la ville-lumière...

la ville-lumière

After having dinner at 10 PM, the sun finally went down and as the sky faded I ventured out one last time (after stopping back at the hotel to pick up a hoodie!) to see the Eiffel Tower by night. By a stroke of luck the tower lit up in thousands of shimmering strobes just as I started snapping photos from the end of the Parc du Champs de Mars, where thousands had gathered to drink and relax in the cold evening air.

Of course the hawkers were back, now with LED-lit mini-Eiffels. It was a long day but making the effort to go out and see the tower by night was completely worth it - it's gorgeous.

The beautiful thing about the tower is how it appears unexpectedly from behind buildings as you walk the city streets. Heading back to École Militaire, I couldn't help but keep gazing at its illuminated spire against the night sky.

illusion stone...

illusion stone

The more grand churches I see, the more they become a representation of something entirely different to me.

London's an interesting city, full of history and a melting pot of architecture. War-damaged buildings and modern marvels. The tour was fun and a relaxing change from walking non-stop, though we also did some trekking through the streets before heading back to Paris in the evening. Like the trip there, the trip back on Eurostar was smooth, stress-free and over faster than it seemed should be possible, with the long daylight hours warping the perception of time.

Greater London...

Greater London

On a summer day, City Hall (which isn't actually a city hall) slips into the River Thames.