Sunday, February 06, 2011

Toure Eiffel - A moment to remember.. forever

"Eiffel Tower is just another steel structure. The real beauty of it is only at the night" If you hear anyone tell you that or anything remotely close to that and if you know him please kick them hard in the rear. Really hard. If you don't know them, well god help these lowly creatures. No, really I mean it.Only today I was I had this very interesting discussion with a friend of mine, Mihir, from Portugal about the splendid architecture beauty that Paris has got to offer.

Travelling around metro for over a week now and also keeping in view of the 40 minute journey from Airport, I can say its nothing like I have ever seen. I mean , seeing so many hollywood movies what stays with you is these jungle of skyscrapers all racing to tower one another. Paris is completely different. All the buildings are of mediveal type having arcs on the top and they are not skyscrapers. Maybe 40 -50 stories height and all are of same height. They all have this archaic feeling exuding the rich history. Be it the metros or the the restaurants or the apartments or I don't know most of the buildings are built barring glasses. It's not to say there aren't any buildings without glasses. There are but all these must have been only in the last century compared to 16th Century buildings, these are very new.

Every building here amazes me. With this renewed interest that has started gathering within me of the last one week stay, as I got to the place where I could see the edges I was completely dumbstruck. Oh God, what was I even thinking when I typed those words parroting other people's opinion that its just a steel structure in the morning! I was being so stupid. How could I even muster such thoughts? Comparing it or even calling it a steel structure is a abominable sin, if you ask me. There I was standing, holding my breath and taking in all the beauty it had to offer. I just don't have enough words to describe that beautiful feeling within seeing such an amazing monument.

All hail the French government who have taken extraordinary care to give the utmost benefit to every person to enjoy this wondrous structure. Of the four views it has got to offer, one side is completely left for the public, almost half a kilometer stretch. You see hundreds of people with innumerable varieties of cameras - slr's, compact, videographers trying hundreds of ways to be captured along with it. We even saw a newly married couple dressed in their suit and wedding gown come along with a professional photographer with this huge camera, tripod stand, some pads to enhance the lightening. They were there for almost 30 -45 minutes getting the right pose, moment. That has got to be the most romantic site I have ever seen.

With one end devoted to this, enough care has also been taken to make sure there are no other tall buildings in sight around it for about half a mile radius. What is left is this huge gargantuan structure that gets its glory in full attention. It feels as if someone from above has just cleared some space in the middle of a colony and erected the tower. It is just plain intimidating to look at.

Once the tower lit up, its view altogether is changed. But I would like to say now that the true and absolute beauty is when we can see it without any glitz and glamour. One needs to see it in all its naked glory without any embellishments.


I am truly blessed to have witnessed this Wonder of the world and this has been one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life.

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