Virtual Visit to the Louvre, Paris

The Louvre was the most anticipated museum I ever entered.  It is a mixture of old and new.  When we arrived by taxi.  A man came up and took the polaroid picture (on right top of book) and handed it to me.  I said "Merci" and he said "Twelve american dollars, please" and I handed him the picture back.  He wouldn't take it.  I gave him the money.  When I travel, I always have my cash planned out and he put a wrinkle in my day already.  Then there was a long line outside to get in.  Then there was a long line inside to get a ticket.    And, when we did get inside the crowd just takes you to the Mona Lisa, there really is no choice where to go.  By the time we arrived at the room where she was, the room was so full we could only catch a glimpse and this crowd was still moving.  We decided to go wait on line for lunch, so we could sit and set out a plan for the afternoon.  I still can't believe a building so massive, could not spread the crowd out and there was no going back to get an english paper guide.

We agreed we would like to see a Vermeer.  I knew a lot of painters, especially Renoir was inspired by him.  There was the Lacemaker.  We were able to get a guide.  It was all in french and the signs were french.  So, it took a long time to find it.  The collections were so unfamiliar to me I didn't really know what we were looking at, trying to find the painting.  When we finally found it, we were astonished how teeny tiny it was.  We stared at it for awhile.  It was late afternoon by now and we just decided to leave.  

Glen and Ian arrived the night before New Year's Eve.  When we were at dinner we decided on where we were going to spend the only full day we all had in Paris together.  They wanted to go to Notre Dame and the Louvre.  I was sort of happy to give it another chance.  There were no lines when we arrived, which was really encouraging.  But, when we went to buy a ticket they were sold out for the rest of the day.

We decided to walk to the Eiffel tower.  It was a beautiful walk, on a cold and dark day.  Every cafe we arrived at, closed as we tried to enter.  At 10pm we finally found a crowded place to sit and enjoy dinner.  We came out to the park around the Eiffel tower, just in time for the fireworks at midnight.  But, there were no fireworks.  Everyone around us were all excited when the Eiffel Tower went dark and we were just wondering what was going on.  We had some french couples next to us, who luckily asked us to join in a champagne toast.  She gave us plastic glasses and poured the champagne and thankfully explained what was going on.  She told me that the last six months the eiffel tower had blue lights to represent the people and now it would change back to the white lights.  But, where are the fireworks I still wondered.  But, it was exciting to be around crowds and crowds of happy people. We somehow managed a taxi back to our hotel and rode along the river.  The taxi driver was great and played fun music.  I remember the song Celebrate Good Times came on and then We Are Family right after that.  

Quote of the Day:  

 Apres la pluie le beau temps

What a poetic way to say better days are ahead and disappointment will turn to hope! The sentence translates literally to, “After the rain, nice weather.”

Song of the Day:  Adelle Someone Like You