melchtour: 2009

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Bon Appétit

Every evening before the sunsets in Paris, the local women buy fresh baguettes for their family for the next day.

As we were walking in Montmartre, we walked right past this sweet yummy-smelling crepe stand. We must have stood their for about five minutes. Completely mesmerized.

The abbey Notre Dame de Leffe, a Belgian beer and one of the beers of France.

My favorite dessert was the double espresso with ice cream and a soft cookie at the d'Orsay museum.

le FRENCH Fries

Carbonara

This was my last meal before leaving the hotel. It was so delicious that I was seriously tempted to take one home and hand-deliver it to my Mother. But Gary kindly reminded me that it wouldn't survive 18 hours in one piece.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Paris Musee d'Orsay

This museum in Paris used to be an old train station.

Some sculptures were very interesting to say the least.

There were a lot of really big paintings...

Lots of famous paintings...

Van Gogh

Edgar Degas

Edouard Manet

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec

Paul Gauguin

Renoir

Paul Cezanne

Georges Rochegrosse's The Knight of the Flowers

Jean Deville's The School of Plato, interestingly enough where we get the term, "Platonic relationship".

Here's Henri de Toulouse Lautrec paintings of the Moulan Rouge in Montmartre, Paris.

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec was a five-foot man who died at age 36 from years of alcohol abuse and syphilis. This one is called, "Alone"

My favorite Van Gogh painting was of his bedroom in Arles. The texture was very heavy and very slapped-on. I thought my video recording would capture it but its not even close. The painting is THICK with gunk! Thats why I love it so much.

I read a book about how he constantly begged his brother to supply him with paints and here I am standing in front of one of his originals thinking, "Wow, he sure uses his free paints as if he's frosting a cake." If you look closely at this painting, you can see his famous self portrait painting on his wall.

Paul Gauguin once shared this Arles room with Van Gogh.

My second most favorite was this one (left) by Monet. I just had to stand between them.

I was a happy camper when I saw these ladies because I didn't expect to see them here. Some time ago I bought a postcard print of this painting not realizing this was a Monet.

I like it because I like the wind in the painting. I also like how the lady's faces are not clear because it could mean SHE could be ME!

d'Orsay had a lot of sulptures and statues as well. Here's an interesting one by Rodin.

This is the Opera Garnier disected.

In the middle right side (pink and gold) you can see where the audience sits. The flat area is the stage. Above the stage, you can see the pullies. The opera house is HUGE! In fact, our hotel is named after the opera house; Hotel Garnier.