A Visit to Notre Dame de Paris

As I put my first step inside the world famous cathedral of Notre Dame, I wondered if I would have thought to visit this church, like many other tourists, had Victor Hugo not written his famous novel called ‘Notre Dame de Paris’. After all, there are lots of Cathedrals within the city of Paris, and I do not know many of them. Anyway, the church of Notre Dame has its own air of magnificence which attracts the visitors from all over the world.

I had long been undecided whether I should pay my respects to the said church but I was not disappointed by my visit itself. One of my friend happened to visit this church and for him the interior of the church was nothing but a complete disappointment. He then took the pain of practically discouraging all of acquaintances to pay for a visit, a sort of viral de-marketing one can say. However, in my case, the results of interior were quite on the contrary.  Amazed with the architecture of the church, I was also overwhelmed by the feeling of calmness and tranquility. 

I am well aware of the fact that pictures and videos do not substitute a real visit, but I am confident that following pictures and videos will help you an idea of the interior and when you will be actually visiting this place, your eyes will be ready to delve into further details. 

A Visit To The Louvre Museum of Paris

A few years ago, when I was almost new in Paris, one of my French said, ‘ if you want to find French people somewhere other than France, then try finding them in the nearest museum or castle near to that place you are visiting. Certainly, you shall find a few of them at least’. After my third visit to the Louvre Museum, I consider it as a personified love for Art and History of French nation.


I still remember when I first paid a visit to Louvre. It was summer and Paris, the most favorite tourist destination in the world, was packed to its capacity. Above all, it was the first Sunday of the month ( national Parisian museums offer free entrance on the first Sunday of each month ) and everyone, as it seemed, was there in the queue to visit Louvre. It took hours to get at the entry point at pyramid. Understandably, we were feeling tired even before our entry to the museum. I had decided that I will visit this museum once more in normal days to avoid that long line.


Louvre museum is full of world famous paintings and art objects. Indeed Monalisa is one of them and in each visit I found a great rush of people in front of that painting, waiting for their opportunities to get photographed in front of her magical smile. If you want to know more about the Louvre museum, then you can visit the website of Louvre Museum


For the moment, however, you may have a look on the following pictures of art objects present in Musée de Louvre or Louvre Museum. If you happen to be someone who loves appreciating the finer details of the art, then beware one day might not be enough for a detailed visit. So, if you know well beforehand what exactly would you like to see in the museum, then certainly it will help to make more out of less.


The maps of the museum are available freely, in different languages, at the information desks. They will also help you find some of the world class art objects. The museum of Louvre has a rich collection in following departments;

A. Near Eastern collections; this represents the civilizations of the ancient Middle East, which date to seven thousand years.

B. Egyptian Antiquities; this section highlights the specific aspects of Egyptian civilization in the past.

C. Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; This department contains the work of three ancient civilizations; Greece, Etruria, and Rome.

D. History of the Louvre and Medieval Louvre; Two rooms are dedicated to present the architectural history of the palace.

E. Paintings; The collection contains the history of European painting from the mid 19th century.

F. Sculptures; Sculptures from High Middle Ages to the mid 19th century are present in this section.

G. Decorative Arts; It contains decorative objects from Middle Ages and the renaissance. Napoleon III’s apartment can also be found in this section.

H. Arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

I. Islamic Art; you can see art objects from 7th to 19th century, originating from India to Spain.

J. The Eastern Mediterranean under the Roman Empire.

H. Paintings and Drawings


If you love going to other museums while you stay in Paris, then Paris Museum Pass will help you save some of your money and time. For more information, please read, Paris Museum Pass; The Cheapest Way To Visit Museums In Paris.


Here are some of the pictures from the Louvre.

A picture of Napoleon III apartments

A second picture of Napoleon III apartments

Mummy of one of the Egyptian Pharaohs.

Before the visit I thought that I will be able to see the real face of the mummy, but it happened the otherwise. I was told that it is necessary to keep the mummy under covers for the preservation. I hope that under the cover, there lies the mummy 

Egyptians were used to use drawings and symbols to express themselves.

Some pieces of art 

Moveable Bridge Near Stade-de-France, St. Denis; Some Pictures Of Opening & Closing of the Bridge!

Yesterday, I happened to visit Leroy-Merlin Saint Denis, to make some purchases for the renovation of my apartment. After having a visit in the shop, of Leroy-Merlin, I had some time for my next engagement. So, I decided to roam around the well developed ‘quartier’, to have a look on the world famous Stade-de-France and to know more about the area and the businesses. And, in this course I came across a moveable bridge.
This moveable bridge is built on a canal, which is not very far from Leroy-Merlin or the Stade-de-France. It might take 5-10 minutes walk from the Stade-de-France.

Though it had not been the first time I visited this canal, but it was the first time I saw the whole process. I saw the opening and closing of the bridge which did not last more than 10 minutes probably or so. Actually, I was busy in taking pictures, that I forgot about the time factor.

Here are the pictures of the bridge, and it will help you understand how it really happens!!

The engine of the bridge; it controls the movement of the bridge!

This is another pictures of the mechanism, controlling the movement of the bridge to let the ships and boats pass under it!!

Unfortunately, I had been a bit late and could not make the picture of the ship when it was passing from the place of the bridge. However in this photo you can see that the ship has passed, happily. You might be wondering, from where did I make this picture. Well, I had been standing on another bridge, which is higher and not removeable!!!

 The moveable bridge is back on its original place! Soon, it will be open for traffic!

 Here you see the barriers are opening up !! The people have already started to walk :)

Well in this picture - you can see that people have started to walk on the bridge. A car is also going on. And, after making this picture, I also started to move away :)

If you are interested to learn more about the moveable bridges, then you can visit the title of moveable bridges at wikipidia.

How To Buy A Dream Apartment In Paris; Some Tips For Apartment Hunting In Paris.

Having an apartment in Paris, the city of lights and love, is a dream of almost every single person. Paris is one of the world’s best cities to live. However, to find an apartment in Paris, the French capital, is not that easier. So, here are some of the tips which will give you an idea how to buy an apartment in Paris

The very first thing you need to know is that in which district of Paris you want to buy your future apartment. Paris is divided in 20 districts, which are known as arrondissements in French. Every district of Paris is administered separately and independently. In addition, the number of different communities living in Paris also varies in different districts. So, the very first thing you need to know is that find out the district where you want to live.

After choosing the right neighborhood, you need to think that which part of the specific district suits your needs well, for example, commuting. You need to visualize your future commuting needs. Would you be using your own car or public transport system. By the way, Paris is served by the world’s best transport system. In short, most of the times, it will be more practical to use Paris Metro than to your own car. Anyway, try to find out the place where you can have the main metro, or RER lines. It will help you to commute easily in the future.

It is a sort of fashion, in Paris, to live in the old buildings. Old buildings here are quite graceful and it is a lovely idea to have the apartment in an old building. However, apartments in the old buildings are more expensive than the apartments in the new buildings. If you wish to buy apartment in an old building, then consider following things.

Try to find out old buildings with elevators. Sometimes, apartments in the buildings with elevators are a bit more expensive. However, it will make your life lot easier than to live in the building without elevator, unless you are living on the ground floor. Although, elevators had been installed in many old buildings however there are still lots of buildings without elevators.



Should you live on the top floor or the ground floor? This is another important question. If you are a lover of daylight then living on the top floors must be your priority. In addition to it, if you are happen to find the apartment in the lower floors, then you will not be able to see the skyline and the sun, specially in the winter. In addition, the ground floors are most of the times darkest places of the building and is used for storage purposes as well. It is also advisable not to buy the apartment on the ground floor due to security reasons. Thus, it becomes more important - if you are going to buy apartment on the upper floors - to look for the elevator in the building.

So, now you know some basic facts about the Parisian apartments. However, do you also have enough knowledge of French language? French people hate speaking other languages, though some say that French are not good at languages. In either case, the knowledge and fluency of the French is important in buying the right apartment and the right price. If you are not speaker of the French, then try to find out a friend who can communicate on your behalf. It can be of great help provided that your friend also have some knowledge of property and real estate.


Apartment hunter can be the best option to buy the your dream apartment at the right price, if you do not have enough knowledge of French language and property market, to buy your dream apartment. With their knowledge of local market and expertise in buying and selling apartments, you can save your precious time and money. An apartment hunter or apartment hunting firm can also guide you about the buying/selling process in Paris.





Blog written by Yasir Mahmood Chaudhry

Blog Sponsored by Alpeintureparis;

Alpeintureparis is a well known apartment renovation firm, based in Paris. Alpeintureparis provides solutions for apartment painting, apartment renovation, apartment buying and selling for both, English and French speaking people. Alpeintureparis offers its services not only in Paris but also in Paris region ( ile-de-France). For more information, please visit their website; http://www.alpeintureparis.co.nr/



Traveling From Paris Nord to Sarcelles-Saint Brice by Line H of SNCF.

Yesterday, it was sunny and I were free. So, I decided to visit my friend who lives in Val d'Oise department of Paris region - or in 95 if you speak in pure French and local terms. Since it is the train which is the most convenient way of commuting not in Paris but also in Paris region, I preferred not to disturb the peace of my car and I decided to travel by train.

I had to go to the city of Sarcelles-St.Brice, a small city in the suburbs. The station of Sarcelles Saint Brice is served by the line H of SNCF trains. Modern trains are simply the great.

At the station, one can see the small hills, covered with green plantation. Though, at this point I had not been too far from Paris's busy and modern life but I was feeling that I am in very peaceful part of the Ile-de-France ( or Paris region )

In this picture you can see the board declaring the name of the station; Sarcelles Saint Brice.

In France - like many of the European countries - trains use electric energy. In this picture one can see the electric poles and wires, which are installed to feed the energy needs of the trains.

This is exterior of the train. I took this picture when the train was not completely arrived at the station of Sarcelles Saint Brice. You can have a look on the design of the front side. The design and combination of different colors give the perfect impression.

Following three pictures were taken from the interior of the train. Though, it was not my first travel in this train - however when I first travelled in this train, I was completely meserized by its interio beauty and luxury.

Right now, there is a massive construction works are going on across Paris region to modernize the traffic and train networks. This construction work is supposed to finish by 2016 and one can hope that commuting in 2016 will be far more easier, effiicient and may be even fun...

Do Our Souls Have A Gender?

That was a sunny day in Paris. In the central Paris, we were sitting at the terrace of a Café and were brainstorming over an abstract but interesting topic. At the end of our discussion we knew at least one thing very clearly; we know nothing about ourselves.



This is information age and the information is flowing every where. Few clicks in the Google search box can bring us tons of relevant and irrelevant information. So, it is a bit hard to believe that we know nothing about our self. Please keep it in mind that when I say ourselves, I actually mean one’s real self.

Catherine - unlike many of her western counterparts - at least believed in the souls or spirits, as I did. However, on my part, I were also not an expert. I had some pieces of information and both of us tried to put them together and


You might be thinking that to discuss the existence of soul or spirit is quite a boring thing. So, better to make it evident that it was not a date! It was our session to feed our thoughts, which we are used to do whenever our schedules are compatible.


The most interesting part of our discussion was when an idea occurred to my mind, and I immediately shared it with Cathe; how about the gender of our souls? This question bring many other questions into life, for example, if a soul can change its gender in different lives ( please read it in the perspective of re-incarnation, though I personally do not believe it ), or the soul is not divided into genders; it is genderless?


Here, Catherine was sure, and even a bit proud too on her belief, that her soul was a female soul. On my part, I was actually thinking if the question ( about the gender of the soul ) belongs to our world which is chained in the limitations of time and space. In the simpler words, we were trying to figure out the characteristics of the soul and the body. At that point of our discussion we were thinking if the soul and the body have similar or contradictory features.

After further discussion we found enough reasons to believe that both the soul and the body may not have similar characteristics ( for example if a soul also have mass or weight then after the death of a person there must be considerable reduction in his body weight ). Our bodies are subject to the boundaries of time and space. On the contrary, thus, we can not view the soul in terms of time and space. At that point of our analysis we wondered if gender is also an issue of this materialistic world or in the spiritual or astral world, souls are also present in the form of male and female!!


However - mentally both of us were so tired that we preferred to postpone our so called ‘intellectual curiosity’ for some other time and decided to have a walk along the river Seine!!




 
 Blog From Paris
If you are interested to learn more about your soul, then Muraqba may help.
You can find a detailed artile at wikipediea about Muraqba.
Azeemia Foundation UK, also have a comprehensive article about Muraqba on their website. To view this article, please click here.

List of Websites for Online Urdu Writing.

I love to read and write Urdu. Once, in Paris I could read Urdu newspapers on the internet but I did not have the opportunity to write Urdu online. In simpler terms, I could not write emails to my friends and family in Urdu. At that time, I did not have Inpage, Urdu writing software, so in other words, I could not write articles etc in Urdu and online - as one can do in English.

Then I came to know one site which offered the facility to write Urdu in Unicode and then paste it into any file or email. Then I searched and found a couple of more websites. One can have little problems with the writing on these websites but over the time one can easily overcome on them. Or at least I have done.


Here is a list of websites, those offer you the facility to write Urdu online. If you do not feel okay with one website, then try the other one. I hope, from this list of websites for online Urdu writing, you will find at least one site which will serve your needs very well.



Type Urdu
This is a good and simple site which helps to write Urdu online. On this site, you can type Urdu and then paste it into your email or blog. Surprise your friends and loved ones by your Emails, written in Urdu.


Online Urdu Keyboard
This is also a simple to use and good website. Write, copy and then paste it.



Urdu Pad

Urdupad and Urdu email. This is also a great website which helps you to write Urdu online and at the same it also offers you a possibility to write an email in Urdu while using this website.



Above mentioned list of websites for writing Urdu online will enable to write Urdu online. However, if you like to write Urdu more beautifully, then you can install some fonts on your computer. You can find many websites which offer Urdu fonts for example http://www.urdu.ca/

If you know any other website which offers the facility to write Urdu online, please let us know so that we can add it into the list. Urdu is our national language and it is our duty to promote it.






Blog From Paris; The Paris’s Best English Blog

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Traveling from Paris to Barcelona by Eurolines's bus.

One can travel by train, flight or bus from Paris (France) to Barcelona (Spain). Most of the times, however, the cheapest way is the traveling by bus. Eurolines, a company who manages bus services among major European cities, offers their services once each day. The bus for Barcelona (Spain) departs at 21h00 each day.

A Statue at Place de Cataluna (Barcelona)

You can find the bus for Barcelona (Spain) in Paris at Gallieni. If you want to get at Gallieni by traveling through Parisian Metro, then take the line 3. Gallieni is the last tube station of this Metro line. If you want to get at Gallieni by traveling in your car, then look for Porte de Bagnolet. Gallieni is situated next to the Porte de Bagnolet.

Port de Barcelona; a wonderful building at the beach.

Buses leave Paris Gallieni bus station for Barcelona Estacio Sants and Nord bus stations once a day at 21:00. You must be at the Gallieni bus station around 30 minutes of the departure.

Another satatue at Placa de Cataluna.

Bus will arrive in Barcelona the following day at 11:30 in the morning. However, due to the traffic conditions, it may take shorter or longer than 14.5 hours of travel.

A Bridge in Viroflay (Yvelines)

Here are few pictures of a bridge, located in the town named as Viroflay. It is situated in the department of Yvelines and in suburbs of Paris.

Have a look on the pictures of the bridge, constructed in 1852 - and think what made me to save the beauty of the structure in my camera!!!

French Senate Passes Controversial Reform Bill, At Last.

French Senate has approved President Nicolas Sarkozy's controversial pension reform bill amid mass strikes, fuel blockades and riots. French now will retire at the age of 62, instead of 60. French unions, as their mood suggests, are not willing to give up and have decided to continue their protests and strikes.


Bernard Thibault, leader of the powerful CGT union, called for further days of protest, likely to take place on October 28. “There is no treason at all to stop,” he told RMC Radio. “There is no other alternative while the government remains intransigent.” Even before the passage of the law, French union had asked for the protests on November 6 as well.




Trade Unions in France are considered very powerful. In the recent protests, the unions have been successful in bringing hundreds of thousands of people on the streets. They have demonstrated an ability to mobilize a great number of supporters and some 70 % of the population, according to polls, backs their protests and strikes. Continuous strikes has affected the transport system, supply of fuels and other areas of life in entire France.



Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, had vowed to pass the bill at any cost. The bill, no matter how controversial it has been, now is passed from the senate. Now one wonders in what ways the unions are going to respond? Next couple of days, will make it clear.

Nuit Blanche Paris 2010; A Time To Say 'No' To Sweet Dreams.

Nuit Blanche is a night which worth saying no to sleep. The festival of Nuit Blanche in 2010 was celebrated on 2nd of October. According to estimates, around one million people participated in different activities and performances to make the white night a merry and cheerful event. Indeed, I am talking about Paris; the city of colors and lights.

Parisians, as citizens of Paris take pleasure to introduce themselves, know very well how to appreciate finer details of life and they are very passionate about art and history. On the eve of Nuit Blanche, the city offered a wide range of performances, shows and activities for its art lovers population and visitors alike!

In very simple words, Nuit Blanche means a white night. However, you can also call it 'sleepless night' or 'light night'. Since most of the performances and programs end after the midnight, one can rightly say it as a 'sleepless night'.



Nuit Blanche is a once-in-year night long extravaganza which offers an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of different forms of art at no price. Entry to most of the museums and art galleries is free. The transport is available is available all the night so there is no problem of commuting in the city.

The idea of this all night festival is a brainchild of Bertrand Belanoe, who started this event in 2002 to provide an opportunity to people to enjoy and have a fun without a price tag. Cinemas and Swimming pools remain open all the night. Since Nuit Blanche fell on Saturday, people did not hesitate to enjoy the offerings of the night as they could sleep next day.

In the museums and art galleries, the festival was celebrated with some special performances. In Pompidou Center, an art gallery and library, performances started from 0800 p.m. and last performance was scheduled to start at 0100 a.m.

When I visited the library section of Pompidou Center, Magali Desbazeille and Siegfried Canto were performing their eye-catching performance , which included interesting demonstrations using books and papers. Didier Aschour was the next artist to perform 'Pendulum Music' at 10 p.m. however I preferred to move out and see what is happening in the neighborhood.



Splendid and majestic building of Hotel de Ville, or Municipality of Paris, was lightened up with pleasant and different colorful lights. On its front, a phrase proclaiming "Love the Differences" was marked in twenty languages to appreciate the value of pluralism. Surprisingly the glorious Cathedral of Notre-Dam was not illuminated. However, in illuminated neighborhood, it gave a very noble and dignified look. In Musée Guimet ( Museum of Guimet ), the work of Chinese artist Chen Zen was under display.

Artists and performers were displaying their talents in the streets, too. At one place I saw a little caravan of three big carts, of the size of normal vans. Designs and structure were quite creative and innovative, which used wood and metallic components to build them up. All performers were dressed in similar dresses. Some of them were sitting, performing, shouting on the vehicles, while others were busy in driving them with manual force. Onlookers, having their lips adorned with smiles and happiness, walking along the carriages and making pictures and movies.

One night was hardly enough to accumulate to appreciate what an enriched city had offered. I realized it around midnight and decided that next time I would be better prepared to explore this 'white night' in a greater detail.

Blog From Paris; The Best Blog of Paris

Crusader Against Corruption Pursues French Presidency in 2012 !

Eva Joly, 66, best known in France for her personal crusade against corruption, has expressed her willingness to contend for the French Presidency in the 2012 elections. She has earned her name as a judge on the Paris bench because of her fearless approach in uncovering financial frauds and wrongdoings, and now she is determined to free France from corruption, while fighting in the political arena. Her party, the French Green Party ( Europe Ecologie ), seems to approve her nomination for the next presidential elections.

Joly is a self-made woman who gradually climbed the ladder of success. She was born on 5th December 1943 in Norway, and moved to Paris at the age of 18. Her legal education she obtained at night school, working as a secretary during the day. Specializing in financial affairs, she joined the High Court of Paris as an investigating judge in 1990.

It did not take too long for Joly to make her mark with her ruthless fight against corruption. In the early 1990s, her prosecution of the infamous businessman and government minister, Bernard Tapie, won her wide recognition in the power circles of Paris. Later she unmasked a series of money laundering and corruption cases, which made her name feared among corrupt politicians and officials.

Joly received death threats when she was working on a case involving corruption within the French Petroleum giant, ELF. Although harshly criticised for levelling unfair accusations at innocent people, nothing deterred her from doing her job, and she emerged as an honest and incorruptible judge. Her fearless fight against corruption earned her the nickname "Eva the Diva."

In 2002 Joly resigned from the bench and returned to Norway, where she was appointed as a government advisor on international corruption. Working at international level took her across the globe, during which time she was barely remembered in France, and the corrupt elements of society relaxed.

Joly returned to France in 2008 with even greater conviction. Now she had the determination to play a decisive role by entering into politics, and she announced,
"I am going into politics because I recognise the limitations of voluntary action … I have a strong desire to improve relations between the developed and developing world. I want to change power structures within society. I am desperate to see a more just and more united society."

Eva Joly joined Europe Ecologie, a grouping of France's various Green Movements, and the following year she was elected to represent the Paris area at the European Parliament. Since her election she has continuously criticised the French government over many different issues, and when the scandal of 'alleged financial donations' surfaced, involving Liliane Bettencourt, the L'oreal heiress, she demanded the resignation of Labour Minister Eric Woerth. She also strongly accuses the government of "State Racism" over its anti-immigration policies.

Nikolas Sarkozy, current president of the French Republic, seems willing to contend for the presidency for a second time, despite his bad performance in the opinion polls. In addition to Sarkozy there are various other potential candidates, which include incumbent Managing Director of IMF, Dominique Strass-Kahn. In opinion polls Martine Aubry, François Hollande and Ségolène Royal are also gaining.

So how will Joly, a mere two year old toddler in the political arena, perform in such a close race for the Elysees Palace? Only time will tell!


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