Paris and queuing at the Eiffel Tower
One of my favourite places is Paris. Again it is the architecture that appeals to me as I walk or ride on the tourist buses through the streets when my feet and legs get totally exhausted. So let’s look back at the number one tourist attraction, the Eiffel Tower.
Across the Seine View. Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Queues can be long, twisting and turning for a few hundred meters. This creates a seething mass of people under the tower and along the approaching street. Also tourist buses constantly pull up, unloading and loading on tourists. Some tourists just sit in the bus and look. I have done this a few times – refer to tired legs comment.
This is not the only queuing. If you do go up the tower there is queuing at the lifts, stairs, views and queuing in all locations on the way down.
With all the crowds and queuing though this is one of those places that you persevere just so you can tick off another item on the bucket list. Once you rise up in the first set of lifts, that move on an angle to the next level, the view of Paris starts to appear making the waiting all worthwhile.
The other interesting activity to watch out for is all the sellers of tourist trinkets. They are apparently illegal immigrants so when the police arrive they scatter quickly. It’s a bit comical and adds to the whole atmosphere of the tower visit.
Also watch out for beggars. They target English speaking people as they do not have the local knowledge about beggars. “Do you speak English?” Pieces of paper are thrust under your nose to read about their problems and ask for money. I have seen the same baby swapped around numerous operators over the same day and all claim to need food for their baby. Sad as it is these people become annoying.
If you want to read the technical stuff and history, etc there is plenty of information at Wikipedia on the Effiel Tower.
Safe and happy travels!