Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Going back in time - Paris Day Six

After more than a month since I left Paris, I'm finally posting the very last day of my trip in this city of lights. Couldn't have asked for a better way to start my journey in europe than to begin this 'adventure' in Paris. On this last day, we tried our best to visit the remaining places we've planned for the trip. There's really so much to see in Paris that I think you'll need 2 weeks at least to comfortably see the most of this enchanting city.

We began Day 6 with an architecture student's pilgrimage to the legendary Villa Savoye. Yes, our dear Corbusier's master piece was where we headed to and it was really some pilgrimage. It's located at Poissy..yes we all know that..haha....just slightly outside Paris. We have to take a train and braved the hot sun..yes HOT sun..it was really hot, and a long walk before we could reach this overly read, studied and publicised villa. My initial intention to visit Villa Savo
ye was just to add on to the 'ya I've been there' list. Since to me, the Villa was really not that impressive according to the many books which praised it so much. However, it was really quite something when you really move around the spaces within the building. For something designed back in the 30s, dear Corbusier really did a good job and gave alot of thoughts into every minute turn and details. It was quite enjoyable to discover or rather interpret what went on in this thick ugly spectacled dude's mind. My photos probably didn't do much justice to the building. When we finally left the place, it was past lunchtime.


behold...VILLA SAVOYE!



















From there, we moved back to the city and visited Paris' CBD, La Defense. This has definitely got to be the only place on earth where it defies all logic and rules you've learned about architecture. The buildings here are...crazy..really. From the photos I've shown previously, you've probably noticed the huge white arc which was trying to respond to Arc de Triomphe from the other end. This arc is known as the Grande Arche. Its not the only crazy piece of thing in this business centre of Paris, the other buildings are just as mad...just look at the pictures and see it for yourself.















It was almost 4pm when we finally reached another of the French's pride, the Chateau de Versailles. Dear Mr./Mrs. unhappy skull struck again...yes...it rained pretty bad and sky sux..remember about the hot weather in the morning? Didn't even manage to visit that Chateau's ultra sized backyard and its mega ponds. Quite disappointing I should say. Well, my advice to you is to NEVER EVER touch a skull...really..:S







Anyway, we headed back to Paris and passed by Eiffel to take some parting shots with this romantic steel thingy. We also went back to Musee de Louvre to take that unlit pyramid I've shown previously. It was almost 10pm when we, or rather I decided to go back to the hostel. Needed to do some packing before we head for Copenhagen and of course..Lund eventually the next morning. Back then, I was rather excited since its the start of another exciting journey..but..oh well...you know what I mean if you've been following my..erm...comprain for the past few weeks..haha..that's all for Paris. Next...haha..hopefully soon.... will be glimpses of Lund and the city of Malmo and Stockholm. Not forgetting Copenhagen I've just visited over the weekend. Until then, here's some pictures of interesting metro/train stations from Paris, where some were themed accordingly to the place itself.








6 comments:

J O H N N Y said...

nice savoye pics! can see how the difference in spending more time at one place makes.

e x p r e s s o said...

haha..thanx.still quite sianz abt the chateau versailles part. Really very nice one....haiz..wasted. Next time bah..when i'm too rich..:P

More china pics from you lay. haha...SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT...n BUY BUY BUY....if only i can do the 'BBB' part in sweden...haiz

Fat Cat said...

The villa is very different from the inside... very nice. All this time we mainly see pics from the external...

e x p r e s s o said...

yup, actually there are more interesting spaces from within the building..just that even at my camera's widest end, I can really do justice to the spatial experience. You really have to keep in mind that its something done in the 30s in order to realise corbusier's genius...check out the place if you have the chance.

Anonymous said...

Dun Bruff. You never go Villa Savoye, then go and scan some magazine pictures to try and cheat us u...

I WANT TO GO SAVOYE!!!

e x p r e s s o said...

u wan me to put some proof? :P juz that the picture too act seh...thats why i never put in :P u can always go there when u visit paris.