Yeah, we were busy today (but such is life when your all-access pass to the museums of Paris is only good for 4 days). We started off the day at the Musee d'Orsay. This is a converted train station that holds all the Impressionist art in the city. They've got Monet, Manet, Gauguin, Cezanne, Renoir, Rodin (including a complete marble cast of his unfinished Gates of Hell), Toulouse-Lautrec, and of course, Van Gogh. The Orsay had a special temporary Van Gogh exhibit featuring their own vast collection supplemented by works from private collections and leading art museums from around the world (including a painting from the St. Louis Art Museum.)
After that, we crossed a footbridge covered in padlocks on our way to the Tuileries to see the Orangerie. The locks are put there by couples who write their names on them, lock them to the bridge, and throw the keys in the Seine to commemorate being together forever. Since my better half is unfortunately half a world away, I passed by wistfully and made a note for a future trip. The Orangerie itself is a small museum, but its main draw is that it was designed by Monet to hold several giant water lily paintings in the round in two rooms. Photography was not allowed there, so I don't have any pictures for you guys. You'll just have to see for yourself.
Next was the obligatory trip to Notre Dame. This is the classic example of gothic architecture, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. Even an atheist who isn't a big fan of the Catholic church will marvel at the carved facade, and the stained glass is magnificent, especially the massive rose windows at the transepts and back of the church. My wimpy phone camera didn't do those justice, and it seemed rude to take pictures of the rest of the insides while people were in there celebrating mass and doing other Catholic stuff (I think they have some relics in there that people were lining up to kiss, but it seemed rude to ask them what they were doing).
After a break for Berthillon ice cream on Ile Saint-Louis (represent), we went to the Arc de Triomphe. Unless you want to get run down by a lunatic Parisien in a Citroen, you can only get to the Arc from a tunnel with entrances on the Champs Elysees or Avenue de Grand Armee. The elevator to the top was broken, so we had a long spiral staircase to go up. The view on top is worth it though, as the Arc is at the intersection of eight grand boulevards that radiate out like spokes from a wheel. We then had fondue in the Latin Quarter (mmmm), and then returned home exhausted.
Tomorrow will probably involve the Dali Museum, Montmartre, and yes, the Eiffel Tower.
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