Tag: Paris

Paris, Travel4 Comments

Musée de l’Armée

Kongo

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Last month while walking about Paris Kongo paid a brief visit to the Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum).  In modern French history—everything since the Revolution—starts and stops with Napoleon Bonaparte.  In the photograph above the emperor warrior towers above the entry courtyard in his iconic “hands inside his blouse” pose.  Kongo is a big fan of Napoleon and has studied most of his battles.  The Musée is an imposing place and one that pays fitting tribute to the history of this nation. Continue reading “Musée de l’Armée”

Paris, Travel3 Comments

Sacré-Cœur

Kongo

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On a rainy Paris day last month Kongo visited the Sacré-Cœur (sacred heart) Basilica high atop Montmartre, the highest point in Paris.  The building of this beautiful church, which can be seen from almost any point in the city, was inspired by the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.  Church leaders contributed the loss to a century of moral decline after the French Revolution.  Construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1914, just in time for another war with Germany which the French won this time (thanks to a little help from friends across the Atlantic) so evidently the morality of France was properly restored.  Continue reading to learn more about this beautiful church. Continue reading “Sacré-Cœur”

Paris, Travel3 Comments

A Walk in Paris

Kongo

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The magical Avenue des Champs-Élysées in the heart of Paris.  Kongo grew up watching movies of romantic interludes on this fabled street, recalls the news reels of victorious armies marching beneath the Arc de Triomphe and during a recent first visit to Paris the little monkey got to see it all first hand.  It’s a great walk.

Continue reading “A Walk in Paris”

Paris, Travel4 Comments

Phantom Monkeys of the Opera

Kongo

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Long time readers will recall that Kongo is a bit of an opera buff.  He also likes theater and his all time, never to be exceeded, favorite is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1988 musical Phantom of the Opera, based on the Gaston Leroux novel written in 1910 and inspired by the magnificent Opéra Garnier in Paris.  So naturally, when Kongo visited Paris a few weeks ago a trip to this icon of France was a high note of his visit.  Kongo has seen Phantom in London (three times), New York, Washington, DC, San Diego, and Abu Dhabi so being able to scamper up the Grand Staircase was pretty special but he was truly overwhelmed by the beauty of opulence of the rest of the building. Continue reading “Phantom Monkeys of the Opera”