Louvre 2

The morning after Versailles, we indefatiguably went
on to our 2nd visit to the Louvre, starting with
Napoleon III's apartments, another first for us, and,
I must say, last also 

19th century Parisian conversation pit 

Cool fold-up desk; Ikea, note

Struggling artists need not despair: space remains at the
Louvre...must match moss green, no large formats, please 

 

And old family favorite, "The Pinch," we understand the
deep allegory underlying it is subject of a new Dan Brown
novel 

 

Well, by this point, I was totally Louvred-out,
again, and repaired to a cafe; Vicki carried on
intrepidly--she had the audio-guide--visiting
other exhibits and departments and taking
some 60 more pix she swears she'll look at
some day and help me edit for the blog 

She got this close to the painting they all fuss about,
inexplicably  

But her real triumph of the day was this shot of a 7-foot
American guy with the child, private guide, attendants,
guards, and the rest...later confirmed to be Kobe Bryant;
paparrazza indeed!

Versailles 3 (the last, I promise)

At its height, Versailles had 1,500 working fountains, now only 300

But one of the treats, on selected days, is to watch them all in operation, or as many as you can get to

All of the fountains are still gravity-fed, as in the 18th century; here, Vicki has found the main switch for the Neptune Basin

Neptune Basin at high tide/full eruption
 
Workers walking away with the cranks; that's all, folks

One last chateau shot

Versailles 2

Gardens















Sometimes contemporary art rears its ugly/silly head
 
Grand canal

After chateau and gardens we (some of us) went on to the Queen's domain, Marie Antoinette's private retreat and the hamlet, a village specially constructed for her to play peasant (so I think I once read)
Most of the furniture at Versailles is period-furniture, not the original stuff; except, I assume's MA's toilet
One of the larger buildings in the hamlet
 
The mill; I prefer to think of the hamlet as an early instance of social experimentation ("what if they were to eat only cakes?")

Versailles 1

Saturday we all took the train and met in Versailles to do the chateau and gardens and fountains. It was crowded, but the weather cooperated, and we had a good if exhausting day, including, for Vicki and me, several things we had not seen in previous visits. I doubt whether any of us got back home much before midnight.

We are in the third lap of the queue; largest crowd we have ever seen at Versailles The official royal chamber was below the clock; I wonder if the incessant big-time ticking kept him awake Chapel; alas, the Opera, my favorite, was closed for renovation Our guy Louis Hall of Mirrors Tagging in the Hall of Mirrors, 1842 In the Hall of War, which I had never before visited; many paintings of Napoleon, here the campaign over the Alps, early in his career Will and Rachel in the gardens Saturday we all took the train and met in Versailles to do the chateau and gardens and fountains. It was crowded, but the weather cooperated, and we had a good if exhausting day, including, for Vicki and me, several things we had not seen in previous visits. I doubt whether any of us got back home much before midnight.

Reserved for guest blogger 2

Reserved for guest blogger 1

Orangerie

Rodin's Kiss, outside the Orangerie

Rarely-seen unpainted corner of the Water Lilies
 
Vicki and me
 
Rebecca and Jeremy
 
Rebecca and Vicki

Tuileries and obelisk
 
 "Too many museums!"

Musee D'Orsay, 2009

I love their logo
 
Little did Van G know he'd be doing the signature piece for a museum
 
Interior of the old train station...lots of clocks
 
Clock view of Mont Martre
 
2nd floor aerial view of the large model of the old Paris Opera; an aviator has skillfully landed his paper airplane on the roof (how many other blogs will show you such keen-eyed observations?)
Another unusual view, looking out the fifth floor escalator on the entry side
 
Renoir's portait of Wagner
 
Source of the Coca Cola polar bear ad image

Not pictured: my favorite D'Orsay piece, Courbet's L'Origine du monde. I have pix of all the usual D'Orsay classics, if anyone wants to see them, but thought today's blog might feature the unusual. Courbet is a bit too unusual, and I'd probably have to have the blog status changed to "mature content" or somesuch.

Leon of Brussels

The Leon's near Les Halles

Me, demonstrating proper technique

Interior, with Manneqin Pis replica

Two carafes of Eau de Paris

Our (well, Rachel's and my) favorite mussels and frites restaurant in Paris; now with 9 locations. Much as I love mussels and frites here, and the muscadet, nothing compares with the green shells of New Zealand.

Saint Chapelle

Lower level ceiling (for courtiers, functionaries, administrators, etc.)
King Saint Louis himself
 
The upper, proper level, where the King worshipped, is as stunning as ever, although the north side needs a wash
 
Rose window
 
Specimen window