Geeky Cat Miusings

Here is the great landmark of Paris, the Eiffel Tower. It looks both strong and airy at the same time. It looks like it is made of steel, but it is made of puddle iron.

As I approached the tower I noticed a very long line up for purchasing tickets to go up by elevator. There are five elevators from the ground to the second floor: one in the East pillar, one in the West pillar, one in the North pillar, one private elevator in the South pillar for the “Jules Verne” restaurant and one goods elevator in the South pillar.

The ticket line for stair climbers was much shorter, so I took the stairs. It is not a difficult climb but it can be a bit nerve racking if you’re afraid of heights.

This is what it would have been like if I took the elevator:

Look at this 1900 ascent of the elevator of the Eiffel Tower:

This double-decker type of elevator was in use until 1900:

The first platform (57 m) offers a 360 degree view of Paris. There are plaques indicating key points of interest in the view. Here you can see Montmartre on the top right corner:

The tower is close to the Seine and you can see the boats go up and down the Rive Droite and Rive Gauche. There are 37 bridges over the River Seine just within Paris.

There are many folks selling typical Eiffel souvenirs near the tower, but farther afield, an Eiffel Grater can be found:

Excellent for adding a “je ne sais pas” to every meal!