Sunday was very wet. It appeared to rain all day, cold grey sky which never broke all day. First we met a walking group over the underpass under the Pont d’Alma where Diana had been killed 10 years previously. There were flowers and tributes to her placed on the Flame of Liberty monument (sited there in 1987). The tour we were joining was a visit to the sewers of Paris. Here we were taken down underground to see a main sewer flowing to a point where it is taken under the Seine to the Northern bank. Interesting aspects where that rain water and waste water are all passed down the same sewers. The Parisians also run their fresh water pipes through the sewers, telecommunications and also a very old pre-telephone pneumatic communication system. This allowed you to send paper messages across the city very much like the old department stores. This system is no longer used. The pipe under the Seine is cleaned by passing large wooden spheres through the sewer The sphere is a little smaller than the sewer, and causes the water flow fast and flush the grit and sludge out.
After the sewers it was lunch and then up the Eiffel Tower. I walked up to the 2nd floor, (700 steps), while Rosemary took the lift (and of course got there after me). I then took the lift all the way to the top. You were not allowed to walk to the top. The lift journey was a little scary, I was right against the door facing out of the tower. The door was glass. It made one feel a little insecure. On top the feeling of height rather disappeared. Views were not great because of the rain.
Back down again we walked to the Hotel des Invalides, we were waylaid on the way by a cup of tea. 5.5 euros for a tea bag and some hot water; world shortage of milk. At the Hotel des Invalides took some pictures in the rain.
Supper was in an restaurant, again not value for money and not that good.
