Paris trip in May 2001
Thursday, May 24th
In the morning, we visited Rue Cler. It’s a street full of markets and shops for chocolate (that felt just like eating a whole meal), cheese, meat, spices,
flowers, bread, souveniers. Just about anything you can imagine. They don’t have cars or trucks, just people.
In the morning, we visited Rue Cler. It’s a street full of markets and shops for chocolate (that felt just like eating a whole meal), cheese, meat, spices,
flowers, bread, souveniers. Just about anything you can imagine. They don’t have cars or trucks, just people.
This is where we learned that you kiss your friends once on each cheek...and if you haven’
t seen them for awhile, 3 times, alternating cheeks each time. We looked at the flowers and
meat and cheese. We even bought our own loaf of French bread and our own slices of
cheese. We found some “coca cola light” and took it all to the nearest park and that was
our lunch. It was great fun. We were joined by a group of kids from a school nearby and
they ate lunch in the park too. We all ended up feeding the birds but then found out it was
against the law...because they make puddles on the park benches when they roost after
their meals.
t seen them for awhile, 3 times, alternating cheeks each time. We looked at the flowers and
meat and cheese. We even bought our own loaf of French bread and our own slices of
cheese. We found some “coca cola light” and took it all to the nearest park and that was
our lunch. It was great fun. We were joined by a group of kids from a school nearby and
they ate lunch in the park too. We all ended up feeding the birds but then found out it was
against the law...because they make puddles on the park benches when they roost after
their meals.
After lunch, we ventured to Les Invalides where Napolean’s Tomb is kept. This is another overwhelming building with lots of historical architecture and
detailed sculptures.
detailed sculptures.
Napolean’s Tomb sits in the middle of the building on the
lower floor. The tomb is red on a green base 15 feet high on
a marble floor. It is an oak coffin, which holds an ebony
coffin, which holds two lead ones, next mahogany, next
tinplate, and finally Napolean himself...who when exhumed
from the original grave 19 years after burial was perfectly
preserved.
lower floor. The tomb is red on a green base 15 feet high on
a marble floor. It is an oak coffin, which holds an ebony
coffin, which holds two lead ones, next mahogany, next
tinplate, and finally Napolean himself...who when exhumed
from the original grave 19 years after burial was perfectly
preserved.
Surrounding the tomb is sculptures of his family. Other alcoves have sculptures of other heroes and saints. All the names of Napolean’s battles are
carved into the floor.
carved into the floor.
After we left the tour of this building, we stopped for a few post
cards. That is where we realized there are several other military
buildings surrounding this same area with equal amounts of history
and information. But we didn’t have time to tour them.
cards. That is where we realized there are several other military
buildings surrounding this same area with equal amounts of history
and information. But we didn’t have time to tour them.
Later Thursday afternoon, we visited
the Louvre. And oh...my...gosh...
the Louvre. And oh...my...gosh...
This is a museum that walks you through history from the ancient world to the 1850’s. The Louvre is the world’s largest museum and contains more
than 30,000 works of art. It used to be a palace. Louis XIV lived here before building Versailles. Louis’s crown of jewels are here but we didn’t get that
far. It is a huge building that is U-shaped, with 3 large floors on each part of the U-shape.
than 30,000 works of art. It used to be a palace. Louis XIV lived here before building Versailles. Louis’s crown of jewels are here but we didn’t get that
far. It is a huge building that is U-shaped, with 3 large floors on each part of the U-shape.
We only got to tour the south Denon
wing because we ran out of time. We
first saw Greek statues from 3000 BC.
They were much like Egyptian statues
to me...but what do I know. We also
saw stone fragments from the
Parthenon from 440 BC. Mark and I
were just as fascinated with the
architecture of the museum as the
pieces of art.
wing because we ran out of time. We
first saw Greek statues from 3000 BC.
They were much like Egyptian statues
to me...but what do I know. We also
saw stone fragments from the
Parthenon from 440 BC. Mark and I
were just as fascinated with the
architecture of the museum as the
pieces of art.
The next thing we saw was Venus de
Milo from 100 BC.
Milo from 100 BC.
She was the Greek goddess of love. She is considered a Greek original, a harmonious balance of opposites. If you were to split the statue in half left/right,
the two halves balance each other perfectly. Her whole body is in motion even though she is standing still. She really was a beautiful statue. We saw the
Gladiator from Athens (325 BC) at the "peak of action", blocking a blow with a shield that he no longer holds. Greeks loved cliff-hanging sculptures where
a statue is off-balance and the pose leaves you hanging there, wishing the statue could finish the motion. There were so many sculptures and busts, it
was just overwhelming. We really liked how all the stones could be sculpted into action figures or be used to represent something soft like fabric or a
mattress.
the two halves balance each other perfectly. Her whole body is in motion even though she is standing still. She really was a beautiful statue. We saw the
Gladiator from Athens (325 BC) at the "peak of action", blocking a blow with a shield that he no longer holds. Greeks loved cliff-hanging sculptures where
a statue is off-balance and the pose leaves you hanging there, wishing the statue could finish the motion. There were so many sculptures and busts, it
was just overwhelming. We really liked how all the stones could be sculpted into action figures or be used to represent something soft like fabric or a
mattress.
We also saw many Roman sculptures and
busts. And we moved into the Dark Ages
and Renaissance time periods. 1300-
1500 AD. There was so much artwork,
well, it was just overwhelming. We got to
see lots of Leonardo da Vinci’s
artwork…including the Mona Lisa.
busts. And we moved into the Dark Ages
and Renaissance time periods. 1300-
1500 AD. There was so much artwork,
well, it was just overwhelming. We got to
see lots of Leonardo da Vinci’s
artwork…including the Mona Lisa.
It was so crowded around the picture
that you could barely get close enough
to get a photo. But we took what we
could, and then moved on into the
16th and 17th centuries with more
paintings and sculptures. We felt lost
in the midst of all the history...not really
knowing what everything meant. And
we also saw sculptures and statues by
Michelangelo. It was a very worthwhile
experience but completely
overwhelming. And to think we only
saw about ¼ of the palace and the
works of art.
that you could barely get close enough
to get a photo. But we took what we
could, and then moved on into the
16th and 17th centuries with more
paintings and sculptures. We felt lost
in the midst of all the history...not really
knowing what everything meant. And
we also saw sculptures and statues by
Michelangelo. It was a very worthwhile
experience but completely
overwhelming. And to think we only
saw about ¼ of the palace and the
works of art.
On the way home to our hotel
Thursday evening, we passed by a
town square of sorts.
Thursday evening, we passed by a
town square of sorts.
They were having a protest by certain people that were wanting to be accepted as immigrants into France. But they didn’t have the correct documentation
so they were being evicted. They were mostly black people and were dressed in very colorful robes and costumes. Many people were involved in and
around the protest and the chanting could be heard blocks away at our hotel. It was almost a song and dance in the way they conducted themselves. We
could learn a few things about protesting!
We wanted to stop at the Boulangerie down the street from our hotel. They had the most yummy, enticing pastry treats in their windows. We had been eye-
ing lemon bars all week long, so on the way back from one of our adventures, we stopped for a lemon bar. But alas, they had no lemon bars, so we had
chocolate and raspberry bars instead. The next morning, we stopped and had the lemon bars...but they turned out to be banana cream bars!
Thursday evening, we ate dinner at La Robe et la Palais. It was a small neighborhood restaurant very close to our hotel. They were quite famous and had
been written up in articles in the local news many times. We ordered wine from Daniel to bring back home with us. Daniel was very helpful as he knew quite
a bit of English and told us everything that was on the menu. They hand carried the menu on a chalkboard everywhere they went when people needed to
see it after they just arrived. We got there quite early and by the time we left, there were people waiting to get in. I must admit, the fish (poisson) that I had
in some kind of spice and lentil sauce was truly the best I have ever tasted. ‘Course getting to taste all the different wines was a plus also. At one point, the
waiter helping those next to us dropped a bottle of white wine on the toes of another patron. They very teasingly asked if his toes were OK as they
seriously and cautiously checked out the wine bottle for damage. It was quite humorous to everyone in the restaurant.
so they were being evicted. They were mostly black people and were dressed in very colorful robes and costumes. Many people were involved in and
around the protest and the chanting could be heard blocks away at our hotel. It was almost a song and dance in the way they conducted themselves. We
could learn a few things about protesting!
We wanted to stop at the Boulangerie down the street from our hotel. They had the most yummy, enticing pastry treats in their windows. We had been eye-
ing lemon bars all week long, so on the way back from one of our adventures, we stopped for a lemon bar. But alas, they had no lemon bars, so we had
chocolate and raspberry bars instead. The next morning, we stopped and had the lemon bars...but they turned out to be banana cream bars!
Thursday evening, we ate dinner at La Robe et la Palais. It was a small neighborhood restaurant very close to our hotel. They were quite famous and had
been written up in articles in the local news many times. We ordered wine from Daniel to bring back home with us. Daniel was very helpful as he knew quite
a bit of English and told us everything that was on the menu. They hand carried the menu on a chalkboard everywhere they went when people needed to
see it after they just arrived. We got there quite early and by the time we left, there were people waiting to get in. I must admit, the fish (poisson) that I had
in some kind of spice and lentil sauce was truly the best I have ever tasted. ‘Course getting to taste all the different wines was a plus also. At one point, the
waiter helping those next to us dropped a bottle of white wine on the toes of another patron. They very teasingly asked if his toes were OK as they
seriously and cautiously checked out the wine bottle for damage. It was quite humorous to everyone in the restaurant.