6th Day Of Our Vacation In Paris, France PART 1

This morning we took the metro to the Right Bank and the18th Arrondissement which is in the Northern part of Paris.  We went to this district so that we could visit the Montemarte area and Sacre - Coeur Church. Because Montemarte is on a hill that sits approximately 130 meters high, we decided to take the funicular up the hill rather than the steep stairs that lead to the top. After visiting the Montemarte area and the Sacre - Coeur Church we took the metro to see the Palais Garnier - Opera National de Paris. This opulent building is now mainly used for Ballet performances and is mainly known by the name Palais Opera. We also stopped by Saint Étienne du Mont. The photos shown below are from the sights that we saw during todays adventures. Due to the number of phortos from this day, I will be putting PART 2 up tomorrow. It will include our visit to Saint Étienne du Mont..a beautiful church in Paris.

Our Metro stop for Montemarte and Sacre- Coeur

Carousal in the area of the Metro station

Stairs leading up and down to and from Montemarte and Sacre- Coeur

Some type of street art near the funicular

Funicular takes us up and down to Montmarte and Sacre- Coeur

Saw this cat sitting near the fanicular just watching the cars go up and down the hill 

A beautiful looking Citroen being used as a tour vehicle

Here we are in front of Sacre- Coeur 

A lookout area that sits just below the steps of Sacre- Coeur. It was foggy day so we couldn't see much of Paris from vantage point

A street performer

We are having a great time

Another street performer

  

Sacre- Coeur Church

Pigeons here were friendly

I am guessing...a wedding possibly

  

A Thomas the Train type of tour

This man was making little furry animals for donations

We saw this a number of times. We saw the military in teams of 3 patrolling in the Metro, here in Montemarte and around the Notre Dame area and they were taking their job very seriously..covering each other from all sides and even behind the formation.

  

An outdoor chapeau shop that was by the entrance to catch the funicular to go up the hill to Sacre -Cloeur

  

Hmmm..she looks awful familiar

I'll take that one that's waaaaay up there

Stopped at a cafe to get something to eat and drink

Another Citroen 

We went into a shop that had many cool items that I have never seen before. Next thing I know it was like my hands and camera were not attached to the rest of my body...click, click...click..click. The next thing I know..one of the ladies behind the counter starts chastising me for taking photos. Of course my hands and camera acting on their own, in one last indignant act....CLICK! I was promptly given a rather nice business card with their online business address and was told no more photos. I think that she thought that I was going to steal the top secret formula for making smiley and sad faces  on bowls or maybe even worse...the top secret ingredients for making colorful plastic cooking utensils made to look like the Stepford wives as seen below. You will see my new line of these items making their US debut hopefully by Christmas 

Palais Garnier..the beautiful Opera House

Pigeons were friendly outside the Opera House 

  

We saw this type of activity in many places we visited. These woman would walk up to a tourist and ask them to sign some kind of form. While they are talking and maybe explaining what their signature would mean to these women...their fellow "workers" are busy picking the tourist the pockets. They tried to get us to sign but we made it clear that we were onto them and they left us alone. We sat on the side steps of the Palais Garnier building and watched this group for a easy 15 minutes while they worked their victims over. At one point in time after getting some dirty looks from the "gang" I pointed my camera in their general direction. Boy did that make they angry. They instantly put their clip board up in an attempt to protect their identity from my now infamous camera. After having a good chuckle at the "gangs" expense, Veronica and I headed into the Opera House but not before taking some photos of this buildings beautiful architectural artwork.

 

  Veronica looks happy but then again...who wouldn't be happy around all of the beauty and opulence within this building

This was a display of some of the costumes used during performances that were given at the Palais Opera Garnier

   

Here is the colorful theatre ceiling 

Box seats at the Opera 

While we were visiting they were working on the props that were on stage

We had a great time visiting the Palais Opera Garnier

I loved these lighting fixtures

The lobby area

Another fantastic day in Paris comes to an end but PART 2  of Day 6 will be listed tomorrow.