I have a fear of heights, which I usually only remember when I am up very very high; parachuting, or on cable cars, or ferris wheels. Ladders and moderate heights are ok, it’s just super tall places that freak me out. So I want to knock off the famous Eiffel Tower early in the visit, then it is done. And I have booked a ticket right to the top, 281m above the ground. It is another gorgeous day for a walk in Paris, so I opt for the footpaths rather than the metro, and it is a very pretty walk through the Marais district and then along the Seine. Catching my first glimpse of the tower it doesn’t look so tall! Then I am closer to it, and I see it is quite tall. And it looks as though it is made of pick up sticks. And you can see through it. Eek. 2019 is the 130th anniversary of the tower opening, and it is quite incredible to see in person. Such a simple design, but so beautiful, and elegant. I guess that is the French way, simple ingredients, made beautiful 🙂 When you come here you must buy a ticket online and reserve a time, because the line of people waiting for a ticket is ridiculous. When it is my turn to go, we are ushered into a glass-walled elevator, that shoots up to the second level, mid-way up. With the glass walls, and the see through structure of the tower, it is a bit unnerving, so I shut my eyes. Out on the second level you line up for another elevator to take you to the summit, which is in a much smaller glass-walled lift, and the ride up to the top is longer as it travels up the thinnest part of the tower. The lady next to me asks why I have my eyes shut, so I open one and tell her I don’t like being up high. She is from Australia, and laughs, then jumps up and down a bit and says ‘I guess you won’t be doing this then’. I shut my eye again and silently send her very bad thoughts. Then the lift opens, and you are at the very top of the tower, standing on a platform that is maybe 2 metres wide looking at the sky and the ground that is very far below. The jumping Australian exited to the right with her children, so I head left, and stand with my back against the tower. It is at this moment that my lovely friend Claire from the UK texts to say hullo. “I’m at the top of the Eiffel Tower at the moment and I’m scared of heights”, I tell her. ‘Don’t look down!’ she says. ‘Are you at the top top or just the mid section?’ The top top”, I reply. She sends me a reassuring smiley face and tells me I can’t fall down. So I take some pictures, venturing carefully to the edge, make a full circuit (there’s a small champagne bar up there, but even though I’d quite like a drink, I’d rather head down), so I go back to the elevators instead. I can see the jumping Australian is standing by the edge, jumping up and down again. Sigh. Eyes shut again for the elevator ride down, and then, on the middle section it is more pleasant! So I take my time and get some photos, before I head back to the ground. From the tower it is maybe 30 minutes walk to the Jardin des Tuilleries , which is beautiful, and home to the main Christmas markets this year. Which means there is mulled wine! Next to the gardens is also the Louvre, which I’m visiting on the weekend. So cool to stumble across famous places! I was going to stay in the city and take photos of the tower at night, all lit up, but it is clouding over, so instead I wander home, picking up some asparagus, bread butter and parmesan for dinner – simple ingredients made beautiful 🙂
The Seine 
Musee D’Orsay 
First glimpse of the tower 
At the top top 
It’s quite beautiful 
Back at the mid-level 
Looks so delicate 
Jardin des Tuilleries 
Ice skating 
More Xmas penguins?!?! 
And a Xmas dinosaur 🙂 
Raclette yummmm 
The Louvre 
My neighborhood 
Dinner 🙂 🙂