Tuesday, May 06, 2008

A few photos from the Louvre. I was surprised, by the way, to see people taking photos in the painting galleries. Last time I was there it was forbidden. Not that it stopped some people. I guess they just gave up trying to enforce a rule that people kept breaking. It annoyed me though how still you'd see some flashes going off. RUDE people. Not to mention it damages the paintings.



A very famous, very tiny painting faces....



.... a not so famous (in the non-arty world), gigantic painting. The two guys in the crowd looking at the camera belong to me.

Everyone asked me why the Mona Lisa, seeing as she's so diminutive and all, ended up being so famous. In part because she was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci of course but my suspicions are that she's famous in popular culture because of her exciting history of ownership, theft and attack.



Lots of people rush to see the Mona Lisa, passing The Winged Victory of Samothrace on the way. I'd rather stop and enjoy her for awhile instead. There's just something about her. And for the record, there's just no way to capture art in the lens. A lot of you know that already. The rest of you will simply have to take my word for it. Or better, get thee to an art show, big or little, and discover this for yourself.




These statue people sure do love their pet fish.



Another famous female who hangs out at the Louvre - Venus de Milo. They've moved her - notice, no more tile floor and a different background than the last photo I posted. This is nicer as there's no hallway behind her. Again, why is she more famous than hundreds of other sculptures? I don't know. Apparently her arms were found in pieces, one hand holding an apple, but have been subsequently lost.



It's virtually impossible to see everything in the Louvre in one visit. Or two. Or... Here I'm taking a photo from a top floor of one wing and I'm looking across the courtyard to another wing. Yep, that's still the Louvre way over there. And that's just the end of one wing. Are you exhausted just looking at it?

My sister sent us a book called Wicked French for the Traveler. One translated phrase they thought you might need was this one -

"Excusez-moi, monsieur. Il y a quatre jours et quatre nuits que nous sommes ici sans nourriture ni la moindre goutte d'eau. Pourriez-vous nous indiquer la sortie?"

which means:

"Pardon me, sir. We have been here for four days and nights without food or water. Could you be our guide to the exit?"

I could see that happening.



Hey look, they have almost as many cats (les chats) as we do!

Psst - If you want to find out what the French have against iced beverages (or not), visit Beach Treasure today.

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