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A view of the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay
Classical art across the river from modern Well, as promised, here is my final entry. I got home safely, but developed a cold the next day- such is my luck. But I digress...
So my ride on the TGV up to Paris was pretty boring, since I had packed all my books away. Actually stowing my stuff on the train had been a little interesting, but I eventually found a place between two seats. About 15 minutes before we got into the Gare de Lyon I took my stuff out into the vestibule and was all ready to go. Somehow I managed to get out the door and out of the station. I hurt something in my shoulder going down some stairs, carrying my suitcase, but I made it to the hotel before it started to rain so I think it was a fair trade off.
I checked into my hotel- the Relais Paris- Bastille/Lyon- and struggled with my door for a bit before I could open it. I called home first and finished up my phone card, then took a shower. I got a greek sandwich at a place down the street, but brought it back to the room to eat because the place was
smoky. So I watched some CNN international while I ate and then went to bed.
Next morning I was up bright and early and had breakfast down in the cave of the hotel. Then I reserved a spot on the airport shuttle for Monday morning and took a Metro to the Ile de Cité and was waiting in line when Ste. Chapelle opened. It was the only place I had to pay to get into all day. The Chappelle itself is really cool- because it's so small they could open up the walls and create a space encased in stained glass. It wasn't sunny when I was there, but the windows were still really bright.
My next stop was the Louvre, because I needed to see the Mona Lisa and French sculptures. Because it was free day at the museum, the line was ridiculously long, snaking all the way back into the second courtyard. I refused to believe that I had to go in through the pyramid, so I looked around a bit, then approached a guard and asked if the line would be smaller later on. She said no, but that the line was probably shorter at
Angelina's
Eatin' in style. the Portes des Lions. And indeed, it was shorter. I was inside the Louvre in two minutes! I got in by the Asian and African art, so that put me right below the Denon Wing, which is where the Mona Lisa is. So I had no trouble seeing her at all. I wanted to get a picture of the crowds around her, but I didn't want to get yelled at guards.
I saw some Da Vinci works, and Titian, Caravaggio, etc. Lots of stuff from my art history classes. I found the best bathroom way down at the end of the Objets d'Arts section. I probably spent about two hours in the Louvre, then, because it was lunchtime, I went down the Rue de Rivoli to Angelina's, the place I hadn't gone to during winter break. I had the chocolat africain and a salmon steak. It was delicious! I felt a little weird when I was just drinking the hot chocolate, but I think that was because my body was going into sugar shock. I felt so fancy though, sitting in Angelina's, sipping my chocolate.
But all good things must end. So I set out once more, across
the Seine to the Musee d'Orsay, which was what I really wanted to see that day. Unfortunately I couldn't avoid a half hour line at the entrance, but it was a small price to pay for all the cool paintings I got to see by Manet, Corot, Courbet, Sisley, Pisarro, Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, Seurat and on and on. And the musuem itself is pretty cool looking. Lots of places for me to sit and rest my feet.
I got a free ticket to the Cezanne and Pissarro show, so I saw the rest of the museum and then went into the show. It's a good thing I did, because just as I was heading up to the gift shop they announced that they were closing early. So I quickly decided on some postcards and then emerged into the bright sunlight of a Paris afternoon.
I decided to catch the metro at the Invalides station, so I walked along the Seine, until I noticed smoke coming from the Place de Concorde. Being my curious self I went to investigate. Turns out it was some kind of motorcycle rally or protest. Not really sure what it was
about, but I had seen it on the French news the night before- saying that they were going to be protesting in Paris. So who knows. At that point my feet hurt so much that I just headed back to the metro and enjoyed a long ride back to the hotel. I rested in my room for about an hour, then went down the street to a restaurant for my final french meal. Turns out I had tripe with potatoes, but oh well, it was good.
I spent my last night in France watching Signs- in French. I understood most of it, because I knew what to listen for. Good movie, in any language. I didn't sleep too well, worrying about my flights and customs and getting places on time. But I made it back without a problem, so overall I feel very fortunate.
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