The Colonial City of Granada

Granada is a city in western Nicaragua. It has a rich history and is perhaps the most important city, politically and economically. Granada is located on the edge of Lake Nicaragua, which has some scary freshwater sharks (didn't see any people swimming in the lake).

When I first visited Nicaragua several years ago, I wasn't that impressed with Granada. It didn't seem to have much life to it... and when I came back a second time, I wasn't planning to visit the city. However, my body needed to rest from the non-stop surfing (and my mom wanted to visit a market to buy some toursity stuff)... so we decided to make a stop. I was very impressed! The city has come back to life. Apparently, it is in the midst of a "real estate boom". There were a lot of new cafes, art galleries, restaurants, and beautiful hotels. It reminded a bit of the transformation that Todos Santos, Mexico went through over the last several years. What I liked most about Granada is that even with all the renovations, they managed  to preserve the colonial architecture.

These were a few photos I took while strolling around in the afternoon sun (I didn't make it too far before needing a cold Toña).

The Triumphal Arch

If it's your first trip to Paris, I would recommend marching down Champs-Élysées as Napoleon, Nazi Germany, and the Free French forces did after military victories. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a street in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Champs-Élysées is arguably one of the world's most famous streets, and is one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world. Several French monuments are also on the street, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. The name is French for Elysian Fields, the place of the blessed dead in Greek mythology. According to a much used description, the Champs-Élysées is la plus belle avenue du monde ("the most beautiful avenue in the world").

The Arc de Triomphe (in English: "Triumphal Arch")  de l'Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle (originally named Place de l'Étoile). The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. There is also a beautiful view of the city from the top of the monument.

Following its construction, the Arc de Triomphe became the rallying point of French troops parading after successful military campaigns and for the annual Bastille Day Military Parade. Famous victory marches around or under the Arc have included the Germans in 1871, the French in 1919, the Germans in 1940, and the French and Allies in 1944 and 1945. A United States postage stamp of 1945 shows the Arc de Triomphe in the background as victorious American troops march down the Champs-Élysées and U.S. airplanes fly overhead on 29 August 1944. After the interment of the Unknown Soldier, however, all military parades (including the aforementioned post-1919) have avoided marching through the actual arch. The route taken is up to the arch and then around its side, out of respect for the tomb and its symbolism. Both Hitler in 1940 and de Gaulle in 1944 observed this custom.

Lazy Summer Afternoons in the Park

A view from the front and backside of Les Invalides... officially known as L'Hôtel national des Invalides (The National Residence of the Invalids), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building's original purpose. The buildings house the Musée de l'Armée, the military museum of the Army of France, the Musée des Plans-Reliefs, and the Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine, as well as the burial site for some of France's war heroes, notably Napoleon Bonaparte.

These two photos were taken on the same day as I did a loop of the 7th arrondissement of Paris (first was taken after sunrise... and the second was taken just before sunset).

Le Lutetia Comes to Life

The Hôtel Lutetia, located at 45 Boulevard Raspail, in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of the 6th Arrondissement of Paris, is one of the best-known hotels on the Left Bank. The hotel is an incredibly beautiful building and I happened to be walking past it as dusk was approaching. The lights had just come on and it was starting glow... it looked like it was coming to life.

The hotel is noted for its architecture and its historical role during the German occupation of France in World War II. The war began in September 1939, and numerous refugees fled to Paris from conflict areas and places occupied by German forces. The Lutetia attempted to accommodate as many as possible. Because of its reputation, it was filled with a number of displaced artists and musicians. However, the French government evacuated Paris beginning June 14, 1940 and the Germans entered and occupied the city. A number of the Lutetia's residents escaped; others were captured by the Germans. The hotel itself was requisitioned by the Abwehr (counter-espionage), and used to house, feed, and entertain the officers in command of the occupation, such as Alfred Toepfer and the French collaborator Rudy de Mérode. When Paris was liberated in August 1944, the hotel was abandoned by German troops, and taken over by French and American forces. From then until after the end of the war, it was used as a repatriation center for prisoners of war, displaced persons, and returnees from the German concentration camps.

Pont Alexandre III

Pont Alexandre III is an arch bridge that spans the Seine, connecting the Champs-Élysées quarter and the Invalides and Eiffel Tower Quarter. It is regarded by many as one of the prettiest in Paris (it's also my favorite). The bridge, with its exuberant Art Nouveau lamps, cherubs, nymphs and winged horses at either end, was built between 1896 and 1900. It was named after Tsar Alexander III (father of Nicholas II) of Russia who laid the foundation stone in October 1896. The style of the bridge reflects that of the Grand Palais, to which it leads on the right bank. The construction of the bridge is a marvel of 19th century engineering, consisting of a 6m high single span steel arch. The design was subject to strict controls that prevented the bridge from obscuring the view of the Champs-Élysées or the Invalides. The bridge was built by the engineers Résal and Alby and inaugurated in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition. Classified as historical monument, four gold-covered bronze statues hover over the bridge, on the top of 17 meter columns, representing "Renommées" standing close to Pegasus.

"Our Lady" of Paris

One of the most notable monuments in Paris is the Notre Dame Cathedral. Notre Dame is a French title for the "Blessed Virgin Mary" (hence the reason for so many Notre Dame Cathedrals scattered throughout the world). This Catholic treasure is over 800 years old and is located on a small island called Île de la Cité (in the middle of the river Seine). The building of the cathedral took almost 200 years. It started in 1163 during the reign of King Louis VII and was completed in 1345.

As is the case with most notable historical monuments, The Notre dame Cathedral Paris has had its share of glorious and tragic historical moments. Among them is the crowning of Henry VI of England right inside the cathedral in 1431. The Cathedral was at one time in a stage of total disrepair and close to the point of being demolished, but was later saved by Napoleon who himself was crowned Emperor in 1804 inside the Cathedral. After restoring the Cathedral back to its formal beauty and in the midst of World War II, it was rumored that the German soldiers might destroy the newly installed stained glass. It was therefore removed and only reinstalled again after the war ended. The steps were taken because of a archeological glass window called "Rose Window" which was the biggest glass window in the world produced in the 13th century. Joan of Arc was also beatified in the Notre Dame cathedral in 1909.

A notable artifact is the famous bell that has been redesigned to ring automatically. Any visitor to the bell tower should be prepared to climb the 140 steps staircase to see the historical bell and have a glimpse of the city of Paris. Inside the Notre Dame Cathedral, the 17th century organ, with all of its original parts, is still functional. There are also drawings, plans and engravings which showed the old and hidden mysteries of several of the church developments and how the city of Paris came into being.