Paris: Les Catacombes and a Warning to People of a Nervous Disposition

We have visitors again

A year ago, Julie's parents visited Germany for a few days before they continued their vacation through the Alsace Wine Region.  This year, they couldn't get rid of us that easily and we joined them on a trek through France.  Our first stop, Paris, the perfect halfway-point between Homburg and our future destinations, not to mention, but really mention, one of the best cities in Europe.

Before we embarked, there was much deliberation about the mode of transport.  Our car was fully operational, however, the brake pad had withered to the point of audible concern.  At low speed, our car had a gentle whistle and a loud obnoxious grind when the brakes were applied.  In the end, we took the four-wheeled noisemaker; after all, there would be no fireworks or celebration for America's Independence Day in Europe.  Who knows, maybe our car would shoot sparks by the end of our Tour de France.

Get ready to see a lot of these

Be weary ye of a nervous disposition

Contrary to the pre-trip consternation, the four-hour drive went seamlessly, the Autobahn required minimal use of the brakes.  However, when we reached the city, the slower speeds demanded frequent brake application.  The half-hour from city limits to our parking garage the car alternated from a high pitched hiss to an abrupt grinding growl.  It may have been less embarrassing and noticeable had the four of us been blowing whistles into a megaphone.  Eventually, we found our parking location and we were pleased to part ways with our four-wheeled noisemaker for a few days.

Lively walkway

Bullet to the head...?

Lovely wall of death

After we settled into our hotel rooms, we made plans to explore Les Catacombs, location of the relocated remains of those buried in the Cemetery of Innocents.  After nearly a century of use, non-zombie infections spread from the dead to the living and resulted in the need to transpose the decomposed.  On our (Julie and my) first visit to Paris, we made two attempts to see the burial site, however, the extensive line was deemed a waste of time with so much else to see.

Thinking cap

Transposed decomposed

Since everybody in our party had been to Paris, we had no qualms about waiting in the nearly two-hour line; although, our estimated entry was within minutes of the final permitted entry.  Admittance was indeed a close call, but we made it inside nevertheless.  Our excitement was only matched by the humor of the Catacomb's warning, "the ossuary tour could make a strong impression on children and people of a nervous disposition."  Luckily, we made it through without our dispositions being affected, granted, our appetites grew substantially.

We returned to our hotel's district to finish our first day.   We found a fancy pants establishment for an early-bird Parisian dinner, seated a shade after 22:00.  The restaurant's culinary prowess satiated everyone's hunger and we turned-in for the evening.