"Eiffel" in "Louvre" with Paris (Part 4): Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise

- Dec. 19, 2017, Tuesday.

- In my brief 4 days in Paris (see my first three days here, here, and here), my last day was the most exciting. Not only did I have the day to myself (as we decided out last day to be a wildcard day,) but it was also my planned photoshoot day. I hurriedly prepared myself, and rushed off to Trocadero Plaza (just outside Trocadero metro station) for my most-awaited Eiffel Tower photoshoot with my DIY (sort of) French/Napoleon-inspired costume. Place de Trocadero (and the gardens below) are located at the 16th arrondissement, just across the river from the Eiffel Tower which is at the 7th arrondissement.) This is one of the perfect places to have a photo with the Eiffel Tower. However, little did I know that it would be the foggiest day during my stay in Paris. I arrived there before sunrise (around 8am, and yes the sun still wasn't up because it was winter,) and even when the sun was out, the tip of the tower was barely seen.

- By the way, the name "Trocadero" sounds Spanish because it is Spanish! The place was named in honor of the Trocadero Island ("Traders' Island) that the French captured in the early 1800s. The park has two parts, one on the hill, and the other part (the gardens) at the bottom of the hill behind the park/plaza.

Where is the rest of the tower?? :O :O :O :O

This was around 9am, and it was still very foggy.

At the plaza on the hill.

- While waiting for the sky to hopefully clear up, I also noticed a lot of wedding prenuptial photoshoots being done. There were couples from Korea, Malaysia, Russia, USA, and other countries. I had to be shooed away from my prime spot quite a few times. Of course I obliged; who am I to be an obstacle to their love, right? Just as more people started to arrive, I realized that I could go down to the gardens, something tourists don't always know of, and I was able to have my spot to myself most of the time. I waited around 3-4 hours until the sky cleared up a bit; I was actually quite happy if even the silhouette of the tower's tip would be seen. You know, just to have some kind of complete image of the tower in the background. Thankfully, the park's fountains (that can spew A LOT of water) weren't turned on that day, or else my view would've been blocked!!

The gun-like things at the bottom are spouts for the fountain.

Just a bit of sun, this was around 9:30am.

Night or day, or Twilight. (That's the sun by the way.)

Featuring, agian, my foldable bicorne, the ribbon thing I made from construction paper, my regular coat , white shirt, and white pants, then my Korean boots, and a piece of red fabric I have lying around the house.

Close up. (See how hard it was to wait for the tower's tip to show.)

A Korean couple that I accidentally took a photo of. See how they love each other. I ain't go any o' that. -____-

Around 12 noon.

I bet this guy's cold. It was around 4 degrees that morning.

His glorious view everyday.

- After my triumphant shot, I rode the train to Invalides metro station to visit....well, the Invalides (Les Invalides.) This titanic structure (way bigger than I imagined,) was built in the 1700s to serve as a hospital and a retirement place for unwell/ill soldiers and war veterans. However, before going around the place, first visited the Saint Louis des Invalides Cathedral, and the Dome of Les Invalides behind the cathedral. The dome is a popular tourist spot because Napoleon Bonaparte is buried there (his tomb is MASSIVE.) (Reminder/warning: DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR TICKET AFTER PURCHASING AT THE TICKET BOOTH. You will need to show your ticket in each gallery you go to, including the dome with Napoleon's tomb.)

Foggy foggy day. Boohoo.

Cathedral.

The dome behind the cathedral.

Napoleon's tomb!! (The tomb is bigger than how it seems like in the photo.)

Dome's ceiling.

Napoleon (and his fascination for all-things-ancient-Roman.)

- I grabbed a quick late lunch at the cafeteria at the visitor's center after visiting Napoleon's tomb, then proceeded to see the galleries. My goodness, the galleries looked small, but some of the galleries seemed like mazes!! (I am not complaining, I just did not expect.) Apart from the tomb of Napoleon, the armory was my second favorite gallery. I sometimes fancy old-school weapons and military fashion.

Love the details. Who says you can't defend the state and be fashionable at the same time. -____-

I've always wondered how heavy these armors are.

Courtyard (you can see the tip of the dome at the back.)

Napoleon.

Military fashion.

Would like to have a robe/cape like this to assert A U T H O R I T Y. Lol.

That bicorn is higher than the sky. 

Canons and more canons.

- From Les Invalides, I took the metro - and it was a long journey - to Pere Lachaise metro station. This metro station is right next to my final destination, Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise. "Cimetiere" is a French for "cemetery." Although a cemetery isn't on people's usual itinerary, this cemetery is quite special: a lot of famous people are buried there. Because of this, there are cemetery tours and individual visitors who want to visit some of these famous dead people. The cemetery was opened in the early 1800s and was named after a priest named Francois de la Chaise. Apart from the famous people, the tombs and mausoleums were designed in very decorative and ornate ways, so it is a rather....interesting place to visit. Take note that the cemetery is on a hill, so there are some parts where you need to climb a few stairs to get to the tomb you wish to see.

Georges Bizet, the composer of the opera "Carmen." Heard of "Habanera," "Toreador," or the opening theme of Carmen? If you aren't familiar with these, I am 95% sure that you have heard of at least one of these in your life and just didn't know the title. These three are some of the most popular songs from Carmen.

The chapel and the crematorium.

- To be honest, the moment I stepped inside the cemetery I wanted to go out because of the creepy feeling - not to mention the noisy crows that kept coming and going (have you ever heard of a crow's "hwak hwak hwak" call??), adding to the jeepers creepers of the cemetery. Also, the cemetery was quite organized so it wasn't easy to get lost. Of course, a handy cemetery map and a little planning will do wonders, as some graves are quite hard to find. Although I wanted to look for more graves (boy, that's something I never thought I'd say??) I just limited to my top three must-visit graves, especially since the sun sets quite early in the winter, and the cemetery didn't seem to have lights.

For my doctor friends: Christian Hahnemann, the father of homeopathy.

Actually, homeopathy is a field that deals with alternative medicine (and is considered a pseudoscience.)

Pierre Bourdieu, sociologist. HUHU. IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOUR CONCEPTS I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN MY M.A. DEGREE. :(( :(( :(( :((

- The cemetery still accepts new burials, but the person should have been a resident of Paris, or the person died in Paris. Some of the bodies were cremated, or placed in a family mausoleum, which allows the cemetery to have enough room for more burials.

Suddenly saw this. It's the Hugo family memorial. 

See Victor Hugo's name? Well, sadly, he's not buried here, but in the Pantheon in Paris.

FINALLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT GRAVE I WANTED TO SEE. It's Frederic Chopin's!!

Dear Chopin, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known how much my fat fingers could twist and turn on the piano. (Sometimes more than I wanted them to.)

- After visiting Chopin's grave I hurriedly found my way out of the cemetery, passing by a few more crows and cemetery-tourists. A few centuries inside the long train ride later, I found my way back to our hotel for an early early dinner. By this time I got half-tired of European food, so I did the unthinkable: eat Chinese food in France. It was also this time that I realized that Asian food really is food for the heart no matter how good European cuisines are (and of course I speak only for myself - being an Asian lost in Europe and all. Heehee.)

- My family and I had an early rest that night in preparation for the second leg of our European Christmas trip: Italy!!

- Don't forget to read about my other Eurotrip adventures during the holidays here!!

France: Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here!!

Italy: Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here, Part 5 here, Part 6 here. Part 7 here, Part 8 here, and Part 9 here!!