.C)
Found at Susa, Iran. Origin: Mesoptamia, Iraq. This tall stele was discovered with other Mesoptamian war booty at Susa. The king of Babylon is portrayed at the top listening to the god Shamash,who is sittting on a throne in the form of a temple. The text, written in cuneiform script, is a code of laws regulating every aspect of daily life from agriculture, medicine and family affairs to theft, false evidence, ans assult and battery, the punishments for which vary according to the social status of the guilty party. The principle of '' an eye for an eye, atooth for a tooth'' was adopted by the jews exiled in Babylon.[1]

Some sculptures from Africa

The great Sphinx: This momumental sphinx, guardian of the temple of Amun-Ra at Tanis in the northwest of the Nile Delta, is one of the largest now outside Egypt and posssibly one of the most ancient. The sphinx, a lion with a human head, symbolized the majesty of the pharaoh and was a ''living image'' of the king, whose feature it was usually given. It also symbolized the scared bond with the solar god.[1]

Seated Cat: C. 700-600 B.C. The profusion of ex-voto effigies of the goddess Bastet, represented by a cat, attests to her fervent worship, practicaly in her town, Bubastis, but also throughout Egypt.[1]

Sarcophagus of Tamutnefret:19th Dynasty, 1295-1186 B.C.

In Egyptian religion, the preservation of the mummy was primordisl in ensuring eternal rest in the ''house of eternity''. The bodies of the wealthiest, such as this singer of Amun, were placed in mummy-shaped coffins fitting inside one another and painted with symbolic scene, texts, and amulets ensuring their protection and the perpetuation of their name.[1]

Most of the oldest sculphtures are from Egypt.

Mummy: Ptolemaic period, 3rd-2nd century B.C.

Seated Scribe: 4th or 5th dynasty, 2600-2350 B.C. Sitting cross-legged with a papyrus on his knees, this high-ranking royal dignitary, whose name is unknown, is portrayed with striking realism. The eyes, insert with rock crystal, and the flesh tones are extraordinarily lifelike.[1]

Statue of Amenhotep IV: 18th dynasty, C.1350 B.C. Better known as Akhenaton, Amenhotep IV, husband of the beautiful Nefertiti, revolutionzed religion and art, and founded a new capital at Amarna. This fragment of a pillar showing the pharaoh holding his royal scepters obeys the new official canon with its androgynous overtones.[1]

Offering Bearer: Early 12th dynasty, C. 1950 B.C. The tombs of dignitaries were filled with statuettes of servants accompanying their deceased master in the afterlife. They provide a varied picture of daily life. This servant girl, whose elegant figure is characteristic of the art of the middle kingdom, is carrying a leg of beef and a water vase.[1]

Karomama, Divine consort of Amun: 22nd Dynasty,C.850 B.C. Amun's wife. the most beautiful bronze ever discovered in Egypt. The princess, granddaughter of Osorkon I, is shown with the attributes of the pharaoh and would have been holding sista to awaken the passion of her husband.[1]

Frieze of Archers: Achemenid dynasty, 522-486 B.C. Susa, Iran.

The wall of the palace of Darius I at Susa were covered with glazed terracotta brick reliefs whose purpose was to show the power and grandeur of the Persian Empire in keeping with an ancient Babylonian Tradition. The marching archers wearing ceremonial costume in this fragment could be the Immortals, the personal guard of the Great King described by Herodotus.[1]

Milo of Crotona: France, 1670-82.

Milo, hero of his town at the Olympic Games, wanted to try his strength on a tree but got his hand trapped and was devoured by wild beasts. This theme provides a pretext or a spectacular depiction of pride defeated by fate and of suffering.[1]

Aphrodite of Melos, Known as the Venus de Milo: C. 100B.C.

The Winged Victory of Samothrace: C. 190 B.C.

A monument commemmorating a Rhodian naval victory,Victory was originally stood on a base in the shape of a ship's prow in a sanctuary at the top of a cliff.[1]