Day 4: Zee Day of Treats for Zee Eyes and Zee Mouth!

There's no post for day 3 because, well, I did a whole lot of nothin', and it was spectacular. So not too much to report. Today, however, was a different story. Prepare for picture overload!

I started my day by getting my picture taken in a photo booth. I had it in my mind that I would get an unlimited weekly Metro pass, for which you need a picture, but for the life of me I can never find a station with an attendant. Alors...



Next up, the Louvre! Enjoy the plethora of photos.


The main entrance.


I really was there!


Inside the big pyramid. Cool, I.M. Pei!


Inside there is an inverted pyramid.


Did you read The Da Vinci Code?





I took a highlights tour, and the first stop was the Venus de Milo. She's a special lady because she happens to be a Greek original. While most Greek statues are actually Roman copies, this babe survived over 2,100 years to become a huge celebrity, only managing to lose her arms.


A couple of panels from the Parthenon.





A googley eyed man. Don't think he looked like this in person. When this bust was made it would have been painted bright colors and his eyes inlaid with stones.


At the bottom of the staircase, looking up at the Winged Victory of Samonthrace.


She stands at the prow of a boat, windswept and sea sprayed. Rick Steves frustrated me, because he compares this to the Venus de Milo. He's saying that the winged victory is older, Hellenistic, and the Venus is classic Greek, WRONG. Steve, you have the dates written down in front of you. You can still make the same argument, you just need a few more sentences to get it correct. Ugh, anyway...



Winged Victory's right hand, which was discovered in the 1950's, in Turkey, a century after the discovery of the statue itself.


The Hall of Apollo, with a ceiling undergoing some repairs. This room has paintings on the walls of court painters and kings, and displays royal dining services. Imagine chandeliers lighting this hall, with a long table and a big feast all laid out.


The crown jewels of France, including the crown of Louis XV with the 140 carat Regent Diamond.


A statue of Diana.


Oh Caravaggio, I can spot your paintings from across the room. Or in this case, the grand gallery. You always paint yourself into them!


A gentleman painting a replica.


Practicing her skills at Raphael.


The four seasons, personified by food faces.


The inverted pyramid as seen from above.


And OF COURSE. Two of the FIVE Leonardo Da Vinci's are on loan, including the Madonna of the Rocks. I guess I'll just have to come back...


What's all the hubbub? What's that postage stamp doing on an entire wall? Behind bulletproof glass?


Oh yeah, La Jaconde, My Lady Lisa, or Mona Lisa.


Hi cutie!


Oh Veronese, what delights you show in The Marriage at Cana. Not only do you paint yourself and your pals in, disregard the marriage, and make Jesus look like he's doubting if he should have come, but you managed to slip in...


Peek-a-boo! Wish we were invited...


And look at this cat! Wrestling with the lion on the amphora. Hilarious!


One of my favorite paintings of one of my favorite people by one of my favorite artists. Yes, it's The Coronation of Napoleon by Jaques Louis David!


Monsieur le Pape, give zat crown to moi, s'il vous plait. I shall crown myzelf aend mon prezious Josephine!


Hey look! Hey David! I see you!


A who's who guide to monumental canvases.





A classic Ingres. Who wants to get into a discussion on Orientalism? I wrote a pretty beefy paper on this painting.


The Raft of the Medusa by Gericault! He got much better at painting. Before this he really struggled with painting zee limbs. But with a lot of morgue practice, this came out of it!


Liberty leading the people. Iconic.


Another Diana, bien sur!


Wouldn't my nephews looks so adorable in this?


Salade niçoise for lunch at the Louvre cafe.


Um....


Cleaning the window!


A statue of Joan of Arc on the Rue de Rivoli.


A candy store with caramels. (Not as good as mine, sorry!)


Their nougat was alright....


At the Place de la Concord, the Eiffel Tower appeared as a half erased sketch through the hazy sky.


Just your average, run of the mill light post.


In the Tuileries, near one of the ponds.


Mine?





I wish I could sleep like that.


A view from the Tulieries of the Place de la Concorde, on my way to the Musee de l'Orangerie.





Outside, some creepy sculpture. I guess the artist had all these amputated limbs lying around and thought, hmmm, how can I make this art?


Place de la Concorde, all the way down the Champs Élysées to the Arc de Triomph!


I passed by Maxim's.


And stopped in Ladurée, where they sell the super famous macarons.






I had a "plain" omelet and the potatoes. It had nothing inside, and still this was literally the best egg I've ever had. Parfait.


Chocolat chaud et une autre Mont Blanc! They sell the macarons next door in a shop as well as in the restaurant, so I decided to try out their version of a Mont Blanc and chocolat chaud. It was good, the hot chocolate was definitely not as good as Angelina's, and the Mont Blanc is good for those who prefer more chantilly creme and less noisette vermicelli.


Bonjour Mont Blanc!

I made some new très chic Parisienne friends at Ladurée, Laure, Anita and Anita's mother Anya. Anita is Polish, and has been living in Paris for two years. She learned french when she moved, and practiced her English with me while I practiced my French. It was so fun to chat with them!


Merci beaucoup pour votre aide, de conseils et de conversation. J'étais ravie de faire votre connaissance!



Once I left the Eiffel Tower was all twinkly. It sparkles with lights on the hour, and there was no way I could take a still photo, so I worked a little Carlotta magic.


Like a light rocket!


And I did get a few treats from Ladurée for later...


That's a cassis/violet, un fruits rouges, framboise, creme de rose, citron, vanille, chocolat et forêt noir.

I love hearing French people sing songs in English. Their accents make for an interesting rendition, like this which I heard in the Metro:

"Whell I heard zere wuz a sackred chord, zat Daveed played ond it pleezed zee Lord, but you don't real-ay cay-aire for muzique do yooo? Well it goez like zees zee fourthhh zee fifthhh zee mineur fall and zee majeur leeft zee baffeled king compo-zing Hallelu-yah!"