Goodbye to Paris

We left Paris today. It was pretty sad. We got all of our stuff packed up and Melanie took the elevator down first. After I locked the door I reached out and put my hand on it for a long time. We're very excited about our new adventures in Berlin, but we will miss this place for sure.

We did pretty well on our "leaving Paris bucket list", only failing to tick a few items. Melanie and I went to the Moulin Rouge a few weeks before we left and, despite the storm, we had a great time! We enjoyed the spectacle of it all and -- despite many warnings to the contrary -- the food was actually very good! Definitely not the best meal we had in Paris but certainly not the worst either.

I found this picture online -- it was raining cats and dogs the night we were there

They don't allow pictures inside, so I found this image online as well

Melanie wasn't feeling well so I took a tour of the Palais Garnier by myself. It was spectacular!

The Palais Garnier (two blocks from our apartment) is one of the most beautiful buildings in Paris

The interior is even more amazing than the exterior

This ornate chandelier took my breath away. There's a 7 ton statue hanging over the theater itself!

The Grand Foyer is 59 feet high and over 500 feet long

This is the theater that inspired "The Phantom of the Opera". There's even a kind of moat beneath the stage!

The ceiling in the foyer was intricately painted by famous French artists

This is the entry, above the famous white marble Grand Staircase. (It was designed to showcase the theatergoers.)

There's just something about Paris. I can't put my finger on it, but the city has a feel to it that is unlike any place I have ever been. I found this quote by Ernest Hemingway (and modified it only a little):

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.