4.01.2005
cathedrals and museums
Times reflect the local time in Paris. Due to circumstances beyond my control, but generally regarding not being able to find internet access for my laptop, I was unable to update my blog posts live. Blog postings reflect, thus, the time and date that I wrote the entries, but all of them were posted back here in Oxford on Monday night.
What a phenomenal day! And wow my shoulders are tired.
We went first to get pastries: I had a delicious apple danish-type thing, which was phenomenal. Sour apple in a beautifully buttery crust. All complaints made about Americans not knowing how to make pastries are entirely well-founded.
Went to the Musée d’Orsay and saw some excellent things. Realized that the Orsay was open late – went to Sainte-Chapelle instead. I remember the first time I went to Sainte-Chapelle. I had only seen it from black and white photographs and had never really understood why it was a tourist draw. You climb these really old stone spiral stairs and suddenly before you unfolds the most amazing blast of red and blue stained glass. I think it was fifteen different windows, each with a distinct story to tell, all shining forth with (today) the most magnificent light. It’s really true – the walls just melt away and all that’s left are these incredible windows.
From there we went to Notre Dame, which certainly doesn’t disappoint either. Cathedrals are wonderful – they’re huge, they have gravitas and majesty, and even the least religious among us cannot help but be moved by them. Notre Dame, National Cathedral in Washington, Westminster Abbey, and the Duomo in Milan are all examples of these. I wish I could add the Duomo in Florence to that list, but it was far too touristy and almost kind of tacky. The line to climb the towers, however, was way long – we’ll go back tomorrow. Leaving the cathedral behind, we walked along the Seine to the Ile Ste.-Louis for ice cream, as recommended by Let’s Go. Usually, I just walk away from Notre Dame the same way I come, from the massive façade to the west. It’s amazing to see the other side, with the flying buttresses and the intricate architecture. Once at the gelato stand, I had two scoops: white chocolate and blood orange. Diana had honey nougat. Both choices were fantastic. We also wandered into a fois gras store, in which the proprietor gave us samples of both fois gras and wine. That needs to happen more often.
Visited the Louvre museum, of only to scope out what we’d like to see tomorrow, and then back to the Orsay. On the way, we passed by the Hôtel-de-Ville (Paris City Hall), which is still all decked out in the Paris 2012 Olympic stuff. Last week, when I got really bored, I flipped through all of the bid books online for the five Olympic candidate cities. Madrid and Moscow don’t have a prayer – terrible bids. New York has a nice bid book, but having lived near New York and worked in New York, I really don’t see it working very well. London’s bid is very professionally done, but it took a small hit when the Queen herself expressed admiration for the French bid. I think it’ll be Paris. That’d be nice. We also wandered along the quai de Gesvres, which was the largest proliferation of plant life I’ve seen concentrated on a few city blocks. It’s nothing but florists whose shops spill out onto the sidewalk. Like being in a big garden, or at least, in a big garden center.
While on the way, Diana and I discussed an interesting physics problem: when you’re drawn and quartered (this was inspired by what happened in1610 at city hall plaza to Henry IV’s assassin) what exactly happens? Is there a possibility in a highly hypothetical world that each of your limbs rips off, leaving your torso and head in the exact center? Could you be drawn and quartered with ponies? Such questions!
Back at the Musée d’Orsay, I’ve never been so thorough with a museum in my life – I think we saw every room and almost every piece of art. Truly an amazing experience, if a little overwhelming. Favorites are too numerous to list.
Dinner tonight was at a classically French restaurant run by a Japanese chef whose specialty was a magret de canard in a teriyaki glaze. Outstanding – it also came with a puree of leeks and cheese, steamed snow peas, and mashed sweet potato. mmmm Wine tonight was a Bordeaux, which was perfect with the duck.. Coffee to round out the meal, and I’m set to go. On the whole, this has been an excellent, if a tad expensive, day.
What a phenomenal day! And wow my shoulders are tired.
We went first to get pastries: I had a delicious apple danish-type thing, which was phenomenal. Sour apple in a beautifully buttery crust. All complaints made about Americans not knowing how to make pastries are entirely well-founded.
Went to the Musée d’Orsay and saw some excellent things. Realized that the Orsay was open late – went to Sainte-Chapelle instead. I remember the first time I went to Sainte-Chapelle. I had only seen it from black and white photographs and had never really understood why it was a tourist draw. You climb these really old stone spiral stairs and suddenly before you unfolds the most amazing blast of red and blue stained glass. I think it was fifteen different windows, each with a distinct story to tell, all shining forth with (today) the most magnificent light. It’s really true – the walls just melt away and all that’s left are these incredible windows.
From there we went to Notre Dame, which certainly doesn’t disappoint either. Cathedrals are wonderful – they’re huge, they have gravitas and majesty, and even the least religious among us cannot help but be moved by them. Notre Dame, National Cathedral in Washington, Westminster Abbey, and the Duomo in Milan are all examples of these. I wish I could add the Duomo in Florence to that list, but it was far too touristy and almost kind of tacky. The line to climb the towers, however, was way long – we’ll go back tomorrow. Leaving the cathedral behind, we walked along the Seine to the Ile Ste.-Louis for ice cream, as recommended by Let’s Go. Usually, I just walk away from Notre Dame the same way I come, from the massive façade to the west. It’s amazing to see the other side, with the flying buttresses and the intricate architecture. Once at the gelato stand, I had two scoops: white chocolate and blood orange. Diana had honey nougat. Both choices were fantastic. We also wandered into a fois gras store, in which the proprietor gave us samples of both fois gras and wine. That needs to happen more often.
Visited the Louvre museum, of only to scope out what we’d like to see tomorrow, and then back to the Orsay. On the way, we passed by the Hôtel-de-Ville (Paris City Hall), which is still all decked out in the Paris 2012 Olympic stuff. Last week, when I got really bored, I flipped through all of the bid books online for the five Olympic candidate cities. Madrid and Moscow don’t have a prayer – terrible bids. New York has a nice bid book, but having lived near New York and worked in New York, I really don’t see it working very well. London’s bid is very professionally done, but it took a small hit when the Queen herself expressed admiration for the French bid. I think it’ll be Paris. That’d be nice. We also wandered along the quai de Gesvres, which was the largest proliferation of plant life I’ve seen concentrated on a few city blocks. It’s nothing but florists whose shops spill out onto the sidewalk. Like being in a big garden, or at least, in a big garden center.
While on the way, Diana and I discussed an interesting physics problem: when you’re drawn and quartered (this was inspired by what happened in1610 at city hall plaza to Henry IV’s assassin) what exactly happens? Is there a possibility in a highly hypothetical world that each of your limbs rips off, leaving your torso and head in the exact center? Could you be drawn and quartered with ponies? Such questions!
Back at the Musée d’Orsay, I’ve never been so thorough with a museum in my life – I think we saw every room and almost every piece of art. Truly an amazing experience, if a little overwhelming. Favorites are too numerous to list.
Dinner tonight was at a classically French restaurant run by a Japanese chef whose specialty was a magret de canard in a teriyaki glaze. Outstanding – it also came with a puree of leeks and cheese, steamed snow peas, and mashed sweet potato. mmmm Wine tonight was a Bordeaux, which was perfect with the duck.. Coffee to round out the meal, and I’m set to go. On the whole, this has been an excellent, if a tad expensive, day.
