The anticipation of arriving in Paris was EVERYTHING. It’s Paris after all.
It’s a ‘some day…’ kind of place for many people.
Visions of Mona Lisa, the Eiffel Tower and of course baguettes dance around one’s imagination.
We stayed in an aparthotel on the outskirts of Paris.
You see it’s never about the accommodations for us as much as the experiences. We sleep there and store are things there, it’s that simple.
To be honest, if we were younger…we would be hostelling it all the way through but alas that has a shelf life, and we’re way passed it so we do what we can as affordably as possible.
The aparthotel was perfect for us especially since it was by the Metro.
Paris is very navigable via subway. Get a 7 day pass and never worry about getting lost. Just go EVERYWHERE and when you’re done, find the nearest Metro and go home, repeat!
First point of business on said Paris bucket list was the Louvre Museum.
Built in the 12th century as a fortress, it didn’t officially open as a museum until the 17th century.
From the massive eyeless sculpture that greets you when you come in, to the expansive hallways that drip of history and wealth, the Louvre is awe inspiring.
That said, there is a McDonalds in the food court to bring you back to earth if you’re feeing overwhelmed by culture!
We aren’t overly art inclined folks. Heck we have no walls to hang anything on however, this place will give you a new appreciation for artists and their works.
If you want to know what’s going on in this scene below, you should definitely get an audio guide as the plaques are all in French.
Impressive and complicated come to mind.
All these cupids and every single gold leaf means something. You need a full few days to really explore via audio guide I think. I feel we will be back here one day.
There were folks standing in front of these masterpieces, phone in hand so perhaps there is an app for this.
The last place I want to look is at my phone, app or not, as your attention is split and you can’t truly immerse yourself in the piece.
They deserve your attention fully.
Artwork is complex, it tells a story and the story may not be the obvious one you see at first glance.
These pieces take years to complete and are indicative of the artist’s perception of the people and times they lived in.
This is the Winged Victory of Samothrace but you may be more familiar with her other name – Nike the Greek Goddess of Victory.
You can’t walk by this statue.
Fun facts:
Goddess Nike was discovered in 1863.
Just look at the carving of her flowing gown. Hey! Next time you get a chance, why not try to carve anything from rock let alone a flowing gown! It’s crazy.
Once description reads – ‘where violent motion and sudden stillness meet’.
Her arms and head were never found.
Can you imagine what this looked like in it’s original form when it was revealed by the sculptor?!
Incidentally, the sculptor was unknown.
Some dude just doing his thing ends up creating one of the most celebrated Hellenic sculptures of all time and 100’s of years later inspiring an entrepreneur to name his athletic sportswear company after it.
I don’t know about you but I see Nike every day, everywhere.
Warning – deep thought ahead:
Maybe we could learn something from this unknown sculptor.
Just maybe, something you or I create, design, build, paint or write today will have that long lasting ripple effect inspiring future generations down the road…
knot anchored 