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Published: February 10th 2006
Well, after about a two and a half hour sleep. Liz and I got up, we decided to get up later than planned because we weren't going to shower. Now, that may sound gross to some of my American friends, but it is customary over here to go a few days between showers. Although, it is different and I embrace and can tolerate it. It is not something I would ever choose to do freely. But, anyway (did you see that mom? ANYWAY!!!!), we got up very early to catch the metro to Lille Flanders. There we bought tickets to Paris. Are reasoning for leaving for Paris was two-fold. 1. Gives up the most time in Paris 2. it is cheaper. I think the latter outweighed the former though.
So, tickets in hand, we waited for the train. Upon boarding the train, we both slept the entire trip to Paris. Usually I like to stay awake and see where I am going, especially if i have never been to area before, but today my necessity for sleep was much more stronger than my necessity to "see" the countryside! Well, it was about an hour, maybe a little less. We got off
the train and low and behold it was flippin' cold. Colder than London. Not colder than Minneapolis, but it was cold and again, like i have said in previous journals, i just wanted to reiterate the point the cold is a lot different here! There is a bite in the air.
But Liz and I decided to look around and plan out the day. So, we got on the metro and took it to the Louvre. We got there a few minutes before it opened, so we just stood in queue. By the way, queue in France is a lot different from London. In London queueing up means standing in a straight line, in France it means standing in front of wherever you are going, it looks like a jumbled mess...oh well! So we got in, and then we had to purchase our tickets for the Louvre (another difference, but as American I was more accustomed to this), as museums and galleries in London are free! However, a little red flag was raised for me here, because the credit card machine was rejecting my card!!! Oh No! I am Paris and have no credit card!!! AH!!! Well, I still had
Louis XIV
The Sun King himselfsome cash and some money to convert just in case. Back to the Louvre. We began by seeing the Mona Lisa, cuz that is what you do when you go to the Louvre, you see the mona lisa. And honestly, not too impressed. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be and it was a lot more colorful. There were dark green and maroon hues present that i didnt expect. Hey, though, I can at least say i saw the Mona Lisa! (PS can't wait to see the Da Vinci Code when it comes to theaters---May19 let me know if you wanna go with me and if you do, please first read the book! Sister, i think you would enjoy it---read it---KeeShawn has my copy of it!) I also saw some more Raphael's!!! Did I mention I love Raphael's work? Well, I do, he puts me in awe! Most of the ones here were ones I had not read nor heard much about, so that made them even more intriguing! Honestly there is so much at the Louvre! It is HUGE!!! And i just kept trying to think what it would have been like to live there
along side of LouisXIV. Most people don't like the SunKing, but I find his life and thinking fascinating! I mean, how many people do you know of from the eighteenth century that out live their son and grandson!?!?! incredible, i think if I lived that long back then, I too would think God's favor rested upon me. But that is another story for another day....
Back to the Art! I really do appreciate art and I thank Fr. Neilson for helping me to deepen my appreciation for it, as I do not think i would have enjoyed the Louvre as much! Some other infamous sites I saw there: The Winged Venus, the Venus Milo, The escaping slave (by Michaelangelo), Psyche and Cupid, the Bronze statue by Donatello, and Napoleon III's Apartments! Among those I also saw many of the statues that adorned the gardens for Louis XIV and his court. I still haven't decided if it would be cool to have those statues in my own garden, or if i would find them creepy...the juries still hung over that one! But, i do think the statue of Julius Caesar was a nice one. But after walking around the Louvre for
Winged Venus
Sorry it is a bad picture, but it was the best I could do... 3.5 hrs, i was ready for a change of scenary.
Liz and I then walked out of the Louvre and walked down the really famous boulevard with all those lanes of traffic to the Arch de Triumphe. And i think that quite possibly has been the most esquisete famous landmark I have seen thus far. Well, that and Stonehenge...again the juries still out. But it was a very long walk and along the way we stopped to get coffee. I had to have my extra strong espresso and in Europe espresso is amazing. I know i've said that coffee back home is my best friend (sorry Danny) but coffee here outdoes American coffee anyday, plus i am getting even more addicted to it! Ahhh! However, i did find it very interesting that at McDonalds, first off, it was a highly fancy restaurant with the same gross Mickey D's smell, served coffee at a separate station from the food. And when I ordered it, it came with sugar and chocolate!!! Two of my favority things in the world and I got them where? McDONALD's, the place never ceases to amaze me. I think it goes to show a positive outcome of
globalization. No matter where I am, if I get homesick I can always have my #5! Ok, so really the whole McDonalds thing really isn't that important to me, but i do find it quite hilarious how other cultures preceive it! So, after our lil break, up to the Arch! It was really cool, cuz to get to the Arch, you have to walk underground, under the big boulevard. If you have ever seen a picture, or better yet, been there then you know what I am talking about because the Arch is situated on an "island" in the middle of the road. But it was good. and I think i got some pretty good shots of it as well---
From the Arch de Triumphe, we then walked through the streets of Paris, which smelled disgustingly of dog poo, to the Eiffel Tower. It was cool to see, but I wasn't that impressed with it. It was nice at least to see it. Also it was a foggy day, hence the pictures, so i think that lessened the impressiveness of it. But, as God and you are my witnesses, i will return to the eiffel Tower and go to the
top of it! i will, I will, I promise, i really want to, just to be able to say that I did it, if I survive (hahaha), and if i do survive, i think I will, maybe, over come my fear of heights. Even though it was a foggy day, i did get a lot of shots of the Eiffel tower!
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MOM
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Paris
I'm exhausted just reading about your trip to Paris(!) and fascinated with your interest in art and sculpture.