Paris in November – wonderful, save for the rain.

Paris is… sublime – even in November, even if you’re here on business and its sublimity is encountered and enjoyed only as an afterthought. But if the sun’s out – the experience is… sublimated into… rapturous elation!

Like when it’s like this:

However, November in Paris can be just the opposite. It can be overcast and wet and murky. Instead of Paris’s famous landscapes, you get this ->

Not that our French colleagues noticed – they were too busy working. And anyway, I guess they’re used to Parisienne paysages – in any weather.

…But I’m not! I step out on to the veranda – and imagine what I’ve missed! ->

UPO*?! ->

Christmas market preparations, apparently ->

After Christmas there’ll be the sales on down there of course. Which reminds me – I have a theory about post-Christmas sales – a climatic one. Let me see know… ah yes – here it is!

The roof of the Arche is suffering from Kamchatkan Mirage disease, poor thing. It’s only a hundred meters tall too. That is some seriously low cloud…

Come evening the fog had dispersed and the clouds lifted. We had a business meeting on a rooftop terrace near the Champs-Élysées and the views were simply oh my Gaul! ->

Shame about that darn crane in the way!

There’s the Tour Montparnasse skyscraper. Ugly? I don’t know, but many Parisians think so…

That crane…

Actually, on second thoughts – who really needs another regular nighttime photo of the Eiffel Tower? This one, on the other hand, is unique! ->

Come morning… ->

The Eiffel Tower – what a legend! The symbol of Paris – the symbol of France! Btw, did you know that, after Expo-1889 (the event for which the tower was built), they planned on dismantling it?!!

It turns out it was saved by the appearance of radio communication, which needed a tall structure just like it!…

130+ years later – and it’s still standing strong, attracting millions of tourists every year. Three-cups-and-a-ball trickers are still going strong too! ->

No matter how many times I’ve been here – I’m always drawn to the tower, as if to a magnet. It’s just so impressive – from any angle ->

We didn’t go up it this time as we had too little time. Must do so next time – by foot. None of this elevator laziness!…

And there are the steps – beckoning! ->

Next up – a stroll along the banks of the Seine ->

Curious building; never noticed it before. I wonder what it is? ->

The Grand Palais ->

Pont Alexandre III ->

Boats cruising to-and-fro on the Seine – with plenty of folks up on deck (quite right!) ->

We continue our walkies…

I’ve always wondered why these lions look so… hungover! They seem to be frowning and their mouths are turned down at the sides. Maybe this one’s just tired of cherub there pulling him/her this way and that? ->

Next, the Petit Palais (here)– whose inner gardens you can walk through to. I never knew! ->

Here’s O.S. – also on photography duty:

The following day – overcast gloom yet again. Grrrr ->

But we managed to walk as far as Notre Dame without getting wet. The repairs are coming along nicely ->

By the time we arrived at the Pompidou Center it was raining hard – and wouldn’t stop ->

We raced to Pompidou’s entrance to get out of the rain and… CLOSED! Trade union strike!

So we head to the Museum of Modern Art. No strike there, but a long line – and it was still raining. Grrrrr!

At this point we simply gave up on our attempts at tourisms. Back to the hotel. Grrrr!

What are these stunted columns? Anyone know? Why black-and-white striped? ->

And that was that. A rainy November Paris – done; kinda.

Next – hotel, suitcase, taxi, and plane – heading to our next European port of call…

The rest of the photos from Paris are here.

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*Unidentified phallic object ©