Ooh La La, III

Paris trip. Still Day Two I became unexpectedly emotional in this museum, looking at the paintings. My favorite artists and I saw their work through eyes swimming with tears. I had to go to the toilet and talk myself down. Part of this was probably because I hadn't eaten much that day and was likely exhausted from all the walking. But part of it was because art is important to me and to see what these people created...it was overwhelming. I felt like dropping to my knees, a la Wayne and Garth, and sobbing, "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!" My photos of the paintings didn't come out well, I'm sad to say. All my Van Gogh's are blurry. I'm upset that I couldn't get more photos to post. There were so many beautiful pieces. I especially liked the work of Georges Lacombe, Paul Serusier, and Odilon Redon, all which I'd never seen before. Only a few photos looked alright. Here they are: And I didn't know that Gauguin did woodwork. Did you? The actual building is amazing, as well. It's a reconstructed train station. This pic is from one of the bridges connecting the two parts of the museum. I'm peeking through a metal latticework hole. Sneaky! I went down on the main floor to look at the large sculpture pieces. If you notice in some of the pictures, there are spaces to sit and look or rest. These spaces blend so perfectly into the design of the building and the art which it houses. Masterful! I have completely forgotten who made some of the following sculpture. I'm lucky I purchased a guide book from the gift shop or I'd be lost! Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux: Also Carpeaux: Carpeaux again: Bronze and onyx busts by Charles Cordier: Hippolyte Moulin and Alexandre Fauguiere, respectively: A closer look at the two pieces, framing the famous clock: Carpeaux's Ugolino in bronze: Just a barrier wall but it's a great example of how well this museum flows. Everything seemed to be where it belonged. I liked how orderly it felt. A closer view of the great clock. See those metal lattice-type panels? That is what I peeked out from to get that first shot. Up off the main floor, looking from one bridge to another. Um, I didn't like how the bridge vibrated when you walked upon it. That freaked me a bit. Some close-ups of the building's details: I don't know who did this piece but I love it! I like how it spills out of its space. Hehehe. An up-skirt shot of Emmanuel Fremiet's St. Michael, in beaten copper. You can see it in its proper light behind the large piece in the picture above. Thomas Couture's The Romans of the Decadence, with the Ugolino in front: A closer look at decadence: I cannot remember whose this is. Either it's Auguste Rodin or Aristide Maillol. I'm guessing Rodin. A nice moment: sitting outside the Rodin room (no photos allowed in there), with my back against the coolness of the bench, drinking my water...it was heaven. Maillol (I think!): Also Maillol (I also think!): After leaving the Rodin room, I decided to check out the gift shop because the museum was closing soon. I got some really cool paper crafts for LittleBiscuit, a guide book, a date book for next year with Van Gogh's room on the cover (Kea and my favorite Van Gogh painting), and three small prints to frame for our apartment. I went back to that spot I'd noted earlier by the Seine and took a walk down by the water. I saw about six tents, with personal items outside them and ropes strung between trees. I'm guessing the homeless stay there. Maybe that's why I saw loads of piss puddles. They have to go somewhere! I walked back up to the street and walked across Pont des Arts. Looking in the direction of Notre-Dame: Don't know what this building is but I was interested in the spires: Back at the Louvre, entering the Cour Carree: Jardin de L'Infante: Close-up of the bas-relief above the entrance: The next photos are from inside the Cour Carree, starting from my left and moving all the way around to my right. I was surprised how quiet and uncrowded this courtyard was. Seems everyone was in the other courtyard, Cour Napoleon, where the entrance lies. Close-up of the Pavilion de L'Horlage (Sully Pavilion). I've never seen double caryatids like this before. Interesting. Going into the Cour Napoleon, Napoleon's monogram: Love this shot of the pyramid: Looking back from whence I came: These guys made me nervous. I hate the sight of guns. I don't know much about guns but they look to be assault rifles! Pavilion Richelieu. See the little umbrellas? There's a little cafe up there: Close-up: I headed back towards my hotel because I was getting really dizzy from hunger. Some bladers setting up in Place a Malraux: Beautiful fountain seen on the walk back towards Avenue de L'Opera: I didn't want to spend a lot of money on dinner so I started walking down side streets to find a grocery store. I also needed some shampoo because I didn't bring mine. I had assumed the hotel would provide some. It didn't. I popped into a pharmacy and asked the clerk. She directed me to Monoprix right on Avenue de L'Opera. Weird store. But I found shampoo, a big bottle of water, a chicken sandwich, small tub of pasta salad, bag of sliced carrots, bag of sliced apples and a box of cookies. Dinner! Well, except for the shampoo, of course. I ate in my hotel room, watching bits of CNN. My feet were aching! After dinner, I sprayed them with ice cold water in the shower stall and put them up on the bed while I went over my spending for the day. I logged all my purchases, wrote in my journal and turned out the light. I thought I'd fall asleep quickly but the bed was incredibly uncomfortable. Also, just as the night before, someone down the street started playing the trumpet at about 1:30am. Lovely. But hey, I was in Paris! C'est la vie!