europe 2010: day 10

day 10:

This was the day we took our high speed train from Zurich to Paris. Our first stop was Notre Dame.

The construction of Notre Dame. So Notre Dame was one of the quickest built cathedrals. Usually, they took 7 0r 8 hundred years to build. Notre Dame only took 200. But then others say that Notre Dame was never really finished...there are supposed to be spires...and they were never put in.

The Louvre: Yes this is actually part of the Louvre. The pyramid is only the entrance.

Here's the Mona Lisa...it's actually pretty small and not very impressive compared to...

...this huge piece which is the size of a HUGE wall!

The Venus de Milo:

Some of the statues were amazing between the texture of the hair and the lace...

europe 2010: day 9

day 9:

this is a memorial that we first stopped at. The animal of Switzerland is a lion. This lion is dying of battle wounds.

We all thought that this was cool, but apparently it is just a hotel that was completely run down.
These next few pictures are of a bridge. In each painting there is a skeleton which represents that no matter where you live or who you are death is always just around the corner.

This is either a Lutheran cathedral or a castle...I believe it's the first but I can't remember...maybe I'll look it up in my journal...

This is a fountain that is supposed to represent all of the festivities of one of their holidays...

Paintings on buildings were really popular in Switzerland.

I wasn't aware of this beforehand, but I guess they believe in Zeus here...

Here is Mount Pilatus...I had hoped to get a picture of the train since it was the steepest cogwheel railway train in the world...but I didn't...it was pretty cool though.

Did you know that wildflowers can grow at 7,000 ft. in the snow! Well there was some on the other side of the mountain.

Unfortunately, it was really foggy on the mountain too. :( It's supposed to be the best view of Switzerland.

There used to be myths of dragons on Mount Pilatus.

Mount Pilatus was awesome...and oddly enough they were building a hotel on it!