Well today I headed to the Museum…and of course I am referring to the Louvre but I feel that it is famous enough that I don’t need to call it that. I was going to grab the metro from my hotel but it turns out it is only about a 15 minute walk so I decided to stay above ground so I could see a few things. I wandered my way over to the main entrance…which is below the famous pyramid.
Not a lot of people around today so I figured it would be a good day to be in the museum. Plus it was suppose to be the coldest of all the days I am here and I cannot actually see the Eifel Tower because it is covered in low lying cloud.
What I could see of the Effiel Tower. I am sure the view from the top was not that great.
Standing in the centre of the main Louvre courtyard.
I was really surprised by the entrance fee as I have been in a lot more expensive museums than this over the last couple of years and this one is far more famous. Once I got a map I also confirmed just how HUGE this place is. I did not have many other plans today though so was not in too big of a hurry. I decided I would hit up the big things first and then just wander. Of course the biggest of the biggest was the Mona Lisa.
I don't think I need to tell you what this is. Hard to get a good picture but this one turned out pretty good.
It certainly is a sight and she really does follow you with her eyes as you walk. There was a crowd and I did not stay for long but I got a picture and I got a feel for her and now I can say I saw her. Here are a few more things I found while wandering from room to room.
This is Mercure enlevant Psyche by artist Adriaen de Vries. It is dated 1593.
This is Antonio Canova's Psyche rarimee par le baiser de l'amour (Psyche revived by Cupid's Kiss). It is dated 1793.
This is one of the highlights of the museum. This is The Winged Victory of Samothrace. Part of this statue is actually plaster reconstructions. The statue was found in 1863 although the right hand was not found until 1950. The sanctuary of Samothrace on the island of Samothrace in the Aegean Sea was dedicated to the Cabeiri gods who were invoked to protect seafarers from shipweck and to ensure success in battle. It is thought that this statue is connected to this cult but it is also thought to commemerate a specific battle, possibly one between the Rhodians and King Antiochus III in 190 BC.
From there I just wandered. Some of my favourite pieces were actually in the items sections (Object d'art according to the map). These included the Crown Gems, Crown Jewels and other personal items from various French kings and Queens.
Looking into one of the Objects d'art rooms.
One of the old crowns on display.
I also took a tour through the Napoleon III apartments which have been attached to the Louvre since 1852 when Napoleon III had the Louvre attached to the Tuileries Palace. The Grand Salon and the Grand dining room were both amazing. Just a glimpse at what amazing times would have been celebrated in those rooms.
This is The Great Drawing Room.
Here is The Grand Dining Hall.
An old staircase. I wanted to climb it but I wasn't allowed to.
Look a compass. I could probably use this to get around Paris.....or the Louvre for that matter.
Another section I really enjoyed had no art in it at all. This was the remains of the medieval Louvre. It was partially destroyed in 1546 (it was built around 1200) and was partially filled in when the Louvre was rebuilt. It was discovered in 1882.
Part of the medieval Louvre.
Looking through a few more of the rooms in the museum. You can stand in a corridor like this and it will seem like the museum will never end.
One of the larger statues you can also find in the museum.
The view from one of the windows in the museum. That is part of the museum you are looking at.
After about 4.5 hours in the museum I decided it was time to head out. There was no way I could absorb anymore art and well the people were starting to bug me (even with my I-pod on the whole time). I headed out to wander and see what else I could find. I ran into my first of many scams of the city. First was the group of African men who want to make a bracelet on your wrist and then charge you like 20 euros for it. The next is the girls from Bosnia who want to know if you speak English so you can read the note asking you for money. Trust me they speak very good English and they have the ability to ask you for it without the note. I was also on the look-out for the people who will tell you they think they found a ring you dropped and would like a reward for finding it. So much fun.
That is the Seine River behind me.
I made my over to the Cathedral de Notre Dame. It was very busy and free to go in and I felt I needed to see it so in I went. Well it certainly is not the most spectacular cathedral I have seen (Quasimodo really needed to come out of the bell tower to put it anywhere near where some of the others have been) but it was still worth the look.
The Cathedral de Notre Dame.
Inside The Cathedral de Notre Dame.
I was then going to head back to my hotel for a nap but ran into a whole lot of people on the street….and a whole lot of riot police. I hung around for a while trying to find out what was going on. One guy said that there had been student manifestations (protests) earlier in the day and that may have lead to them being here or it could have been a football riot. I found out later that there was in fact a HUGE football riot and that 2 people were possibly killed but I could not confirm that. I guess a Paris team was playing the Dutch team and the Dutch fans came out of the Irish Pub and started fighting. Someone I was talking to later (we will get to that) said it was pretty crazy, especially considering the game was still 5 hours from starting. At one point I was standing on the street making some video when all of sudden a group of guys came at me moving very fast and that is when I realized they were being followed by a whole lot of riot police. They very calmly moved us all back and then moved into their initial positions. Really I was just standing a little too close to the action and decided to head back to my hotel to let it calm down a bit. I hear riot police in Paris do not mess around (I would think especially since they just defused a couple bombs a few days ago) so I was not sticking around to see how it ended. But I must say…I like cute French guys in riot gear.
A few of the people and the riot police hanging out. These guys were just about to head back in to break up some fighing or move some people or something like that.
So after I rested a bit. I headed out to grab some dinner. The police were just clearing themselves up and heading away so I figured everything must have been calmed down. There were lots of shop keepers and restaurant owners cleaning up the mess in the streets though. I found this little restaurant called...…well something...... I actually cannot remember. It was pretty quiet until part way through my meal when I was joined (he asked, I said yes) by Victor…a Cuban living in Paris. We saw me and figured I spoke Spanish but he spoke good English so whatever. He was the one who gave me the info about the football riot because it turns out he works at the restaurant and was there when it all went down. I also met Danny (from Niger) who was working the bar that night. So all in all I had a lot of wine……very little of which I actually paid for and got the low down on the big riot.
So I will sleep good tonight I think. More big plans tomorrow so the sleep will do me good.
Julie
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