Promenade a Paris

---

So it turns out that since France is so fabulously supportive of the arts, the first Sunday of every month almost all museums are open to the public for no entrance fee. So this past Sunday, after a fabulous meal at the restaurant Parc aux Cerfs thanks to the program, I decided to go to the Musee Orsay with a couple of friends. On the way we passed a fabulous street band playing "jazz traditonnel" and going by the name of "La Planche a Dixie" as I learned from their card. I especially loved the guy playing the washboard with what looked like thimbles on all his fingers. They were the first of many delights we fell upon that day contributing to a joy that seemed to be coming from nowhere as most of the city was exercising its day of rest.
Upon arrival at the museum, of course it was huge and untamable, but we decided that we would at least see the Impressionist wing. I'm starting to feel I've seen more original masterpieces in the past 3 weeks here than in all the rest of my life. It's almost a bit overwhelming. But of course simultaneously delightful. When standing in front of the most famous masterpieces (such as Van Gogh's auto-portrait, or any of Degas' dancers) it was difficult to let the awesomeness of my proximity really sink in. These are images that I have seen so many times in my life in books, posters, post-cards that my first reaction in seeing the real paintings was "oh, i've seen that one" and ready to move on. Which is terrible, I know! But that's how it happened. So I had to give myself a little time to just stand there and breathe and step to the side so that I could see the 3-dimensionality of each brushstroke and then the painting had no trouble taking my breath away. I especially loved seeing a collection of rough sculptures (of dancers, women bathing, sitting, adjusting pillows) found in Degas' studio after his death. Being a mover, getting to see someone else's observations of the volume and movement of the body is always fascinating.
Eventually, the museum was closing and so we had to leave, but we came out of the building into what had turned into a very weather-dramatic day.
The sky was putting on such a show that wherever we went we were awed by its addition to our surroundings. And we walked around quite a bit: starting from the Musee d'Orsay, we walked across one of my favorite bridges (though they certainly each have their attractions). It is the pont Solferino- a foot bridge, but what makes it cool is it's double-decker design. The bridge crosses the Seine between the Jardin des Tuileries and the Musee d'Orsay and you can take it either from the the waterfront on either side or from the road above, but it meets in the middle so you can switch levels if you so desire. My description is much more complicated than the design itself, but you should be able to tell from the picture. Anyway, we crossed the pont Solferino, crossed under the road and out into the Jardin des Tuileries which took us to the Place de la Concorde with its famous Obelisque from Egypt and the view down the Champs Elysees to what I must admit was my first sighting of l'Arc de Triomphe since my arrival.
Crossing back over the Pont de la Concorde we got a marvelous view of Notre Dame in the distance on our left and of the Tout Eiffel on our right. Again, the sky is what really made the viewing spectacular.
We then walked back along the Seine, all the way to St. Michel where we turned onto a little street similar to the street filled with Indian restaurants that I found with Carolyn on my birthday, only this one is occupied primarily by Greek restaurants. It does however have a couple of traditional French cuisine restaurants tucked among the gyros and falafels and if I'm not mistaken I ate there with my family 7 years ago now. I believe I recognized the name of the restaurant when I was there, but of course I've already forgotten it.
At any rate, it was yet another fabulous adventure in Paris which is indeed what every day is here.

---

Photos

musee d'orsay
I recently learned, though this may be common knowledge, that the Musee d'Orsay was originally a train station.

pont Solferino
note the sky

Tour Eiffel
Though I am quite proud of this picture, I must admit that most of the work is nature's and not my own.

Russian Dolls
Also, we passed this store (which, as it was Sunday, was of course closed) but it has a fabulous display of russian stacking dolls which I want to stop and look at every time I pass. I have never seen such an extensive set and it appears that each one depicts the chapter of a story, though I couldn't tell you for sure. Stunning.

Comments

[We travel]

Great journal!
Awesome info about the museum, I remember having those same feelings when looking at familiar art. Russian Dolls are my favorite, and I would love to have that extensive collection. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us! Nathalie