paris
sun 24-jul-05

Louvre - or - DiVinci Code - inside - 24.jul.05

My plan was to either take a city bus or tour bus around town in the morning. Figured, I'd be standing long enough during the race.

Oh, the race. Regular readers know that every year we follow Le Tour on line. Today, today, I plan to be on line. Not the finish line. But somewhere - watch Lance flash by in yellow.

But, it is raining. What to do? I know, I'll go to the Louvre. I know where it is. I'll look at art. But, the buses aren't running today. So, I'll have to figure out the Metro. The nice man at Visitor Information tells me what metro lines to take, where to transfer. Everything I need. EXCEPT, there is no friendly person in the Metro ticket office. There isn't even an unfriendly person. I have to use the machine. There are two or three different machines. Fortunately, I know that the bus and subway use the same tickets and I know what one looks like. So, I find a machine that looks like it is dispensing little purple tickets - I convince it to sell me a ticket. And surprisingly, I make it to the Louvre. To look at art.

Okay, look at art. Here's your Winged Victory and your Mona Lisa. I look at art, so you wont have to.

But, seriously, I did spend a couple of hours looking at their Egyptian collection.

They have some really big stuff. The pillars in this photo are not a part of the building they are pillars from this or that temple in Egypt. Not to mention all manner of huge statues and statue parts. Oh yeah, and some walls.

But, I am getting tired and hungry. And I want to rest up before finding a place to watch the race. But, I can not find my way out I kept following the signs - Sortie. Sortie. Sortie. Finally, I sortied out. But, not without buying a chicken sandwich.

To my delight there are lots of wonderful chairs around a fountain. Louvre to rear. Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe ahead. What a view. And the price is right. Free. Enjoy my lunch. Never mind that it is sprinkling.

Now, it is time to plan my escape. My train leaves at 1755. Missing that train will cost me 70 euro ticket and I'll have to bunk up some where because, I'll have missed the last train back to Haarlem. I know where the metro entrance is. And, I have already purchased my ticket. Figure, if I leave before the race finishes - and it really will not matter - because, I'll not be near the finish line - I'll need to be at the metro station by 1655. So, the closer I am to the station the longer I can stay at the race.

So, I head towards the barricades. I see an available space - not more than 5 minutes from my metro station. Let the waiting begin. According to my camera - I got on line at 1245 and took my first race picture at 1620 ... Was it worth it? You bet.

I was right at the tunnel that they come up to get to the Champs Elysees. There is as much silence as half of Paris can generate in anticipation, Then the motor cycles show up. Still silence from the crowd. When the riders are first seen the crowd roars. In an instant they are gone.

What no Lance Foto? Well, the closest I have is a butt shot

But, that is the view that most have had of Lance for the last seven years.

The trip back to the Vampire Garret was uneventful. Boring even. Which is good since it involved 2 subways, three trains, and a 10 minute walk at midnight.