The Eiffel Tower

My friends Angie and Glenn in Paris

"I like the Eiffel Tower because it looks like steel and lace."

-Natalie Loyd

When the Eiffel tower was first built as the entrance arch for the World's Fair in 1889, many people thought it was awful and that leaving it up after the Fair was going to ruin the Paris skyline forever.  Today, it's one of the most well-known structures in the world.

Glenn and Angie climbed up to the top this summer, eschewing a 2-hour wait in line for the elevator.  I so could not have done that! 1,050-feet of stairs is not my idea of a good time.

Looking down at the wimps in the line below

In spite of that, millions of people climb the Eiffel Tower every year.  It's had more than 250 million visitors since its opening.  Its design has been recreated all over the world, including a half-scale replica in Las Vegas and a full-scale tower in Tokyo, Japan.

The view along the clim

The Tower is located on the Champs de Mars in Paris.  As I mentioned earlier, it is over 1,000 feet tall.  It stood as the tallest man-made structure in the world until the Chrysler Building claimed the title in 1930.

The Palais de Justice as seen from the tower

"To breathe Paris is to preserve one's soul"

-Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

The view from the top is divine.

"I wish I could go to Paris right now."

-Emily Proctor ... and me