Today we took the bus to the Louvre Museum. This is a huge museum of several buildings so if you don't know where you're going, you're lost. We scheduled a guided tour which was a good thing because we tried very hard, but still could not understand the map of the museum. Even after we thought we figured out where we were, we asked an employee to point to where we were on the map and we got it wrong.
Our tour was to start at 2 pm, so we browsed a little at Italian and French paintings. We actually, by accident, stumbled onto where the Mona Lisa was displayed, so we stood in the crowd to try and get close to it. People from all countries were taking selfies and pictures of each other with their phone cameras. There is a roped off area about 8 feet from the Mona Lisa that everyone stands behind. When an employee saw Reed in a scooter, he took him right up to the front within the roped area - we got to see it up real close and personal and we took pictures of each other with the Mona Lisa in the background! Reed was having a difficult time seeing it at all before that happened.
Our tour was to start at 2 pm, so we browsed a little at Italian and French paintings. We actually, by accident, stumbled onto where the Mona Lisa was displayed, so we stood in the crowd to try and get close to it. People from all countries were taking selfies and pictures of each other with their phone cameras. There is a roped off area about 8 feet from the Mona Lisa that everyone stands behind. When an employee saw Reed in a scooter, he took him right up to the front within the roped area - we got to see it up real close and personal and we took pictures of each other with the Mona Lisa in the background! Reed was having a difficult time seeing it at all before that happened.
The tour was great - only about 18 people total in the tour. The tour guide was a French lady that spoke English very well and she gave us a taste of almost all the displays and gave the history behind the Louvre. We saw the "Venus de Milo", Mona Lisa, French painters (several of Napoleon) Italian painters, Leonardo Da Vinci's other paintings that are on display - his painting of John the Baptist almost looks like he used the same model as he did for the Mona Lisa. Our tour guide was fantastic in giving us the back story to the many paintings she showed us. She told us that the model for the Mona Lisa was probably pregnant because she is holding her hands over her belly. Just little things like that you wouldn't normally know of.
There were several paintings depicting Biblical images - one was very interesting - of the wedding at Cana - where Jesus turned the water into wine. This painting is so large it's like a huge mural on the outside of a building. It's very colorful and has a lot of people in it. The servants that are pouring the water-wine show surprise on their faces. Even a dog is attentive.
There were several paintings depicting Biblical images - one was very interesting - of the wedding at Cana - where Jesus turned the water into wine. This painting is so large it's like a huge mural on the outside of a building. It's very colorful and has a lot of people in it. The servants that are pouring the water-wine show surprise on their faces. Even a dog is attentive.
Reed's Comments: If you ever visit the Louvre, pre-schedule an introductory tour - understanding the layout and how to get to certain items was next to impossible. Using a map and asking for help time after time, we still could not figure it out. But the tour lady was fantastic. I did notice that many artists portrayed soldiers with bare nudity, sometimes back, sometimes frontal. Made me wonder about these artists. Jan informed me that the Celts were known for going into battle naked, but I got to tell you as a soldier.......fighting men gird their loins, so they don't have to worry! Note that the picture with me and the Mona Lisa looks better than the picture with Jan and the Mona Lisa. Jan is just a better photographer than me. Also it is true that Mona Lisa's eyes seem to follow you. Because we were allowed closer access than the general public, due to my disability, and the fact that we visited the Mona Lisa twice, once on our own, and once with the tour, I was able to roll past her from left to right and then from right to left. I paused several times on both trips, and each time it did seem her eyes were looking directly at me. That's about 12 positions over a 50 foot distance. In the wedding at Cana, Jesus and Mary are pretty much in the center, and you recognize them because of the glow around their heads. At the Notre Dame cathedral, I was most impressed by the ringing of the bells as we walked along the north side....really awesome! It was great to hear the stories behind so many of the paintings. While a picture is worth a 1,000 words, a painting is not appreciated until you hear many words of explanation, the back story. The comments of the guide were so much better than my comments to Jan as we went through on our own. I'm funny a lot of the time, but I am a bit of a smart aleck when it comes to paintings. On a food note: burgers in France taste much better than burgers in England. I am loving our time here; the weather is beautiful, Jan is beautiful, and the chocolate eclaires I had were fantastic!
Back to Jan's blog:
After spending several hours at the Louvre, we took a bus to Notre Dame Cathedral. Today was a bright sunny day so we had great picture opportunities. The Cathedral is very ornate with lots of carvings of saints and gargoyles. We went inside for a short time and tried to get pictures of the beautiful stained glass windows. I have posted some pictures here to try to give you an idea what it's like. We also got to hear the bells as we walked by on our way back to the hotel. Very beautiful!
Back to Jan's blog:
After spending several hours at the Louvre, we took a bus to Notre Dame Cathedral. Today was a bright sunny day so we had great picture opportunities. The Cathedral is very ornate with lots of carvings of saints and gargoyles. We went inside for a short time and tried to get pictures of the beautiful stained glass windows. I have posted some pictures here to try to give you an idea what it's like. We also got to hear the bells as we walked by on our way back to the hotel. Very beautiful!
Walking back from Notre Dame, we crossed the Seine River on the Pont de l'Archeveche bridge where there are thousands of padlocks hanging on a chain-link fence along the bridge. I asked what was the significance of the locks and was told "It is for love, amour!" Well we looked it up on google and found that it is a fad started several years ago in which lovers pen their initials or love message on a padlock, lock it onto the fence and throw the key into the river thereby locking the love together forever. Very romantic. We even saw a bridal party getting their pictures taken there. This is what the lover's fence looks like:
I can understand why Paris is the city of love. There is such a ambiance and mood created by just walking the streets - there are flower shops, outdoor cafes and trees, parks and water - it has all the elements to enhance your romantic outing.