Day 18 - Europe 2010

It was kind of a different day today.  We woke up sleepy.  This continual dark cold weather is getting to me, definitely a contrast not only to Hawaii but the rest of our Europe trip thus far.  So we were sluggish getting up and getting out.  At least they have free breakfast here and that has been nice.

We actually went searching for a sweater at first.  I have been so cold.  I have my rain jacket but no sweater or long-sleeve shirts – I had ordered one but it was way too big – and the jacket was keeping me dry but not warm.  We found a flea market nearby but apparently no one wears sweaters here and if they do they wear dang ugly ones.  So we gave up our search and moved on.

We arrived at our first destination which was the Orsay Museum.  It’s home to a lot of impressionist paintings and we were excited to mix it up, always happy to break away from everything else we’ve been seeing.  But the line to get in was huge!  We stood in line but I started to think maybe we should try another day.  So we skipped on out and headed elsewhere.

Not too far is the little Roudin Museum.  I’m not even a huge fan – I find his statues a little too melted looking and therefore slightly creepy – but it was only just over a buck to get into the garden area where a lot of his works are displayed.  Just inside the garden was his famous Thinker and it was fun to see.  We took pictures, of course, and cruised through the rest of the gardens, stopping to eat, smell the roses, and nap on these cool little recliners.

From there we went to the Army Museum which also allows access to Napoleon’s Tomb, which is supposed to be quite a sight.  We had heard it was free for military but this was not true – only French military and even then they would have to see in uniform.  So stupid.  If you’re in uniform than you should be at work, not at a museum.  So we just skipped it and moved on.

We decided to go back to the Orsay Museum but we found the line to be only a little bit shorter.  I got in not knowing whether we would stay, especially as we would have a fairly limited time once inside, but the line moved quickly enough.  I am glad we went.  I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about impressionism but after visiting the gallery I am definitely a fan, though certainly of some artists more than others.  Something about the style gives so much life to a painting, as if the trees and the people are really moving and alive.  The brush strokes and the lighting really add to the life-like quality and make the subject seem so tangible.  Nick and I really enjoyed studying the works.

I found that I don’t like the artists that are a little too smudgy, like Degas, though sometimes he could be more defined in his style.  I also am not a huge fan of paintings with too much line and stroke, as with van Gogh, although I did very much like an artist named Signac who was quite deliberate.  His coloring was incredible though and colors affect me more than anything.  I did like Manet and Monet and Renoir.  Sauret was interesting as well with his very deliberate dots of paint throughout the piece.
I would show you the works I liked but they allowed no photos there.  It was just as well since we had just enough time to see what we wanted to see. 

We did see some very famous pieces, like the blue van Gogh self-portrait and the famous Renoir paintings anyone would recognize.  That is something that excites but Nick and me is to see the famous ones and stare a good while.  We usually understand their fame by doing so.  We also enjoy going through galleries and adding captions to people in the paintings or sculptures, especially entertaining if they look bored, stunned, or whatever.  We keep each other laughing.

We went outside back into the cold and were actually very entertained by a street performance right outside, three actually.  There was one guying playing a clarinet and in front of him were a set of rollerbladers doing some cool tricks on the sidewalk.  We weren’t sure if the clarinet guy came to add music to the rollerbladers or what but it was fun.  But the best was this man who was walking around making fun of people and creeping out unsuspecting passerbys.  I mean he was downright weird and therefore highly entertaining.  He was tall and older with a slightly bald head and long gray hair.  He had a few teeth missing and a little bit of a belly and it was really hard to tell whether he was a bum or just crazy or some normal guy that just did this for fun.

He would do all sorts of crazy things.  A kid walked by so he crouched down to his level and started walking along side him like that.  Another guy was riding his bike and he stopped him, pointed to the rollerbladers, then after their run down the walkway, allowed the biker to proceed but then followed him as if he was also on a bike.  A couple walking by, seeing a crazy creepy man, tried to walk around him but he stood like a statue in their way, moving to intercept whenever they tried to pass.  A bald man walked by and he followed behind him acting as if he was pulling hair out of his own head and putting it on the bald man’s head.  He was either mocking someone or purposely trying to creep them out.  Whenever the audience would clap for something cool the rollerbladers did, he would put his arms out, smile and bow as if we were clapping for him.  Nick and I were highly entertained.  He really was creepy though and I’m glad I was in the audience and not one of his victims.

From there we walked down Champs Elysees and finally, after some searching, I was at least able to get myself a scarf.  We made it to the Triumphal Arc, so much bigger than any of the ones we had seen in Rome.  We walked around it and, unfortunately, I don’t know much of its history or else I could describe what I saw and what it meant.  There is a little grave there though, with fresh flowers and a plaque, of some unknown soldier who died for France back in WWI.  I thought that was neat.

Then we came home and I have been blogging my face off since I haven’t posted in forever!  Sorry guys!

PHOTOS:

 

The Thinker by Roudin!  He's still thinking after all this time!

 

Nick decided to try and think too but he said it just hurt his head.

 

Another one of his works.  I just thought it was interesting but I know nothing about it.  Any Roudin buffs out there?

 

The creepy guy mocking the dude watching the skaters.  I am pretty sure the guy with the stroller was just trying to ignore him.  Turn around and you may be afraid what you see!

 

Here he is moving to block people trying to avoid him.  Haha!  I would be so freaked out!  He never said a word, by the way, so he was kind of like a x-mime gone mad.

 

And here he is "riding his bike" with the other guy.  That was his thing was to either creep you out or mimic you or both.

 

Nick and me in front of the Arc!  It's so big!  And so cold!

 

Fee fi fo fum!  I wanted to show how big the arc is but instead it looks like Nick is a giant!  I think it looks cool with the little people at his feet.  The arc looks like an entrance to his palace or something.

 

Oh Napoleon.  You wish you were that glorious, don't you.

 

Here is the soldier from WWI with lots of fresh flowers and a flame above his grave.