It was awesome. A part of London I hadn't seen and I really enjoyed. I could spend days there. I'd say, if you plan to go to London, don't miss this. It was really fun and you really can buy anything there. We didn't even see the whole thing, it just goes on and on down a very long road. Seems like a fun place to just wander in and out of.We spent the rest of our second day in London sight seeing. Houses of Parliment, Big Ben, Westminster Abby, Number 10 Downing street. And gosh. I'd love to show you the pictures, 'cause they're great. But where the heck are they?! I have no idea. If I ever find them, I'll insert them here.
We did see a little bit of history in the making, and that was some pretty hefty protesting. The War in Libya is of concern around the world right now, and we saw some big crowds yelling, chanting, singing, flag waving etc. From a distance of course, because as my mother warned me before we left - stay away from demonstrators. Words to live by, I tell ya.
Anyway. We had a fun afternoon seeing the sights, enjoying one of my very favorite cities, and got ready to board the Chunnel back to France in the evening. What a great place, London. Someday I'm going to England to stay for a while and just see it. Enjoy it. It's so clean, the people are really, really nice. The food isn't great, but with all of the Asians and Indians, there's great international food. London certainly gets two thumbs up from me. Waaay up!
Our second full day in Paris, being happily interupted by London, was again filled with museums. Luckily, we opted for the Orsay (d'Orsay) first. (I say luckily for the sake of my feet - I got to have fresh feet for the Orsay) This has risen to my number one favorite museum. As this was my second trip to Paris, I have NO IDEA how I missed it the first time, but I fell in love. Really. Rick Steves, my favorite travelling companion, describes it as the museum 'where the Louvre leaves off'. And it is. And it's full of all the stuff I grew up with, dreaming about, loving, wanting to see in real life. The Met. in NYC has an amazing collection of this genre, but to see them all here - in Paris; aaaaah. Art Heaven.Monet. Manet. Renoir. Degas. Van Gogh. Cezanne.
The link above hung in my room for most of my growing up years. The paintings in this museum feel like home to me. Remember how I said I like paintings of every day life? This is it. Dance classes, women working, dining, laundry, nursing babies, being in love, everything. I love The Impressionists. What a wonderful collection. They also have a wonderful Art Nouveau collection, which I totally loved as well. Sorry. This post has a lot of 'loves' and drippy words about art. Too bad for you, huh? That's what you get when a fine arts major has been a stay at home mom for the past eleven years, then gets set free in some of the greatest museums in the world. A lot of gushing over old paintings.
Don't get me wrong. The Louvre is awesome. (more gushing) It's just a much older genre and while I enjoy it, it isn't my favorite. My favorite part about the Louvre? The building. I cannot even imagine that Napoleon and Josephine lived there. What a life. I walk through the hallways (after hallway, after hallway, after hallway...) and am in awe. What a work of art in itself, the Louvre. The pieces inside? They're pretty great too.Lot's of huge, massive works. Lot's of nakedness. Lot's of Mary and baby Jesus. But it is NOT to be missed. Someone told me you need five days to see the Louvre, and I'll bet they're right. I certainly, two times now, have only seen a tiny bit. But what I have seen I have enjoyed. Someday, I will come and really spend more time. Someday...
Winged Victory. Love her.
Here's me with corn tooth. I HATE that tooth. You see it?!! Arggh! (not to mention, what kind of enormous bee stung me - my face is huge!) I hope next fall, corn tooth will be gone. Hello U.S. dentists - goobye corny! 
Mona. She really is the cat's meow. Tiff and I talked about what made her soooo great. And really, for me, it's just that Da Vinci painted her. I can't help but get goose bumps and almost lose my breath when I see her. Leonardo Da Vinci. I truly believe his gifts were from God. Like Mozart and Bach. They are gifts to us, today. So Mona? She's really not that much to look at, honestly. But what she represents? A master. Did I say I lived through movies? Oh right. And songs too.
Let's recap: From London, I left out Peter Pan at Big Ben, we talked about Harry Potter. All great movies filmed in London, and let's not forget that I visited Harrod's (again) just to see Diana's giant diamond ring. So pretty much any Royal Family mumbo jumbo, I like. Oh. The movie, The Young Victoria. Love it. Have you seen Miss Potter? LOVED it. Love Beatrix Potter, I had to buy some Peter Rabbit items while there.
How 'bout songs? "England swings like a pedulum do" "Portotbello Road, Portobelloe Road..." "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you..." "Starry Starry nights" (Van Gogh). Oooh gosh. I'm waaay to tired to think of more. Feel free to add more in your comments. Did I say comments? Did you leave me one? Hmmm. What a good idea. :)
4 comments:
Yikes. I did NOT remember to suck in for the picture of me in front of the Louvre... I think we would have liked that museum a LOT more if we had not been so fricking tired at that point. But Orsay was easily the best after the Tate Britain, of course.
You're making my heart ache at this point. I crave a trip like this like you wouldn't believe. Although I may just find a spot in the french or english countryside to live and never come home.
Oh Portobello Road is one of my favs. Picked up produce and a nice baugette (sp?) almost every Saturday! i seriously am so jealous. And the Tate gallery, probably the best museum ever....I think I"m going to go cry myself to sleep, glad you had fun! And I love the other post before...I think you almost enticed me to come visit, with the camel saddle!
..some day..
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