If you didn't read part "une" I suggest doing so now!
Paris has a great many museums. In fact there are more museums than you can shake a stick at (I know because I shredded several sticks in this endeavor). Of course the greatest of the museums is the Louvre. Contrary to what many Britains believe, the Louvre is not a large toilet (or as the French say " Toilette"). No, it is the worlds largest Art museum. This place is truly impressive and iconic. It houses the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, and 10's of thousands of more objects d'art (which the French call...wait for it..."objects d'art"). One must wonder therefore why it is graced by the worlds largest advertisement of George Clooney on it's facade. No joke, see picture.
Now don't get me wrong, I like George Clooney. I'd also like to own an Omega watch. But navigating my way to the Louvre by following the gigantic ad of Mr. Clooney which is visible along the Seine from miles away just didn't seem to put me in the mood for "Psyche revived by Cupid's kiss" as much as it did for a Big Mac. Luckily there is a McDonalds just a few blocks from the Museum. There is in fact a museum in Paris called the Cluny Museum, but it doesn't sell watches. It is the National Museum of the Middle Ages. It was built in the 14th century. Pretty cool huh? When we went there it was displaying the Sword of Charlemagne, the seeing of which was almost as cool as watching an episode of Game of Thrones only without the sex.
The Louvre was amazing of course but the Mona Lisa was...underwhelming. I mean it's a nice picture okay? But truth be told, if I were offered any work in the Louvre to take home and live with I wouldn't choose Mona. Tourists however go mad for the bitch. I had to seriously injure several small children in order to get close enough to snap the picture at the bottom with the bald guy in front. After I knocked him down and stood on his camera I was able to take an unimpeded pic of Mona ...
Of course no trip to Paris museums would be complete without visiting the Rodin museum. So we did. Of course everyone visits the Rodin to gaze upon the "Thinker." We do have a sculpture of the Thinker in Philadelphia but it is in English. the French Thinker is much more cosmopolitan.
Our favorite museum however was a small venue called "the Orangerie." I have been surprised by how many people who are familiar with France have never been here. It is at the base of the Tuilleries off the Place du Concorde. The museum is dedicated to the collection of Paul Guillame an early 20th century art dealer who collected incredible Picasso's. Modigilani's, Brancusi's. The museum has two entire rooms that show only eight vast water lilly murals by Monet (who was a friend of M. Guillame.)
We went to Versailles. Mel Brooks ruined Versailles for me. I kept thinking of "History of the World Part 1." Let me be the first to tell you there is no "piss boy" at Versailles. It was however apparently good to be king. The palace on the other hand was Gauche as all get out. The grounds were pretty impressive but, if you're on a schedule you can miss this. Watch the movie instead. (Count d'Money indeed)
The Musee d'Orsay was our 2nd favorite museum. Lots of Manet, Degas, Cezanne, Monet, Renoir, it was like being in an art book only with more room to walk around.
In part troix I will write all about the French!
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