not london. paris.

I didn't have a particularly interesting day, other than the fact that i walked past the British Library and British Museum on my way to school, just like I do every day. haha. Therefore, I'd like to share my photos from PARIS from two weekends ago. I took the highspeed train from london on thursday right after class at 3. It's almost absurd how easy it is to get your ticket, through customs and passport control. On the train, I sat with two other american students from St. Lawrence university in upstate ny who were also spending a semester in london. One was from NE, and the other was from SERBIA! It was ironic how where he's studying abroad (london) is closer to home when where he actually goes to school (upstate ny, basically canada). We chitchatted away during the 2.5 hours train ride, and before we knew it, VOILA we were in PARIS! What's crazy is that I told Jeff, my host for the weekend, about the two boys and he told me he went to St. Lawrence for undergrad! small small world.

I will preface this post by saying that before going to Paris I was very skeptical, thinking it's all a hype. but, i was wrong. the city completely won me over, and I can see why people love Paris.

DAY 1

It rained all day, so it was my museum day. I got to the Louvre at 9am, and stayed there 2:30 including an hour lunch break! Here's are two pieces that I particularly liked. I don't have photos of my own because i didn't bring my camera, but i honestly think that helped me concentrate on the pieces.

Francesca & Paolo - Ary Scheffer. I had never heard of the artist nor the subject matter, but this piece made me stop. the light, the anatomy, the intimacy, the curvature. all seemed to just work. I looked up the subject matter after getting back, and Frances and Paolo are a pair of adulterers during the time of Dante, and their story is recorded in the Divine Comedy.

Nike of Samothrace 200BC- Hands down, absolute favorite piece in the Louvre. Nike is the Greek goddess of victory. so in classical representations, you'll often see this winged figure on battle/war scenes. This statue is placed on top of a marble staircase, so approaching it almost recreates the ritual of approaching a temple/shrine of a goddess. it's just breathtaking. monumental yet weightless. stationary, yet thrusting forward. drapery, wings. some people say the want to find and attach the head and the two arms, but i think that'd ruin it for me. it really is GINORMOUS.

obviously there are other highlights in the louvre, like the mona lisa but meh. it had its own fake wall, and it was behind bulletproof glass, with a rope around it and two security guards watching over the mobs of people taking pictures.

after 4.5 hours, I still had more to see, but I had to move on to the Musee d'Orsay. Rainy but short and sweet walk there.

I'd never heard of this museum, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a renovated train station.

Elephants of Africa – Tournemine i love elephants

After another 2 hours, I took the bus #69 that starts from the eiffel tower and ends at the bastille, and covers most of the major monuments of paris. At bastille, I had a nutella crepe and took the metro back home. On my way home, bought a baguette and two types of cheese and that was my dinner. beautiful

DAY 2

Bookstore in Marais

synagogue in Jewish Quarter

bakery in jewish quarter. best strudel ever.

center pompidou for modern art. discovered SIMON HANTAI 1922 – 2008

walk to Musee d'Orangerie.

impressionism. water lilies - monet. much more impressive than moma

walk up champs elysees

arc de triomphe

view from arc de triomphe.

DAY 3 - lots of walking.

walk from apt to rue cler to notre dame + 3 mile walking tour!

rue cler market. yummmm

walk along the sienne

notre dame!

mob of roller bladers!

shakespeare and company bookstore
latin quarter
saint chapelle
last photo. view from pont neuf of sienne and pont de arts.

so that's my extremely abridged summary of paris. it was glorious. It was meaningful to have a chance to be alone with my thoughts in a foreign city. i loved having the freedom to do absolutely anything i wanted.

i apologize for the incredibly inconsistent blogspot in terms of photo size. i'm still new to this. i should tell you, this post took an HOUR because internet is quite slow here.

lots of love.