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Showing posts from April, 2013

Historic Paris - Ile de la Cite with Notra Dame and Saint-Chapelle

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Ile de la Cite (or Lutetia to us Asterix fans) is a small island located in the very center of Paris . Consequently, it is where the city of Paris was founded and contains its most ancient buildings. * The Palais de Justice (Palace of Justice) is where the justice of the state has been administered since medieval times. It was also the seat of the French Parliament from the 16th Century to the French Revolution.

Two Grand Museums: Palais du Louvre & Musee d'Orsay

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Right after the morning in the Catacombs, we made our way to the Louvre for a half-day of sculpture appreciation and pretend-reflection  on the various paintings, mumbling things like, "This painting.. it moves me.." Being a lifelong fan of sculptures (which is the reason why I’m a huge stickler for playing with clay, plaster and action figures; but that’s a different story) , I was excited to see all the beautiful works-of-art hand-made by various masters throughout the centuries. May it be Greek, Egyptian or Renaissance , I wanted to see them all. What surprised me though, was how I came out much more appreciative of paintings, especially the huge-ass ones depicting key moments in French history. * One of the funniest posters that I saw on the Paris Metro on the way to the Louvre. Wonder what it’s about..

The Catacombs of Paris

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One place that I had been looking forward to seeing in Paris was the Catacombes de Paris . It has been on my bucket-list of Places to Explore ever since I saw it being featured on the 90’s TV show, Scariest Places on Earth. Paris, being the historical city that it is, has been home to millions of people throughout the centuries. And like every city, its citizens have needs: food, water, shelter, security, a vibrant economy, culture. However, with all that life, also comes death. Millions of Parisians have died here creating a unique situation when it comes to body disposal. So instead of adding to the already numerous and overflowing cemeteries, the local government long-ago decided to just create a network of tunnels underground and to store everyone there in a first-in, first-out basis. The result of this is the Catacombes de Paris, aka the final resting place for a whole lot of unnamed Parisians who lived back in the Dark Ages, Renaissance til the 19th Century and who died in

13 Things To Do in The Holy Land (Besides Pray)

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One usually thinks of the Holy Land as a place for prayer, reflection and soul-searching. However, it is also very much an entertainment mecca, historical time-capsule and religious Disney Land all-in-one; where instead of rides, you have places that you have only read about growing up. Check out these amazing activities: 1. Go boating in the Sea of Galilee. A charming wooden boat + cool and windy weather + lively Jewish music + dancing = Relaxation