Tombstones and old stuff

We're writing this as we rocket through France on a TGV at 320km/h, yeah baby!  Well we've just left Paris and we're starting to get citied out, Paris didn't really impress either of us and 2 days there was just about the right amount.  We are making some adjustments to our schedule so we get some time out in the countryside so we don't end up like that Paul Kelly song, wont say the name here I think my nieces are reading this.

Whilst in Paris we saw the Eiffel tower and visited the Louvre. The Louvre overstimulated both of us, there is just so much to look at. Near all the big attractions there were massive crowds, didn't get much of a look at the Venus de Milo or the Mona Lisa, what we did get a good look at were some Rubens and lots of Greek and Mesopotamian era statues, there was basically no one else in the rest of the museum, which was good for us as we could sit there and get a really good look at these works of Art.  The amount of antiquities there is staggering, more than can be taken in in one day, lots of little pieces that are older than civilisation.

Then to finish off our day in Paris we visited Pere Lachaise cemetery, where Jim Morrison is buried, this is something Leena has wanted to do for twenty years, last time she went to visit it (in July 1991) it was closed because celebrations of the 20th anniversary of his death got out of hand.  When we found his grave someone was having a "smoke", seemed kind of fitting really.  We then spent about 3 hours wandering around looking at the other famous people's graves, Oscar Wild is buried there and his tomb is covered in lipstick kisses and other graphity. Chopin's and Edith Piaf are resting there as well.  What struck Craig was that the monuments were like little houses, it felt like we were walking along a little street, see the pictures below.

Now with that behind us its on to the south of France and into Italy, big day of train travel today, 944km, this will be our biggest so far, but will have it knocked over by 2pm.