Paris always sounded like such a cliche place to visit, but as with many things, I've found that there is usually a reason something is so famous. (exceptions: ie paris hilton) Paris is insane. There is so much detail EVERYWHERE. It was overwhelming to try to experience it in such a short time.
A few things, studying pictures in text books and slides in art history class are about the same as looking at a dvd case cover and saying you've seen the movie. If you havent seen the actual painting, you have NOT experienced it. Trust me on this one.
ALSO! If you've only experienced Art History in the classroom, you know nothing. I remember LOVING Switzerland (2005) but always wishing I would've taken more classes before all the museums. I've since taken about 4 more art history classes and was much more confident returning to the museums. It took about 5 minutes in the Louvre to realize, I STILL KNOW NOTHING. However, everything I had learned def made the visits even more beneficial and inspiring and meaningful.
Enough writing, there are so many pictures, basically, I've tried to capture the details you'll never see in the textbooks, but again, it's still just a picture, and I think everyone needs to experience these things themselves.
 |
 |
So our first stop was the Louvre, we hadn't slept in who knows how long...but Scott didn't want to waste anytime. I'm glad we didn't. We headed right off to the Louvre!
We didn't even see 1/4 of the place after being there for hours. That place is HUGE! I loved seeing all the artwork but we were also distracted by the building itself. It is gorgeous and full of detail.
Left: This will become Tylers official pose! The thumbs up. Right: I'm usually a pretty chill traveler, low maintenance. (After all I only brought one small carry on for a over a week!) I brought these shoes, which I had purchased the day we left. BAD IDEA! By the end of the Louvre, I thought I was going to DIE! My toes had blisters and turns out I had bought a size 8 and needed the size 9.
Our Mona Lisa pictures. Back to the quote at the beginning...I've seen the Mona Lisa since before I can remember. Whoever says its over rated...well they didn't look at it with the right pair of eyes. It really was beautiful. I didn't care about it before, but we both left very impressed.
This is Tyler and a statue of Winston Churchill (I'm pretty sure!) Tyler looooves history. I looooved looking at all the designs on the floors. :)
Pretty details on a picture frame, and I was obsessed with the floor in this museum!
This is the most expensive pair of shoes I've probably EVER bought. We had seen an Adidas store on the Champs Elysees, so we went there to buy some shoes since my feet were NOT liking the converses. Well 85 euros later...these shoes served me well. However, I probably would've rather paid that much for a CUTE pair of shoes, not random tennis shoes. This maxed out any shopping budget I would've had for the trip!
Can you see the Eiffell tower in the distance?
Notre Dame!
Seriously, this building is SO covered in so many details I could not even believe it!
The inside of Notre Dame, if I was a professional photographer I'm sure this building would look much more interesting.
More details on the Notre Dame...
Gold in the distance...at Versaille, this was one of the craziest palaces ever. Like the Louvre, it was over the top! 
Gold EVERWHERE! Us posing at the gate and inside I loved this railing. I've always been a sucker for gold and black combo.
This picture doesn't show it very well, but there are some amazing chandeliers aaaaall down this hall, and the ceiling in this hall is nothing out of the ordinary, every room has the ceiling painted and details in the doors etc etc. It's crazy! Also, these cherub bums made me baby hungry.
A bed fit for the king...
A bed fit for the queen...Mari Antoinette. The walls are not painted, they are tapestries.
Playing with our new camera we bought for the trip. Fish eye lens...
Scott and Teresa. I can't believe we didn't get any photos with the 4 of us. They invited us on this trip and made it even more enjoyable. It was SO nice to spend time with them. They are so generous and so well traveled they had so much knowledge to share. We learned so much more seeing Paris with them than we would've alone. They are experienced travelers and were great company. We cant thank them enough for this amazing time!
We didn't use the Metro until the last evening when we split off from Scott and Teresa to go see a couple places they weren't as interested in. Public transporation is soooo great! These signs for the Metro show the serious art nouveau style in Paris. Seriously, look at those!
On our last night I begged Tyler to go to Sainte Chapelle. I'd learned of it in art history and really wanted to see it. I remember wanting to see it when I learned about it and all the windows it had...I convinced Tyler to go and when we first walked in I was embarassed because it was not how I remembered. The ceiling was still interesting, but I was like what the heck. I swear I remembered it was supposed to be more impressive.
Looking up...looking down...
Our only modern art museum...the Pompidou Museum. This place was insane!
My favorite exhibit in this museum was about "vintage television" and had little living rooms set up with the furniture of the time, and a TV of the time, playing something that would've been on TV during that time. How sweet is that!
That is how we finished our last night in Paris. Unfortunately my camera died at this museum, which from the top had the MOST amazing sunset and a view of the Eiffel Tower and all of Paris. It was breathtaking.
So now I will have to find another 3 hours to organize and sort through our adventures in London!
