AU REVOIR PARIS

Well, the final day of my stay in Paris is winding down.

Yesterday morning I began by going to Sainte-Chapelle, which was built in 1248 and boasts the possession of the crown of thorns. The colors inside are dream-like, and the stained glass is like nothing I’ve ever seen elsewhere. It is small, but it possesses great architectural harmony. This is probably because it was built in only five years under the direction of one architect, unlike Notre-Dame which took over 200 years to build.

Then I walked over to the Latin Quarter and paid a visit to Shakespeare & Company (our rival used bookstore in Paris). There was no sign of George Whitman, or any of the aspiring writers he allows to crash there (not a bad gig as you have a view of Notre-Dame across the river). I know that George is in semi-retirement…maybe this doesn’t happen anymore.

I walked up and down the tiny streets and wide boulevards winding my way back along the Seine to my hotel. I took a nap and then headed to the Pompidou which is the museum for modern art here in Paris. I decided to have dinner at the top of the museum as I have heard it offers a beautiful view of the sunset over Paris and it did, but by the time my fancy meal was finished the museum was about to close. So I made it an early evening, returned to the hotel and fell asleep watching the only American TV show I have found so far that isn’t dubbed: The Office (with subtitles in French).

This morning it was a bit rainy, and since I wanted to get back to the Louvre, I did. The Metro has a stop that brings you in underneath the museum. For a limited time, the Louvre has a special showing of works by the greatest of all ancient Greek sculptors, Praxiteles. For this special presentation of his work they have gathered sculptures from all over the world, even the Vatican. It was amazing, but no pictures allowed—I snapped three before I was warned in French by a museum guard.

Since I missed the art of the Pompidou last night, that is where I went to next. It was much better than the Tate in London—more on par with the MOMA in NYC. There was a little of everything. As I understand it, there is no permanent collection—it constantly changes. What is particularly intriguing is how many new artists get represented there. I guess Paris has always been the place where new art is first recognized. Many years ago the poet John Ashbery began his career writing for “Art News” which covered many of those “new” artists whose names are now part of our common vernacular.

Tomorrow will be a long day of travel. Up very early and to the airport in Paris I fly to London where I wait two hours for my nine hour flight back to Miami. By the time I drive back home from MIA it will be 2:00 AM Paris time (8:00 PM Florida time). I have one day to recover from the jet-lag and then it’s back to work.

ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT IN PARIS

Saturday was another busy day. I began by going up to Montmartre, which is the highest point of the city and upon which stands the Sacre-Coeur. This area was the place where the artists used to live as it was an inexpensive area. It is still a place where working artists produce and display their paintings. There are also many caricaturists who try to get you to let them sketch you.

From Montmartre I took a cab to the Orsay museum. This museum houses the French art of the 19th century. In other words, Monet, Cezzane, Degas, van Gogh, Renoir, Manet, Gauguin. The museum itself used to be a train station and is absolutely beautiful and fully restored.

From the Orsay I took the metro to the Opera district and walked around. Then I returned to the hotel where my tour group left for a dinner trip and an evening cruise down the Seine. I can understand why they call Paris the “city of lights.”

ANOTHER GREAT CITY

I arrived in Paris Thursday morning and then took the Metro over to the area of the Pompidou Center which is a modern art museum with all of its pipes and ducts on its exterior. I took a walking tour from there over to the Louvre. This walking tour went through areas that one can only get to on foot. People live in every part of Paris, and in every part there is a little of everything. I saw cathedrals and tattoo parlors, palaces and playgrounds with children playing, grand fountains with magnificent statues in front of a McDonalds.

Friday was a very full day. I started by taking a bus tour of the city which made several stops including Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe, then I went to Versailles, and then I took a guided tour of the Louvre. Over eleven hours of non-stop beauty.

Much of the beauty of Paris, I believe, comes from the fact that Parisians have no qualms about combining the new with the old; modern art sculptures installed in the courtyard of a sixteenth century palace; stark glass pyramids built in front of the ornate Louvre; a tall metal tower installed in the middle of the city (Eiffel). All of these things cause(d) much controversy, but in the end the majority of the people here come to love them.

This if very different from London: the National Trust would never allow such incongruous alterations of its historical sites.

My hotel room is typically European and tiny which does not warrant a picture. Also there is no complimentary internet access at the hotel. I must pay 4.50 Euros for one hour of access, and that is only good for 24 hours and then I must purchase a new hour. So I’m writing these installments offline and logging on to upload them as quickly as I can. What follows is a random, but chronological selection of pictures.

BUSY DAY

Because of the rain throughout the day, I decided to hit some museums. First I went to the British Museum wherein is collected a vast repository of artifacts stripped from the Empire over the centuries. Photos were allowed too. Then off to the Tate Modern, which is London's answer to our MOMA. Fantastic museum, but no pictures allowed. It was about 3:30 by the time I left the Tate and suddenly the sun began to show itself so I went to Westminster where I saw Big Ben, Parliament, and went inside the Abbey. Then I went across the street to take a spin on the London Eye--a 1/2 hour "flight" as they call it. Great view above the city.

I must be packed and ready to leave for Paris in one hour (6:00 AM) so here is a very small random selection from the 300+ pictures I took yesterday.

TOUCH OF HISTORY

It was a beautiful day yesterday. First stop was Stonehenge where I took these pictures. I was worried that it would fail to impress me, but I was wrong. There is something about standing in the very presence of history from which our humanity touches the common desires and dreams of the those who created something lasting in the distant past. As we see in great works of art we may connect with that greatest part of the human spirit that reaches out beyond its given moment, and beyond our grasp to speak of its essence, except to say "I am not alone."

The second stop was Bath where I took the pictures below of the only Roman bath in the world that still has water in it. And the water in this one comes up from the only hot spring in England.

Today is my last day in England. Tomorrow I take the Eurostar for the 2 1/2 hour high-speed ride to Paris through the Chunnel. As it is supposed to rain most of the today I may end up visiting the big museums which (mostly) ban photography.

Thank you Amy for your nice email. It's good to know that you are enjoying the blogging.

POWER AND MAJESTY

Just a quick post. It rained lightly all day on Monday which made outdoor photography a challenge. The first picture below is borrowed from another internet source to give a sense of the size of Windsor Castle. This is the preferred home of the Queen where she goes on weekends and holidays. There are several Rembrandts hanging among the enormous collection of art and artifacts, but this is actually a working Castle where the Royal Family lives and where many important ceremonies are held. No photos allowed inside though.

In the evening I went to see Equus which was much better than I expected. The stark minimalism of its stage elements focused more power upon the performances. Richard Griffiths, who played Martin Dysart, the psychologist treating the disturbed Alan Strang, was amazing. Daniel Radcliffe, who played Alan, was outstanding. I don't need to make a prediction that he will become a great actor--he already is one!

This morning I'm off to the town of Bath to see the ancient Roman Ruins there. Then over to Stonehenge. Luckily, the weather seems to have cleared up.

THEY CALL IT LIQUID SUNSHINE TOO

I went to Oxford today and then to Stratford upon Avon where I stood in the room where W.S. was born. It rained all day. Cold and windy too. So not the best day for photos except under my umbrella when it slowed to a light drizzle. I'm nursing a sore throat so I'm not going to say much more but here are a few shots from Oxford.

By the way, is anyone reading these posts??? Please leave me a comment by clicking below.