Eiffel Tower and Champs-Elysées

I opted to only visit the second level because I did the top level on another trip and really, you can't get good pictures from way up there--all the buildings look the same. Plus, I hate waiting in line. The second level is still really high up, as I found out when I decided to be a hero and take the stairs on the way down.

You're so used to seeing the Eiffel Tower in photos, postcards, in movies, and even walking around Paris, you catch glimpses of it. But until you're standing right under it, you don't realize how solid, how massive it really is. It's amazing. The French hated it when it was built, but it's a pretty elegant look for something made of tons and tons of steel girders. I believe the French have moved on to hating Tour Montparnasse, which is hideous and really does f up the skyline. At night, they light up the tower in lights and every half hour, they put on a sparkly light show. Very classy. But what can I say, I love a light show!!

Cute little flower shop on Rue Cler...

God, I hate the Champs-Elysées. Crowded, touristy, absolutely nothing authentically Parisian about it. International chain stores and crappy, overpriced cafès. I spent only enough time here to get a pic of the Arc de Triomphe.

Oh, and to visit the flagship Sephora, a.k.a. Mecca. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful???

A few random pics from when I was walking around the Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars: kids in a go-cart race, random statue, and a cool art deco building that caught my eye.

Proof that not all French people have good taste: