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Post by htmb on Jun 21, 2015 15:33:45 GMT
As mentioned in another thread, my youngest daughter and I met up in London and then took the Eurostar to Paris after a few days. We almost didn't get out of London. Not long before we left a cow was hit by a Eurostar train and the whole system had to be shut down. Several trains, both before and after ours, were cancelled. Though we were almost two hours late leaving London, once we got going we had a smooth ride to Paris. S has been to Paris before but, since she was only going to be spending a few days this time, we focused on some of the activities on her wish list. The first part of this report will feature some of our wanderings. We headed over to Shakespeare & Company on our first day (we ended up visiting several bookstores), and I took this picture while waiting outside. Here's our favorite park for reading and relaxing; a place I discovered last year. We visited the Picasso Museum one morning. Last year, from the street, I took a photo of a workman in this very window. I'm glad the museum has finally opened, but I was not overly impressed with the changes. Leaving the Picasso, we decided to visit the Pompidou next. These photos were taken by the Stravinsky fountain. It's always tempting to take photos from the top of the Pompidou.
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Post by mossie on Jun 21, 2015 15:49:44 GMT
Pleased to see you have made it back to Paris. Dead cows on the line----whatever next.
Wouldn't you just know it, but one of the things I had intended to do was visit the Picasso museum. It totally slipped my tiny mind while I was in town.
Looking forward to more photos
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Post by lagatta on Jun 21, 2015 16:21:33 GMT
Another good site for photos is the roof of the Arab World Institute.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 21, 2015 17:41:00 GMT
Very exciting thread, Htmb -- intimate, but also capturing the aspects of Paris that the whole world finds alluring. Your "iconic" photos have a lovely freshness to them.
Thrilled that you all got to go to the Picasso museum. His work, fabulous as it is in reproduction, is even more stunning in real life. What didn't you care for about the renovations? A simple-minded observation on the garden on the left in your workman's window photo: the shrubs seem to have been sliced on the left side to mirror that slice of brick wall just beyond them. Strange coincidence.
Very much looking forward to more of this.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jun 21, 2015 17:46:05 GMT
Great start. I am looking at the Picasso Museum very differently now in your report than 6 years ago in real life, when I was not that interested.
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Post by htmb on Jun 21, 2015 19:37:27 GMT
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2015 7:59:14 GMT
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2015 8:24:57 GMT
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Post by anshjain97 on Jun 22, 2015 8:54:30 GMT
I have tried (and failed) to understand modern art. Maybe, one day, I actually get it...
Do they allow photography inside Chateau de Versailles? If I remember correctly, it wasn't allowed when I was there.
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2015 9:14:38 GMT
Yes, photography was allowed inside the Palace of Versailles, though we didn't go into any of the "special areas" where certain extra tours go. I'm not sure about those.
About the Picasso....I really liked the casual "old building" ambience pre-renovation. I also remember enjoying the art more than I did this time. Maybe I've read too much about the politics of the renovation and how pieces were selected for display, but it made no rhyme or reason to me as to what was put where and why. I had downloaded the paid museum app to follow along on my phone. The two descriptions I heard were excellent, but the app did not work properly for me and I soon gave up. My daughter says the two descriptions were for the most worthwhile paintings in the whole place, in her opinion. If I return any time soon, I'm sure I'll spend more time there. My daughter was done in an hour, but I could have lingered a bit more.
On the plus side, the museum is now very handicapped accessible with elevators throughout.
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2015 11:12:18 GMT
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Post by bjd on Jun 22, 2015 12:34:30 GMT
Glad to see you have done all the touristy stuff -- now you can wander around the rest of the city.
What flavour are the turquoise macarons?
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2015 14:55:14 GMT
But bjd, I AM a tourist! One of the other couples made the turquoise macarons. I know they added a spice, but don't remember what. I couldn't taste it, whatever it was. Basically, the main difference was the addition of dry food coloring.
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Post by mich64 on Jun 22, 2015 16:36:28 GMT
Fabulous report so far htmb! What day of the week did you visit Versailles? It must have been wonderful to be able to stroll around with so little amount of people. Looking forward to more of your adventure this summer!
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2015 16:49:28 GMT
Mich, we went on Thursday. I think we were in line by 8:15 and already had our tickets. They let us in at 9 and we were just one step ahead of the tour groups the whole time. We did not linger inside, but kept moving to stay out in front.
It was also very easy to get there by train.
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Post by htmb on Jun 22, 2015 16:58:36 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 22, 2015 22:17:00 GMT
Just the wonderfulest! Where were the last four pics taken? I love that the area in front is meadow. That brings up a question: since I love gardens, I must have seen thousands of the great formal garden of Versailles. Any idea what would have been in that rather empty space in front of the palace? I guess the carriages had to have somewhere to pull up. The random, beautifully candid shots are just great. One thing, though -- jackets? overcoats? What's the temperature? More power to you for attending the cooking class -- you are a good sport! I prefer to make my kitchen mistakes where no one can see me. I can't overstate how much I'm enjoying this thread, from the lush photos of Versailles's interior to the goats, to the gorgeous, gorgeous boat ride pictures.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2015 22:43:15 GMT
htmb, you know how incredibly jealous I am? Keep it up!
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Post by mich64 on Jun 22, 2015 23:38:07 GMT
We visited Versailles in September 2008, I think on a Monday? the day of the week they turn on the fountains, which were beautiful. I think I remember that we arrived around 9:00 a.m. and we did get mixed in with many tour groups. I envy how you got ahead of them!
What is the building in progress?
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Post by lagatta on Jun 23, 2015 2:08:51 GMT
I don't really like Versailles or that type of formal gardens, though it is impressive.
I'm not jealous, but aching to get back to Paris. I expected to go to Europe this summer, but they managed to find people closer by with my language combination. It wasn't in Paris, but there is a hell of a lot of difference in terms of both cost and fatigue between the Thalys train and the flight (though actually Montréal - Paris is not a bad flight; I just hate flying more and more). I might be going in the autumn to work at "alternative" events during the Climate Summit. Though one of my closest friends in Paris will be in Ann Arbor Michigan then!
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2015 4:36:35 GMT
Bixa, the last four photos were taken at the Archives Nationales, not far from my apartment.
Mich, I assume you are referring to the construction at Les Halles. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the new canopy roof appears to be fairly complete.
I'm sorry. I don't know much about Versailles. Maybe someone else here can answer your question, Bixa, but I'm wondering if that area was an open space back in the day.
The weather can range from really cool and drizzly, to "oh, I'm hot and getting sunburned." I have a light windbreaker type jacket I sometimes keep in my bag that also comes in handy in the rain.
Lagatta, you've just got to get back over this way soon!
Thanks for all the nice comments. It's nice to be here, plus not having to worry about work for a change.
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Post by nycgirl on Jun 23, 2015 13:07:54 GMT
Nice photos from the top of the Pompidou. I wish I had given myself a few minutes to enjoy the view when I was there. Did you take them from the cafe?
I was anticipating the reopening of the Picasso Museum (even though I can't go) so I also followed the news coverage. I was disappointed to read the lackluster reviews and I have to say, they have swayed me. The next time I'm in Paris, whenever that may be, I probably won't visit the Picasso Museum. There are so many other things to do.
I'm so envious of your Versailles photos! Looking at them, you would think that Versailles was a little-known gem. You did the right thing by showing up before it was open. I thought I had arrived early, but it was still so crowded. It wasn't terrible the whole time, but the Hall of Mirrors was choked with people.
I had seen photos of Anish Kapoor's exhibition and I'm not crazy about it. I don't think it complements the gardens. Even so, it is a pity the sculpture was vandalized.
I love cruising the Seine, it was a highlight of my trip as well.
Good for you for taking the macaron class! My husband would be willing to take on that challenge as well, but I couldn't. It's such a painstaking process, I just know I'd get flustered.
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2015 17:10:11 GMT
Nycgirl, I took the Pompidou photos from two different terraces on the escalator side of the museum.
As for the art at Versailles, I didn't think I'd like it, but the grounds are so vast that I decided the art added some interest.
While I did participate a bit in the macaron class, I tried to let S do as much as possible, knowing she's more likely to try making them again than I. However, the chef was humorous and welcoming and made the class a lot of fun. The place we went is not inexpensive, but the people working there seem to be very outgoing in a nice kind of way.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2015 17:14:58 GMT
I have no idea why, but every time I click on this thread, I am fascinated by the sweatshirt on the guy in the first photo of reply #15.
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Post by anshjain97 on Jun 23, 2015 17:24:10 GMT
Making me remember my time in Paris. I loved Versailles and the gardens were a respite from the very crowded interior.
I don't remember going to the area around Archives so good to see some pics from there.
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2015 17:59:59 GMT
I used a metro stop near Archives a lot last year and it's a great place to step inside and sit for a few minutes, especially since they have free wifi.
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2015 18:11:31 GMT
Kerouac, that shirt is so you.
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Post by mossie on Jun 23, 2015 18:17:22 GMT
The first picture of your last set of the young couple is lovely and so natural.
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2015 18:20:18 GMT
It's funny how you can sometimes take random shots from a long distance like that and realize later they aren't all that bad. I like that photo, too.
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Post by htmb on Jun 23, 2015 19:00:27 GMT
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