An Eastward Homage, Day 9: Le Musee de Louvre, Part III- La Joconde and Other Treasures

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Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 14, 2014 in Travel

June 4, 2014- The Section Denon, which contains many of the Renaissance paintings in the Louvre’s treasury, is entered via the Hall of Queen Anna. An informational sign tells the origins of the Louvre as a public museum.

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Next, note the ceiling. The ceilings throughout this lead-in to Cour Corree (Square Salon) are done up like those in a palace, or grand cathedral.

The hall has a series of ceiling panels, all in high ornate gold.

We will see the Coronation of Napoleon, as well as the treasures of Chambre de La Joconde (The Mona Lisa Room). First, though, I wish to share some of the items in the Great Hall of Louis XIV. Many fine crystal and lapis lazuli pieces have been brought here from Versailles.

The Two Crowns, those of Louis XIV and of Louis XV, are shown in this case.

In the subsequent galleries, the aforementioned Chambre La Joconde and Salon de Coronissement, are found several of the paintings for which people visit the museum.

I will start with Veronese’s “The Wedding at Cana”.

This, and “The Coronation of the Virgin in Paradise”, by Tintoretto, are actually far more prominent in the gallery itself.

Giotto’s “Madonna and Child ” complements Veronese’s masterpiece.

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Leonardo da Vinci’s “Madonna and Child with Ste. Anne” follows his predecessor’s depiction.

On the opposite wall is the Other Lady. I was actually fortunate to get this close.

We left this sanctified room after fifteen minutes, and spent time with France’s two most active militarist rulers. First is Francois I, a contemporary of Henry VIII.

Then there is the Emperor, at his coronation. Jacques-Louis David’s masterpiece is the center of Salon de Coronissement.

After the guided tour ended, I found Salon de Verres, and these Biblical gems. First is “The Fainting of Esther”, by Veronese, showing the Jewish Queen swooning at the prospect of her marriage to Xerxes.

The ceiling fresco, “The Banishment of Lucifer” graces Salon de Verres as well.

With this brief visit to Salon de Verres, I thought I was ready for the east segment of the Left Bank. The Universe had other plans, and as the rain was getting heavier after lunch, I visited L’Eglise St. Germain d’Auxerres and then went back to my hotel for a bit. This was nonetheless a fantastic introduction to one of the world’s true treasure houses.

NEXT: A Visit to Trocadero, and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s Apartment

An Eastward Homage, Day 9: Le Musee du Louvre, Part II- The Antiquaries

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 12, 2014 in Travel

June 4- The Louvre is divided into three sections: Sully, Denon and Richilieu. Section Sully, on the east side of the museum, was our group’s place of entry. It is here that one may peruse the Egyptian, Classical Greek, Etruscan, Roman and Bourbon French collections.

As we did in Ancient History class, when I was a high school freshman, our group started with the Egyptian artifacts.

A Pharaonic sphinx, from one of the tombs, greeted us.

There are a couple of sections of wall, from one of the early Egyptian temples, reportedly brought to Paris by Champoleon, when he was sent to Egypt by Napoleon I. Here is one of those sections.

We spent about fifteen minutes in the Egyptian Antiquities Room, then went on to the Classical Greek collection, about twice as large as most of the other rooms.

Here are some masques and an overview of the Hall of Greek Statues.

The centerpiece of this Hall, as is widely known, is the limbless statue of Aphrodite, popularly called “Venus de Milo”. Here is one view of this iconic piece, presently credited to Alexander of Antioch. I took several shots of Madame Aphrodite, from several vantage points. I think I was outmatched by a Chinese photographer with a Nikon, but the lot of my photos are all on my Flickr site. (www.flickr.com/boivin.gary)

The next item I spotted in the Hall, as we headed towards the Great Hall of Louis XIV, .was “The Torment of Marsyas”. You may notice that the sculptor’s working model is to the right of the completed piece. This was done by Athenian sculptors, looking to produce better quality work.

The story goes that Marsyas, a satyr, challenged Apollo to a flute-playing contest. One simply did not challenge supernatural beings to a contest of any kind, so when Marsyas lost, he was subjected to this punishment.

The next frame shows details of the Hall’s ceiling. Arches were essential in distributing the weight of large stone structures.

The Four Muses are depicted, at the western end of the Hall. I always liked these ladies. Then again, I like most ladies.

The bust of a satyr gives the impression of a creature contemplating some rather insane spot of mischief.

We left the Hall, looking at a celestial scene, of more recent vintage, on the ceiling. The gold was a sign we were in Bourbon territory.

After the guided tour was finished, I returned to the Greek Antiquities section, and found these gems. First is a sarcophagus, reportedly from Corinth.

Next, are three Pithos urns. Pithos simply means “large storage container”. They were most commonly used in cremations.

For those who like hideous things, here is “Gorgon Barbue Agenouillae”. Gorgons were the creatures who had snakes as hair, and could turn a voyeur to stone.

Lastly, I spotted this amphora, with a two-headed lion. The large cats were present in Europe until about the time of Christ, and in the Caucasus Mountains until about 1000 A.D. I don’t know about conjoined cats though- that’d be a bit much.

With that, I again found myself in Section Denon, and went into Salle de Verres. This, and other great repositories of French and Italian Renaissance objets d’art, will be featured in the next post.

An Eastward Homage, Day 9: Le Musee du Louvre, Part I- The Exterior and Neighbourhood

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 12, 2014 in Travel

June 4, 2014– During my time in Europe, there were only two rainy days. This was one of them, but I was going to the Louvre! My Wednesday would be spent with six hours in this grand museum, two or three hours in the southeast quadrant of the Left Bank (Paris City Hall, Notre Dame de Paris, La Sorbonne),and topped off by a jaunt over to Trocadero and visit to the apartment where ‘Abdu’l-Baha lived on the first of His three visits to Paris (1911).

I caught a bus over to Rue Rivoli and dawdled just a bit, around Tour St. Jacques and L’Eglise de St. Merri, two architectural gems just west of the Louvre, in Place St. Jacques.

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I met the tour guide and our group, at the tour office, with five minutes to spare, and we all walked over to France’s signature museum, with no rain falling while we were en route. There would be no lines, as we were in a pre-paid tour, but we were to mind our photography etiquette and keep an eye out for pickpockets.

The visitor is greeted in the Courtyard by scam artists bearing clipboards and “petitions”, Roma bearing gold rings and I.M. Pei’s Pyramide. I like the structure, and it does fit, as the first exhibit one sees in the museum itself is the Egyptian Room. Let’s start this segment with a look at the west courtyard.

We entered the museum and got a look at the original walls of the Louvre, when it was a fortress, during the reign of Louis XIII.

Below, we see a water catchment.

Here is a look at the wall’s thickness.

With this, we began our visit to Section Sully, the Egyptian Antiquities Collection, and two hours of some of the world’s greatest art, which you will see in the next two posts. 🙂

Once the guided tour was over, I spent two more hours in the Greek Antiquities Room and the French Renaissance Gallery. After lunch at Chez Paul (the cafeteria), I headed outside to the Inner Courtyard

It was dry! I happily exited upstairs, and headed across the street to L’Eglise St. Germain d’Auxerres, the first stop on my anticipated walk to Sorbonne, via L’Ile du Cite and Notre Dame de Paris.

It started drizzling as I was approaching St. Germain.

I went in this marvelous church, on the Musee’s east flank, and spent about forty minutes inside. I was greeted by Madonna, Child, and Three Magi.

Angels graced the archway.

The scene of Christ being taken down from the cross was a key feature of the confessional chapel.

As with any church, though, the most majestic sight was the altar.

When I left the church, it was pouring, and the street and sidewalks were rapidly being inundated. Thus, my outing to the Left Bank is left for a future date.

So is the Musee du Louvre framed, west, east above and below. In the next post, I will highlight Egyptian and Greek art of the antiquarian kind, followed by a post devoted to the Italian and French Renaissance collections, with a nod to Louis XIV and his displays of wealth.

An Eastward Homage, Day 8: Versailles, Part 3- The Town

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 8, 2014 in Travel

Mesmerized as I was by the gold, marble and extraordinary spread of the chateau and its grounds and grand canal, finding the town that had both pre-dated the palace, and grown up around it, was a perfect finish to the day.

Versailles is not anywhere near the grey, troubled suburbs that I am told ring Ile de France. It stands quite proudly on its own.

Here are some scenes from this marvelous little city.

First, here is Grande Ecurie du Roi (the King’s Stables), the first site I encountered, upon leaving the palace ground

Next came the east end of the District of Notre Dame, named for- you guessed it, the cathedral. Every major city in France has a cathedral, or a parish church, named Notre Dame. The cathedral in Versailles could stand proudly next to any given counterpart in France.

We will see the cathedral in a bit, but first, making my way westward, I found Eglise Protestante Unie de France. The Huguenots were terribly repressed by the House of Bourbon, making their presence in this town especially meaningful.

Next to the Protestant church is Place Hoche. Louis Lazare Hoche was the commander of the Revolutionary Army. Louis Philippe I authorized statues of Hoche, as a token of national unity.

It was then time for me to visit Cathedrale Notre Dame de Versailles. Here is a view of the heart of Distrite Notre Dame, followed by the cathedral itself.

I could look at stained glass all day long, contemplating the interplay of light and colour. Here are a few of Versailles Cathedral’s offerings.

Paintings and statuary interplay here as well.

One noticeable difference between French churches and those in the U.S, is the seating arrangement. many cathedrals in France have rows of small individual wooden chairs. Some have seats of wicker.

Upon bidding this fine little cathedral farewell, I came upon a pigeon which was quite different in colour from the rest of the considerable flock, along Rue Rameau.

Next, slightly to the north, was Distrite des Antiquaires (Old City). Old Versailles is not as ancient as some of the other cities I visited, but the streets are quite narrow.

Hotel du Bailliage was used as a prison by the Bourbons. Just behind it, to the east, is Little Italy, Versailles-style.

Hotel Cheval Rouge was built in 1676, and remains one of Versailles’ premier establishments.

Also in Distrite des Antiquaires is Hopital Olivie, a key facility during the 19th Century.

I stopped at an old dairy, Goutte du Lait, only to have a rather stern father tell me this was his daughter’s pre-school. I was allowed one photograph.

Child safety always being one of my own passions, I headed towards Distrite d’Hotel de Ville. City Hall stands, proud and imposing, in the center of it all.

Here is a view of Hesperides des Les Maneges, a prime apartment complex.

Cathedral de Saint-Louis, across town from Notre Dame, is also quite impressive. I joined a laid-back pair of artistes for a short tour, whilst waiting for the train back to Paris. This cathedral seemed somewhat lighter and airier than Notre Dame de Versailles. It is named in honour of St. Louis the King.

Thus, my very full day in Versailles came to a happy close. To celebrate, I had a fine dinner near my hotel. If you are ever on Rue de Faubourg Montmartre, I recommend Restaurant Sizin, a full-service Turkish establishment. This is a cut above the ubiquitous kebab shops, which I also frequented during my journey. (“Eat Me” is a different establishment, and my curiosity didn’t get the better of me.)

NEXT: Day 9, Part 1: A Visit to La Louvre.

A Tale of Two Debacles

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 8, 2014 in Social, Travel

Transportation has always been a sideshow, in the life of a traveler. It is, of course, a basic element of travel, but is often used as a fulcrum, to get the traveler to notice the discomfort of those who live, day to day, where he/she happens to be headed, or from where the departure is taking place.

I am going to continue, in my next installment of “An Eastward Homage”, with the story of Versailles, the town. For a few moments, though, I want to focus on two modes of transport, two countries, and two large entities coming to grips with the difficulties that come with an excess of size.

On June 12, my sole intent was to take the SNCF train from Brest to Rennes, then to Rouen. The French train strike was, however, still full on. The journey could only be accomplished, thus, by going from Brest to Rennes to Le Mans to Paris- Gare St. Lazare to Rouen. My France Pass being a carte blanche for ANY First or Second Class train, over a nine-day period within one month, I thought I was set for a comfortable, seated trip. Enter a horde of Gauls, coming from a trip to St. Malo, in northeast Brittany. First, I was rousted from a seat, by a young lady, whose ticket had that seat’s number. I moved to a second seat,and an imposing young man came along, with that seat’s number on HIS ticket. (Bear in mind that, on a France Pass, there are no tickets with numbered seats.) I moved again. Two Orthodox rebbes, who appeared to be father and son, appeared at the seat, raised their eyebrows, Gallic-style, and I moved again- to Standage. There, in the no man’s land between cars, were a family of four, a university co-ed, (who was visibly miffed at the presence of two little boys, and even more miffed at an Americain joining the group,) a French biker and his missus (headed to his shop at Montparnasse) and a hapless Italian tourist who had a France Pass as well, and had been booted from HIS seat by a nurse whose ticket had that seat’s number. The train had, in the aggregate, about 30% more people on board than was practicable. Still, we all made it, shared the four small, folding seats that are available between cars, and just looked after one another. The initial shock on the faces of the French people in standage at the thought of an American NOT sitting comfortably in a First Class coach gave way to the realization that I had no such expectation of undue privilege, in the midst of such chaos and mass discomfort among my hosts. It was a good outing- for me.

It was an experience that served well to show the visitor just how absurd the bureaucrats and the unionists can be, and the extent to which their absurdity discomfits the average French person. Those fighting the Train Battle likely were not out riding the train, during the impasse. They did, effectively, send France back to the regional and the parochial trains of thought that are described so well by Graham Robb, in his “The Discovery of France”. It was, for two weeks or so, impossible to go from Rennes to Rouen, or from Rouen to Amiens, par train.

Fast forward to Sunday, July 6, at Logan International Airport, in Boston. There was an airplane sitting at the departure gate, ready to go to Charlotte, or so everyone thought. My journey would soon be over, or so I thought. Airline policy is that a fresh cockpit team takes over after so many hours. Our fresh cockpit crew was coming from Washington, DC. There was a “difficulty” with the plane bringing the captain and first mate from Reagan. We were told they would be in Boston at 9:30, and we would be underway thirty minutes behind schedule. No one would miss their connections.

That was at 9 PM. Seventy-five minutes later, we greeted the cockpit crew with silent cheers. Fifteen minutes after that, we were airborne. One hour and forty-five minutes after take-off, we landed in Charlotte. Nearly an hour later, upon learning our “safe” connections had gone on without us, we were assigned various hotel rooms. My seat-mate on the plane and I were sent to Holiday Inn Express. The hotel informed us that a shuttle at 2 AM would be impossible and we were to take a taxi, for which the airline would reimburse the person who picked up the tab. That ended up being my seatmate, as he had cash and I didn’t. We each got our own room, got from 2-4.5 hours of sleep, and the next day caught a shuttle from hotel to airport.

After bidding my previous night’s seatmate farewell, I met another man who had stayed at Express. He nonchalantly told of having taken a shuttle to Express- at 2:30 AM. All he did was call the same person who had told me at 2 AM, “impossible”, and a shuttle was dispatched.

This goes to show that, the more things, and locations, change- the more they stay the same. Man plans, bureaucrats bumble, common folk work together to get around the snafus- and God laughs.

An Eastward Homage, Day 8: Versailles, Part 2- The Grand Gardens

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 6, 2014 in Hiking and Nature, Travel

Everyone needs a place in nature, where one may recover one’s senses and restore equilibrium. The Bourbon royalty were no different from the rest of us, in that regard. After taking in the Great Chateau, and all its opulence, I also needed some time in nature.

So, here are some scenes of the King’s Grove, the Queen’s Grove, the Dauphin’s Grove, and bosques set aside for just about anyone who lived at the Chateau. Just outside the Chateau, there are small, well-manicured gardens and a great fountain, en route to the Ballustrade which itself overlooks Les Bois Royaux.

Here is a long view of Allee Royale:

Once I made my way down the stairs, and into the King’s and Dauphin’s Groves, I found myself in the company of several school children, engaged in a fabulous game of Hide and Seek, in the Dauphin’s Labyrinth. To me, one of the great tragedies of the French Revolution was that no one gave thought to the three children of Louis and Marie Antoinette. They died in childhood, in prisons, and the Labyrinth sat silent. Thankfully, it was not silent on Tuesday, June 3.

Those who ventured forth saw scenes such as these:

Eventually, I made my way back to more manicured scenes, near the Queen’s Grove, and the restoration area- not the Restoration of the Bourbons, but that of the forest.

I walked on down to the Grand Canal’s edge, and enjoyed Les Parterres, L’Orangerie, and their water-borne sculptures, including the Apollo Fountain,

and Bassin de Latone (Latona Fountain).

Here is a final nod to the man who got this all started.

At this point of decision, I elected to forego Les Trianons (Marie Antoinette’s private estate) and spend some time in the city of Versailles. That marvelous counterpart to the Palace will be featured next.

An Eastward Homage, Day 8: Versailles, Part 1- The Chateau

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 3, 2014 in Travel

Be forewarned, this post is heavy on photos, and tends towards gaudiness, but that is Chateau de Versailles- and those were the Bourbons. It is an exhausting place to visit, but I am glad to have gone through the chateau first. The gardens, and the town of Versailles, are most refreshing.

I am glad to have gone through all the chambers, and great halls, as they tell the story of several men’s excesses, on the backs of their fellows, as well as any other great monument around the world. If you are put off by all the gold and finery, you are in a good place. We all know to what this excess led.

We start in the front courtyard, where one gets a sense of the enormity of the completed palace. Know that this chateau was intended as a place of refuge for Louis XIV and his successors. Versailles, from the 16th-19th centuries, was very much a country town. Paris, then as now, was lovely, exciting- and exhausting, for the royals as for everyone else.

The first gilded gate, the detail of the front entry point and the ceiling of the antechamber follow. Creation and classical mythology are themes covered over and over by the architects and landscapers of Versailles: Andre Le Notre, Charles Le Brun, Jules Hardouin-Mansart and, under Louis-Philippe I, Frederic Nepven.

Next, two mythological characters, depicted in statuary, greet visitors as we go through a series of halls that tell the history of the chateau, from Louis XIV to the time of Louis-Philippe I, who bestowed this magnificent place upon the people of France, as THEIR treasure. The gold, the marble and the enormity thus reverted to their truly rightful owners. These are followed by “Tres Casques”, great gold pieces, representing helmets.

Moving along, we see a portrait of Marie Antoinette, her son, the Dauphin, and his attendant, Madame Royale. Next is Louis-Philippe, mounted on horseback, followed by his architect, Frederic Nepven.

Up the staircase, and down another long hall we go, to the salons. A series of halls, each named for a particular Roman god or goddess, were used by Louis XIV for regular audiences. Salon de Diane, for example, was used as a buffet room. Salon d”Apollon was a concert hall. Salon de Mars was the ballroom.

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Three scenes from the Hall of Mirrors are next,(photos 22-24). This great hall was constructed under the supervision of Louis XIV’s crafty Treasure, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who brought in several Venetian mirror craftsmen, at great peril to themselves, to fashion this great hall. It links the King’s bed chamber with that of the Queen. Louis had himself as the focus of the portraits and statuary.

Views of the Queen’s bedchamber follow, with the famed portrait of Napoleon I, crowning first Empress Josephine, then himself, as a later addition to Court de la Reine.

A view of the Inner Courtyard is next, and we finished our tour of the Chateau with visits to the apartments of Louis XV’s spinster daughters, Madame Victoire and Madame Adelaide. These ladies had little use for Marie Antoinette, their niece-in-law, and heeded the warnings by the peasant women who marched on Versailles, in 1789, leaving the Chateau for Italy, then for Greece, where they lived out the rest of their lives together.

The story of the Bourbons is a hard one, in the end, and fully illustrates how it is that we all have to hang together in this life, not vaunt ourselves over one another.

NEXT: The Palace Gardens

An Eastward Homage, Day 7, A Paris Walkabout, Part 2: In Search of Concord

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 1, 2014 in Travel

One of the draws of Paris is the Left Bank of the Seine, the area of Sorbonne, Les Jardins de Luxembourg, and Notre Dame Cathedral. The Left Bank also features the American Church of Paris and the Eiffel Tower, or Tour Eiffel. I was able to spend quality time on both banks of the Seine, upon leaving Tuileries. The place to begin, for me, was Place de la Concorde. Below are slightly elevated views of this historic, and bustling place.

The whole thing with the golden, and the gilded, in this site of compelling history, is that it is only very recently in the scheme of things that the gold has come to belong to the people. King Louis Philippe I, in the mid-19th Century, found his forebears’ self-obsession misguided, and determined that it was the nation of France, not the king himself, which was due for glory. Thus, the royal properties came to truly belong to the people. In the midst of Place de la Concorde is an obelisk. It symbolizes France’s endurance, and was designed to liken the country’s glory to that of Egypt. Nicknamed Cleopatra’s Needle, the structure was Louis Philippe’s way of showing France, and the world, that the Revolution was over, as it replaced the guillotine that occupied this spot. In fact, he would be the focus of the people’s anger during the upheavals of 1848, and would leave France again in the hands of the Bonapartes. Here is the obelisk, which is better than a guillotine, in my humble estimation.

As with all Bourbon-era public monuments, Place de la Concorde has its share of allusions to classical Greek and Roman mythology. We see this abundantly in Tuileries, the Louvre and the Chateau de Versailles. Here, a cherub blows his trumpet, whilst mounted on Pegasus.

Andre Le Notre was one of the main architects of Tuileries, and of the magnificence that surrounds the gardens, on both sides.

Once sauntering past Place de la Concorde, the magnificence continues. My path took me along the Seine, on the Left Bank, but towards Embassy Row and Le Tour d’Eiffel, rather than towards Ile de la Cite and the Latin Quarter. Roma people came up to me three times, along the Seine. Each one would drop a gold ring in the dust, pretend to have just found it, and offer it to me, as a souvenir of Paris, for “petit monnaie”. I deferred each time, having actually seen them drop the piece. Here is the Seine, from the Romani vantage point.

Given the right incentives, I think the Roma make marvelous LEGITIMATE entrepreneurs. I know a few here in the States who have become so. Next, I came upon an East Asian couple, just married in the American Church of Paris, who were having their wedding photos taken in front of the church. A few business people insisted on photo-bombing the scene, but I was brought up differently, and kept a respectful distance. Here is a view of the church.

I turned the corner, past Musee d’Orsay, and headed towards Le Tour d’Eiffel, but first noted this homage to those who worked against the Nazis and their minions, during World War II.

Eiffel Tower is an imposing monument, surrounded by the signature beautiful French gardens, which are everywhere, and always tres magnifique. After a nice “emportee” (to-go) lunch in La Reservee ( the park surrounding the tower), I took photos from the base, opting not to climb the tower, as the lines were long and I had much to yet accomplish in the hours ahead. Here is a view of the garden.

Now, for some views of Le Tour d’Eiffel, by day and by night.

Equally impressive is L’Arc de Triomphe. The traffic on Champs Elysees is phenomenal and swift, but I got close enough for several scenes.

In the vicinity of the Arch, some impromptu dancers were performing, to the strains of Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” and Psy’s “Gangnam Style”.

After dinner, I ventured back to the area of Tuileries and La Place de la Concorde, for the above photos of Paris by Night, and for the following.

Such was the first, very full day of my first complete day in the City of Light.

NEXT: A Day in Versailles, Chateau and Town

A Few Words From The Laptop

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on July 1, 2014 in Travel

Hi, gang. This is Gary’s computer speaking. I know, I was a wet blanket on the European trip, but my battery didn’t take well to the wall charging over there, even with the very competent adapter/converter which, by the way, the camera and cell phone liked just fine. I guess I’m just spoiled.

Anyway, we are back on U.S. soil, having arrived here yesterday afternoon, via Montreal. Once he and I got to Saugus, MA, last night, Gary plugged me in, and I gratefully recharged my battery. So, with gratitude towards my fellow machines in the European Cybercafes, who kept you all posted on our whereabouts, these past few weeks, I am ready to get back to work on the many,many photo posts that are coming your way- on the rest of Paris, northern France, Belgium, Luxembourg and a swath of central Germany. We will also have intermittent posts on this week in Massachusetts, especially on the Fourth of July.

So, thanks for your forbearance. Tomorrow, we will present photos on Place de la Concorde and on Paris By Night. Hope you will rejoin us. I know, it’s been a long time.

Sincerely,

Lenovo

An Eastward Homage, Day 7: A Paris Walkabout- Part 1, Tuileries

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on June 4, 2014 in Travel

I had started Monday, June 2, intending to tour the Louvre. Several things transpired which made that not practical for this morning, so I switched Monday’s plan with Wednesday’s. Thus, I spent 2 1/2 hours on Monday morning, walking Tuileries, the gardens and sculpture areas which were the grounds of the Bourbon dynasty’s Paris place of residence. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were confined here, after the Revolution of 1789.

Confinement is a relative term. The expanse that is Tuileries fronts a greater expanse, that we know today as the Louvre. Here are some scenes from this fine garden area. Actually, this statue of Jeanne d’Arc is across the street from Tuileries.

The scenes below are in the park, though.

I thought about not including the sculpture below, after being attacked online, as a “misogynist”, earlier this evening. You know, though, unless a WOMAN comes on here and says that’s how she sees me, I’m not going to change who I am. A man calling me “misogynist’ is like a white person calling another white person a racist, or a straight person tripping out on another straight’s “homophobia”. I’m saying it here, all people are beautiful in the sight of God, and using terms of endearment towards people of the opposite gender is not wrong. Both genders admire each other’s physical features, and both genders, at least among those of good will, value the WHOLE of another person. THAT is what I believe; end of rant.