The Most Beautiful Bridge in Paris - Pont Alexandre lll

Judged to be the most beautiful bridge in Paris, this bridge - Pont Alexandre lll, is the only one of it's kind. Designed in the Art Nouveau style, it was built by engineers Resal and Alby...

at about the same time as the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, for the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World's Fair). Using stone and metal, this bridge is lavishly decorated with ornate lamp posts,

sculptures of cherubs,

 nymphs,

 and gilded statues of winged horses on four granite pillars that are 17 meters high, on each corner of the bridge. 

Though the construction was started in 1897, the first foundation stone was laid by Russian Tsar Nicolas II in October of 1896. This bridge was to symbolize the friendship between Russia and France and was named after Tsar Alexander lll, Nicolas ll's father. It was opened to the public, in time for the 1900 universal exposition.

With the sidewalks almost as wide as the street on the bridge, its a picturesque background for the the tourists to have their I-was-here pictures taken.

It's a favorite spot for post-wedding pictures to be taken. This time, it looked like cinderella came to town with her prince-charming husband.

This pair, surely, got the attention of the passersby. 

The staircases leading down to the level of the Seine River are well guarded by the king of the jungle - the lion. There are four to descend on, two from each end of the bridge, from both sides of the street. 

On one occasion, there was a fashion shoot going on.


This bridge is used quite often as a venue for other events, I found out.

One Saturday, while walking on the street level by the Seine, I heard something - my kind of music - Batucada - a Brazilian music genre with African influence. 

The association of houseboat owners on the Seine River organized this event for an afternoon of entertainment. There was a small exhibition of designs - about life on the Seine.  But for the most part, the people stopped above on the sidewalk, to listen, or came down to the river level because of the performers.

We were dancing the samba to the rhythm of the drums, the sounds of the tambourine, cowbells, rain makers, and other noisemakers. What fun! Here's a sample of the Batucada sound. You might as well get up and dance.

Down on the level of the Seine River, a close-up look at the decorative details of the  bridge shows the intricacies of the designs.

As I was walking by, I noticed these stair-like contraption made up of a floating-cube system. They were being dismantled after a triathlon event that had just been completed, earlier in the day. This was used as the dive-off platform by the participants. 

Continuing my  walk along this path and it brought me close to some of the houseboats docked along the river.

At dusk, the sculptures come alive with the shadows cast.

The bridge takes on more special effects when the lights are turned on. 

And on the weekend, there's added action going on when you go through that tunnel under the street, next to the bridge - the pathway used by vehicles and pedestrians.

Right next to one of the the descending stairs is the  entrance to LE SHOWCASE BAR.

This bar, which was originally the boat hangers below the bridge and now converted, comes alive on the weekends. It's one of the newer venues where the night life for the young and hip takes place, where one can discover up-and-coming bands playing their music, with guests dancing 'til the wee hours of the morning. As this is always packed, calling in to make a reservation would be a smart thing to do.

Le Showcase Bar

Underneath the Pont Alexandre lll

Port Des Champs-Elysées 75008 Paris

Tel. no. 01 45 61 25 43

METRO: Lines 1 & 13 (Champs

When looking under the bridge...

  

one can appreciate the engineering design of steel columns - criss-crossed bars, pillars, and arc-shaped metal, designed to support...

this arched bridge.



It's been rainy weather in the last couple of weeks. But even on a gloomy day, it is still a sight to behold.

Pont Alexandre lll served it's main purpose during the 1900 Universal Exposition of bridging the two sides of the Seine River, where 50 million people traversed from each side to the other, as they went around the exposition sites. For the last century, it has been a major thoroughfare connecting the Left Bank - where the Esplanade des Invalides is, to the right bank, passing the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais on avenue Winston Churchill, and ending on the Champs-Elysées. That golden dome is the Cathédrale de Saint Louis des Invalides, where Napoleon's tomb is located.


When you come to walk and admire this bridge, make it a romantic one on your memorable visit to Paris.  Linger awhile and take in the beauty around you. Let it be a passage to your next stop to the left or right bank. 

Not too far is another lovely sight - the Eiffel Tower.

Angelina Paris: House of Thick Chocolate and Mont Blanc

Have you ever tried hot, thick chocolate with a serving of mont blanc? The Angelina Tearoom and Café in Paris is the place to go.



I refer to this place as a tourist destination and take all my visiting guests here, just so they can experience what real, good hot-chocolate is like.



There is a bit of history to this place. It used to be called "Rumpelmayers" when it was first established in 1903, and was once a favorite hangout place of the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel.


Located in the arcades of the rue de Rivoli, behind the Jardin des Tuileries in the 1st Arrondissement of Paris, it is a convenient food stop before going to or coming from an exhibition at Musée du Louvre. They serve breakfasts, lunches and desserts. You can order salads and quiches plus light dinners, all served in old-world elegant setting.



But the chocolate lovers who come, regularly, know exactly what to order: their signature hot chocolate called chocolat L'Africain with the incredible mont blanc gateau.



The chocolate order is good for 2 half cup servings, with cream on the side. This cup is good to go.


Angelina's was taken over by the Groupe Bertrand in 2005 and has since undergone renovations. A shop was put up next to the entry, so one can buy all their favorite pastries and chocolate drink in dry form.



You can purchase a tin of chocolat L'Africain to take home, so you can make your own Angelina chocolate by simply using a one to one ratio: 1/2 c. of chocolate to 1/2 c. of water or milk. Place these 2 ingredients in a small saucepan, simmer until little bubbles appear.


The mont blanc pastry has a meringue base, a whipped creme center, and puréed chestnuts.


When in Paris, do drop by and experience chocolate heaven:
Angelina Tearoom and Café
226 Rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris France
Telephone: 1 42 60 82 00; Fax: 1 42 86 98 97
The closest Metro stations are the Concorde or the Tuileries


As I happened to be a chocoholic once upon a time, I made this thick-chocolate drink at home, with my own choiced ingredients:
I use all organic ingredients...

a chocolate bar and some milk.


PROCEDURE:

1. Break up the chocolate bar into squares.

I this case, I ran the pieces through my manual-vegetable grinder, then cut up the bigger pieces by hand. On second thought, I could have chopped up the chocolate pieces. I am using a 100gm. chocolate bar which is equal to 1/2 cup.

2. In a saucepan, add half a cup of milk (or water) and add the chocolate pieces. Cook in low heat until the milk begins to simmer and the chocolate pieces melt into one homogenous mixture, while stirring constantly.

3. This quantity is normally good for two-cup servings. I, instead, used three cups to cut down on calorie intake.

4. As it is typically served in Angelina, this cup has been topped with a dairy whipped cream, bought from the super market.

5. For another serving, I have opted to replace the mont blanc pastry with fresh, organic strawberries...

and use my chocolate drink for dunking them in. This was so incredibly good, especially, on a cold day like today!


Calorie wise, each cup had,  from the chocolate alone, 190 calories; plus some from the milk, that's not too bad for something that looks and tastes decadent. Using a 70% dark-chocolate bar will be healthier as the sugar content will be lower.


If you can't make it to Angelina Paris, go ahead and make your hot-chocolate-drink treat at home!

Christmas Market'10: "Marches de Noel," La Défense, Paris, France

Of all the Christmas markets I have gone to this year in Paris, I rate the market at La Défense as the best one. Even on a cold, mid-week day, with the threat of rain and snow, we were not deterred, just like the others, to come to this Christmas market.The selection of items carried by the vendors brought a melange of interesting items for the shopper working with a Christmas list. The arrangement of the stalls was so well organized in one big square, that it was easy to go around or go back to something that had previously caught our eye.

The Christmas market is set up at the parvis of a very distinct landmark, the La Défense Building, also known as La Grande Arche. When up at the Eiffel Tower, you will see that this building is on the same axis as the Arc de Triomphe on the avenue des Champs Elysees.

La Défense is a modern style skyscraper, government office tower. Architect Paul Andreau oversaw the project which was began in 1982 and was completed in 1990. It is clad with marble, on the exterior. The square arch rises to 110 meters, with a fabric canopy and transparent tube elevator under the huge square arch.

The surrounding buildings were interesting architectural sculptures, creating a skyline reminiscent of other cities, like New York, Makati, Hong Kong. 

Having found several shopping malls around the square made us change our shopping schedule for the day. We ended up doing grocery shopping, as well.

On this side of the square, bound by this building, our eye caught a side show that was going on...

two men who were harnessed, were slowly scaling down the front part of the building as they peeled off the yellow plastic sheets that covered the glass-paneled wall.

The chandeliers hanging above the pathways added a touch of elegance to this Christmas market.

This Christmas market looked like a giant, international bazaar. Here are some of the things that we looked at.

Seeing these goods reminded me of the bazaar and markets in Istanbul.

The Tibetan vendors brought their crafts, jewelry, and fashion accessories.

These mosaic ware and decorative items were so attractive.

What an innovative design! These uneven umbrellas are designed to keep you under cover during a snow storm.

Going green this Christmas? These Christmas-themed plant arrangements are perfect for gift-giving.

The aromatic flavors if the food being prepared and served were floating in the air.

The smell of the raclette cheese melting under the light lamp caught our attention.

After an order was filled for another customer, we simply could not resist.

My daughter and I ordered one, too, and it was so yummy!!! We considered getting another one...but on second thought, no!

This Christmas tree lot brought back memories of when I used to take my kids to help me choose and haul a tree.

We took some quick stops at this gallery of stores, then we walked back to the metro station to avoid the after-office-rush-hour crowd.

Visions of the tartiflette "remained" in our palates while we were on our train-ride to go home. I decided that it was going to be our home-made dinner...it was quite easy to prepare:


INGREDIENTS:
1. 2 medium-sized onions (or more if you like), sliced thinly and caramelized in a teaspoon of butter and a teaspoon of vegetable oil


2. Add 1 pound of peeled and sliced potatoes, and let them steam (on their own juices) on a covered pan, for a couple of minutes at medium-low heat, until the potatoes are softened.


3. Add salt and pepper to taste


4. Turn the flame to "low," add half a pound of cut-up Reblochon cheese (I removed the outer, waxy sides) and cover the pan, and wait for a couple of short minutes for the cheese to melt, stirring once or twice.
Plate the tartiflette for serving, with pieces of baguette.


OPTIONAL: Sprinkle previously cooked lardon (bacon pieces) before serving


That was so good and filling. It's another comfort food to savor on a cold wintry day!