Global Visions

World-famous surrealist painter Salvador Dali was known for his genius and eccentricities, but did you know he also owned a pet anteater? If you know anything about Dali, you’ll probably conclude that this is an ironically fitting photo of him. You can read more about the photo’s backstory here.

I just wanted to share this shot I snapped while on top of the Montparnasse Tower in Paris, France late in the summer last year. Granted, the stitching isn’t professional grade or anything, but I think it came out pretty well (and it’s high-resolution, too!). I’ve included a link below if you want to check out the full-resolution picture.

Paris Skyline Panorama (by Jonathan Brown)

Well, as promised, I’m going to begin filling you all in on my travels these past few weeks! I began the trip with a quick flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, after which I caught my connecting flight to Paris. Landed at about 6:30am, and proceeded to have three incredible days there. Initially, I met Hans and Angie there and we went for a drive throughout the city to kill some time before we could check in our hotel and most attractions opened…from the start, I knew it would be a great stay. The tree-lined streets of the city are consistently filled with some of the most eclectic arrays of people I’ve ever seen. It’s a bustling center of global culture, politics, and history. After checking on at the Hotel Campagnile, we headed out to the nearest Metro station (only 5 minutes walk away!), and began to explore the city. First, we drove up the Champs-Elysees and saw the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and many other famous landmarks. Later, we decided to go to the center of town and check out the Eiffel Tower from the ground - it’s pretty impressive when you’re right under it! Nearby there was a large jumbotron screen where thousands of people were watching the French [losing] World Cup game. Quite an atmosphere. Proceeding from the epicenter of Paris outward, we journeyed to the Sacre Coeur and the artisan’s district of Montmartre. Both were fascinating in their own right - the contrasting eccentricity of the artists and serene Taj Mahal-esque atmosphere of the cathedral were intriguing to behold. That night, we took the metro to the Montparnasse Tower, where for a mere 8 euros we boarded an elevator that took us to the top of the highest skyscraper in Paris. After walking out onto the helipad, I was treated to a spectacular view of the Paris skyline as dusk fell. The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Sacre Coeur…all of the major Parisian landmarks could be seen from anywhere. I ended up spending about two hours there just gazing out at the beauty of the city while marveling at the picturesque sunset. Below, I’ve included some footage of our walk out onto the helipad, in which you can see the view I described above, it truly is breathtaking.

The next day was full of sightseeing. We visited The Louvre, the Paris Opera House, Notre Dame, and the fascinating Gallerie Lafayette mall. As dusk fell, we walked up and down Champs-Elysees, stopping in at various shops of interest (such as Louis Vuitton, Peugeot, Lamborghini, Cartier, and Mont Blanc). The next morning was another adventure, as I boarded a train to the coastal town of Brest, France. But that is a story for another time - a story that will be told, sooner than later - so stay tuned! Below, you can check out a slideshow of some pictures taken while there. If you want to see more, feel free to check out more shots on Flickr!