Aw, perkins, it's always so neat seeing my hometown as a tourist. Reminds me that it really can be a pretty town with some fairly nifty history.

Although funny thing-- perspective-- this picture?

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That building that's almost dead center, with the red and white antenna? When we moved to Miami from New York in 1968 and for probably close to ten years afterwards, that building was the tallest building in the Miami skyline. Along with the Freedom Tower.

Your cruise pics are GORGEOUS. Love the Caribbean waters.

He starts at the station, but as he swoops up to get his bearing on the geography, he spots the Eiffel tower, just lit. I could have him fly toward it like a beacon.

Also, I could really use billytea's help. Hoping he drives by and sees my plea.

Sure. What is the what?

My bat arrives in Sydney on Qantas, and then has to find his way to the zoo, and then find his way to the flying fox exhibit. How impossible is this? Also, if you've been to the flying fox exhibit, do you remember what they sound like?

I can't wait to read the damned bat book. Hurry up, wouldja?? :)

I think I would have liked to see Paris traffic by air. It's crazy! And fast.

I got to sit in on a demo for a new yoga instructor at my gym tonight. She skipped intermediate and went straight to advanced. Kicked my ass. I had to explain I'm not doing any inversions because I'd rather not have my own cleavage sufficate me. I know why there are so few busty yogis.

Owen starts his first day of kindergarten tomorrow. I have envelopes for his lunch money and milk money. Eeep.

Heading from the Gare du Nord towards the Eiffel Tower, you'd probably fly straight over the gorgeous Opéra Garnier, which would really stand out, as would the Madeleine and Grand Palais (see below). You'd also cross the Champs-Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe off to the right. You would hit the river around the Pont de l'Alma. At night, most bridges and monuments along the Seine are illuminated, taking on a golden glow. There are a number of Bateaux-Mouches tour boats that do night tours for this reason.

So, bridges/monuments from West to East starting with the Pont de l'Alma:

Pont de l'Alma:
Not a particularly pretty bridge, but the Place de l'Alma at one end is where the flame from the Statue of Liberty is (I think it's the original from when they restored the statue at the bicentennial). Also noted for being right above where Diana, Princess of Wales crashed and therefore being the collection point for notes, photos, etc.

Pont des Invalides:
Nothing to write home about; pretty low and flat.

Pont Alexandre III:
The most beautiful bridge in Paris, and probably the non-pedestrian bridge you see most often in movies. It's between the Petit and Grand Palais on the Right Bank (both now museum and exhibition halls) and the Esplanade and Invalides Dome on the Left Bank. The gold dome is pretty far away from the river, but a pretty big landmark on the Paris skyline in general. The Grand Palais has a very cool glass roof.

Pont de la Concorde:
Sort-of boring, but is part of a pretty majestic sightline that extends from the Madeleine church through the Place de la Concorde (where the Champs Elysees ends) on the Right Bank to the Assemblée Nationale (i.e. Parliament/Congress) on the Left. Both the Madeleine and the AN building are imposing neo-classical buildings, La Madeleine especially, it looks like a Greek temple.

Passerelle Solférino, which Google tells me is now officially the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor after the Senegalese poet/president:
A pedestrian bridge connecting the Musée d’Orsay (i.e., where the Impressionists are) and the Tuileries Gardens. I think this was built when they created the museum out an old railroad station (the Gare d’Orsay, natch), so it’s a pretty new bridge.

Pont Royal/Pont du Carrousel:
Nothing to look at, move along. The Louvre would be eternally on your left at this point. It’s very big.

Pont des Arts/Passerelle des Arts:
In my opinion, most romantic bridge in Paris. When I was walking home from the Right Bank to home on the Left Bank, this is what I would take. It’s a wide pedestrian bridge made of wooden slats and has a number of benches that people hang out on (among other things). It connects the Louvre and the Institut de France (where the Académie Française, arbiter of the French language, sits). You see the IdF building a lot in pictures of this bridge since it sits right at the end of it.

Pont Neuf:
Despite being named “New Bridge”, this is the oldest bridge in Paris. Very solid looking. It spans the tip of the Ile de la Cité (the island that ND sits on) and is therefore where the river splits and you would have to choose to go to the right or the left of it (if you’re close to ground, you wouldn’t see the cathedral). The left (i.e. Right Bank) side is more interesting because you’d see the Conciergerie (the prison where Marie-Antoinette was held), the column at Châtelet, and the Hotel de Ville building (City Hall, which looks like a big dollhouse). You also cross the Pont au Change, which plays a role in Les Misérables. It is notable for having big honking Ns carved in the side from when it was rebuilt during Napoleon III’s time. You’d also hit another favorite bridge of mine, the Pont d’Arcole, from which you can see a real cool shadow projected from a statue of a horse onto the side of the Hotel de Ville. But I digress…

Notre Dame is on the right side of the island if you are coming from the West. The river is much narrower on this side (continued...)

( continues...) so the bridges are teeny tiny. This side probably has more booksellers along the quais, but the buildings aren’t that interesting. The Latin (Student) Quarter is on right.

This is what comes to me now looking at a map. Upon reflection, I could come up with more specific/personal details if you need them. I'm also happy to check anything you write and see if it makes sense.

But for now, I need to go home and eat.

Megan. I could cry. You have no idea what you're done for me. You shall have a Parisian bat named for your real name!!!!

Thank you so much. I will send the French chapter on to you, and any crumb of info would be most appreciated.

No problem. At the moment, helping any authors besides my current Italian ones is a joy and a delight.

I would, obviously, be honored in the extreme to have a Parisian bat named after me. Of course, you then risk being completely cliché as my name is uber-French in the extreme.