Quick trip to Notre Dame agian...inside this time!
Nest was the Musee D'orsay where I saw some of the most beautiful works of art I have ever seen. Things I never thought I would see in my life. I can't believe how lucky I am ....good thing I love art history or this would have been so boring!
Quai Branley Museum...entire exterior covered in Plants!
Today I was really excited because we went to Villa Savoye. It is a house built right outside of Paris by The famous Architect/Designer Le Corbusier. It was built based on his five points of architecture. It is very plain in appearance and very geometric. Corbusier is known as one of the glass box boys, a group of architects that are famous for popularizing the international style. This style is known for its use of steel and glass. This house is definitely in the same style. It was simple and clean and beautiful. The house sits on its own big chunk of land and is surrounded by beautiful trees and lawn. There is a wall that surrounds the property and gives it a feeling of a hidden place. We did a self tour of the house to explore on our own and experience it in our own time. I loved it. It was very modern and very simple. Every now and then there would be a colored wall or a plash of color in the tile but overall everything as bright white. The windows that wrap all around the house bring in so much natural light, its very pretty. Amanda and Julia and I went on the roof top gardens to take fun pictures on a ledge and I did some poses that I am not proud of! Ha ha when you are tired things seem much cooler than they actually are. After we finished the tour we all went out in the yard to find our own little spot and sketched the house. It was fun. I felt like I was paying my small bit of Homage to the greatness this house has known.
We caught the bus back home and went into the heart of the city. We all had really been wanting to go to this restaurant called Kong that was designed by Phillipe Stark. We were staninding in the train station debating on how many wanted to go there and what not. Darrin asked if there was anyone who did not want to go. I thought I had heard someone in the group say that their little group of five didn’t want to go becuas ethey spent a lot of money on dinner the night before. Well I pointed at them and said they don’t. Well then Everyone thought I was trying to be mean when they said yes we do want to go..and it was awekward and it came out of my mouth like I was spitting acid at someone…yeah lets talk about the fact that sometimes when I say things…they sound horrible out loud but fine in my head….it was so funny. Now randomly Kylee will look at me with a crusty and say “They don’t want to”. Its hilarious…Good thing I suck at proper speaking!
Well anyway we made it to Kong and it is on the top of this building and theall the walls and ceilings are glass so you can see a lot of the city and river. It is pretty. The décor was totally fnky and I loved it. There was this whole asian thing going on. I felt like I wa sin Gwen Stefani world. It was really cool. I had delicious food and a lovely ambience. I loved it. Totally worth the 14 euro for a club sandwhich.
Next we took a walk over to Notre Dame to go inside as we had only been to the exterior. We tried to climb the buttresses but we were unable to. We took some pictures and basked in the beauty of the Architecture, the three rose windows and the beautiful stained glass.
Next was the Musee D’orsay. It is a Modern art museum and I loved it. I think this is one of my very favorite things. This and the Louvre are the top 5 for sure. It is really great. There were great Art Deco Furniture exhibits and a ton a ton a ton of Impressionism exhibits. I was in heaven. The best part was there was an entire expressionism room with only Ban Goghs in them. I was in heaven. I can’t believe the things I saw. I am not quite sure what it is about Van Gogh that I love but Something in his work speaks to me and gives me so much. I love to just look and feel his work. I feel every emotion in the world. The texture of his pieces are so incredible something about them makes you feel like you understand his world just a bit more and you want to be a part of it. I just stared and stared. I think the tears streaming down my face were confusing to a lot of the people around me given by their looks shot my way. But I don’t care. It was my Van Gogh Moment and it is what art is all about for me. The moment it touches you.
Kylee, Michelle, and Ashley were finished before Susie and I were so we met them at the Eiffel Tower to go to the top later. They were still in line when we got there so it worked out nicely. We waited forever, paid our money and made it to the second floor long enough to get in line and be literally blown away by a huge thunderstorm. The rain had us soaked in 3 seconds literally. Then we were stuck up there because they were not letting anyone up or down. The top was apparently swaying really bad and was not safe as you can imagine why in a lightning storm. We all were trying to smash in this little gift shop on the second floor for like half an hour. We finally got on the elevator to take us back down when it broke and we had to sit for another twenty minutes. It was lovely. We were stuck with some people from Maryland…or marln as they seemed to say it. They were the comic relief in a frustrating and nerve racking situation. One of the ladies heard a horrid baby crying on the other side of the door and was like “What’s that? Sounds like a baby Dinosaur”. We said we thought it was a baby, and she said it was like Jurassic Park. Then she said it was not the little baby that was crying it was the Big Baby that was…all of course in her thick accent. It was hilarious. Then another lady was yelling for some Lisa girl to get in the car with us…help a sister out was the explanation. Needless to say it was nice to hear some horribly improper English and feel a little bit of home warm our cold wet hearts. Paris may be raining on us and beating us to a bloody pulp with its wind and thunder but we yanks have Baby Jurassic Park to keep our spirits up!
We bailed and walked home in the spitting rain. While passing our local Epicerie (Convenient Grocery type store) to load up on some snacks whih in Megan and Susie language means lots of chocolate covered carbs and gummy candy. A perfect way to end an evening….Chocolate covered Parisians treats before bed! J’adore Paris!
Quai Branley Museum...entire exterior covered in Plants!
