Paris is a grungy romantic city. At first as I left the station I noticed how filthy the streets were. Also the lack of vegetation, I know it is winter, but its dull and grey. Dodging the dog shit on the footpaths I started looking past the filth. Doorways to building are grand and intricate cravings in the wood, stone, iron were beautiful. Paris is grand but real. Its people are naturally beautiful and so diverse. If you are French you must love the following:
• Bread
• Cheese
• Chocolate
• Flowers
• Desserts (best crème brulee and chocolate éclairs I have ever tasted).
All I can say is I must be French too!
Walking the streets of Paris is the only way to see it’s true beauty. You feel victorious once you have walked the length of Champs Elysees and reached the Arc de Triomphe de l”Etoile. Seeing the Eiffel Tower from a distance in Paris makes each scene/vision a postcard image. To be under the tower is fantastic and the cliché romantic seeps out. Sculptures are luscious and golden domes glisten in the sun.
Musee d'Orsay is the best art museum I have been to. I love the modern movement of the last century. Most of my favourite artists of this movement were there:
• Pierre Renoir- I love the way he paints women and children's faces.
• Edgar Degas - the ballet painting were there but his sculptures were amazing
• Claude Monet
• Edward Manet
• Paul Gauguin- the island period paintings are spectacular, but his wood carvings were fantastic. There is one depicting a woman giving birth, and the detail was breath taking.
• Vincent Van Gogh- His work is pure genius.
• Auguste Rodin- I love sculpture, so to see his work in real life was f%&k*@g amazing.
Musee du Louvre has a specular entrance, a glass pyramid. The fortress and palace sections are so grand. You feel like you need to be in period costumes....spilling out onto a balcony and shouting “Let them eat cake”. We knew we could not see all the collections (it would take a serious week or more). Our plan was to find the Mona Lisa. I have heard from many acquaintances; how they went to the Louve but ran out of time to see this painting. Followed the map and enjoyed the Italian 13th to 18th century paintings on the way. A surprise was a section of the history of the Louvre and Medieval Louvre.
The Pompidou Centre is worth going to even if you do not tend to like current art. The building itself is fantastic architecture and travelling through the glass stairwells allows Paris to be viewed while been protected by the chilly winter winds. Viewed the
• Soulages exhibition with my husband’s wicked sense of humour
• Erro exhibition, which was fantastic. I loved as a teen making collages. To see a collect of this master of the narrative figurative art movement was great.
• Patrick Jouin a contemporary designer (my age). You can see where Alessi get their ideas from.
La Basilique du Sacre Coeur de Montmartre is a beautiful church. It sits high on a hill overlooking Paris. We went to the Sunday 11am service. I have never seen so many nuns in one church before. They are dressed very traditionally and perform tradition tasks, such as helping parishers to a seat, handing out the service program, readings, and singing. Love to do a retreat here one day. Although my favourite church in Paris is St Magdalenae.
We went to the Cathedrale Notre- Dame twice. Once at night, and then during the day. It was so gothic looking at night. The visit during the day was excellent for it was a great rest point for our tired feet and a quiet place to mediate. We stayed for the daily serve of the adoration of the Eucharist. An absolutely uplifting experience, with a beautiful young choir, to help you reach heaven itself. My tears could not be stopped for I was in bliss.
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