The third day, the Sunday, was unlike the previous 2 days: the weather was grey and gloomy; I did not mention that, so far, it was bright and sunny and tending to hot. After the usual pain du chocolat, croissant and coffee for breakfast, we made our way to another contemporary architectural landmark: the Institut de Monde Arabe. This spectacular fusion of Islamic and contemporary design, another creation of the French Nouvel, proved to be another highlight of the Parisian tour. The temporary exhibition pods in its grounds, by the other giant architect Zaha Hadid, were an additional bonus.
By the time we explored the interior of the Institute, the sky was too grey for our taste and there was also a slight drizzle. Hence, we needed an internal alternative which could take up most of the day. The solution was quite straightforward: the Louvre.
I suppose it is a must for any visitor to Paris to visit the Louvre, but for a bunch of us who are into art and architecture, the Louvre, with its huge 35,000 item collection of artefacts, is a massive source of bliss. From the moment we stepped inside the Great Pyramid and descended into the void underneath the plaza, I was amazed by the sheer scale of the place and how well it has been done: the inevitable French axiality and symmetry of design, the various levels and openness of the space. Tickets and map in hand, the strategy was to tackle one floor at a time, starting off with -1 and the original fort's remains and moving up to the galleries in the upper floors.
Particularly impressive were the 2 roofed courts with various sculptures, none particularly famous but all equally wonderful. Sculpture is one of the arts which surpasses me; the genius of a sculptor who can chip off the unnecessary bits of marble to reveal the figures buried deep in the block. The main highlights for me were Michelangelo's slaves - the rebellious and the dying ones. And the never-ending list of other celebrities: Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory, the Cupid and Psyche and the Egyptian scribe.
Moving upstairs, to the paintings, it was absolutely amazing to walk down the Grand Gallery and indulge into the works of the best Renaissance and Baroque painters from Italy, including a couple of works by Leonardo and Caravaggio. An homage to Paris' most famed resident, Mrs. Gioconda, was an absolute must, though the crowds which flooded the hall took away some of the magic surrounding the persistent smile. Works by the great Delacroix and David were equally impressive, particularly my favourite of "Liberty guiding the people": absolute classic.
The tour throughout levels -1, 0 and 1 lasted until 3.30pm, by which time hunger was seriously striking and the feet were also starting to ache; that place is huge! One last item needed to be seen, one related to Malta. It was a moment of great joy and, at the same time, deep sorrow to see the sword and dagger of La Valette, which was a Prince's gift to the Grand Master after the Maltese victory over the infidels in 1565. I wonder when these will be brought back to their rightful home, the city which bears his name...
Out of the Louvre, we headed off to the first place selling food within sight, sadly a McDonalds. It was one of the few times in my life when a Big Mac tasted, erm, good. After that, we headed off to the hotel for a shower and change of clothes and then back down to the Ile de la Cite to hear Mass at none other but the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was in French, of course, and only followed the "standard" bits, but it was still quite a surprisingly pleasant time. Even better was the fact that it happened to be some celebration for bakers and, on the way out, we were greeted by French bakers who handed out samples of their tasty produce!
From the Ile, we walked up to the Marais and Pretzl area, an interesting fusion of Jewish, gay and, to a lesser extent, French cultures. Though the Jewish food places were tempting, it was a French restaurant which won. So far, I have been quite critical of cleanliness and other practical issues in Paris, but when it comes to food, the French cuisine is definitely way better than the British! I had a tasty duck pate as a started (with fresh baguette slices, of course) followed by a massive medium-rare entrecote, French style and finished off with amazing French fromage. Writing about it is making my mouth water.
The evening was concluded by a lazy walk down the Seine up to the Eiffel Tower, where we enjoyed views of the illuminated iron lacework and the hourly 5 minute display of glittering lights: the only decent exhibit of Paris living up to its name of Ville Lumiere.
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