If you would like to see a scattering of photos from my trip, head over to Facebook to my Gordath Wood page. I’ve put up a few over there. I didn’t post all of the photos I took of Notre Dame or of Conwy Castle, or the other wonderful and amazing sights, just a handful. I’ll post a few more off and on, mostly on Facebook, to take advantage of their bandwidth rather than mine. However, I couldn’t resist this one, snapped at the Louvre.
I was getting a little tired of all the Madonna and Child paintings and just concentrated on the portraits. Those have always been my favorites anyway. I am fascinated by that glimpse into the past of what people looked like, how they dressed, how they faced the painter. The glare at the bottom is from my camera phone, and I have to say, the camera phone does this painting more justice than I ever thought possible, certainly more than here. But even better was standing in front of this young woman and being able to see all of the details.
Paris
Paris was an overwhelming experience and not completely all positive. I’ve gone on at length about the negatives in real life, so I’ll just focus on the good stuff here; I will never forget our first morning, sitting with our coffee and croissants and watching the day bloom from our vantage point on the Pont Neuf overlooking the Seine.
Notre Dame, and seeing the statue of Saint Joan in her alcove. I don’t know if I can describe exactly how I felt. I approached the statue without knowing who it was of, but also knowing with growing certainty that it was “my” Joan.
The Louvre. I probably saw one-tenth of the entirety of the museum. Ambitious, I know! I did not go see the Mona Lisa. The crowds were too overwhelming. Instead I just followed various galleries, happening upon art that I’ve known all my life and seeing it all in real life with a shock of recognition.
Walking in the Jardin des Tuileries. It was cold and rainy then, perfect weather for a stroll in the gardens. My umbrella was sacrificed to the weather, and it didn’t make it back with me. I had to say good-bye to it, all broken-ribbed and inside out, in a garbage bin along with several other victims.
It was a great trip.
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