Adventures By Disney - A Tale of Two Cities About This Page:

[rhinohunter]

More great pix. Thanks for the update. (Just got caught up.)

[PrincessSharon]

Day Six – Wednesday, 20 May
Up close and personal with President Sarkozy’s security personnel

After getting ready for the day, I caught up on my notes a little and changed the memory card in my camera. Why? I have no idea. I had been copying all my pictures onto my laptop each day, but I just decided to change memory cards. That was the worst decision I could’ve made, because the stupid memory card I used was faulty and it deleted all the pictures I took that day (the one night I didn’t copy my photos of course ) and most of my pictures from my first day at DLP. Tragic!

Luckily, I have the photos from the Photopass, and I also was able to email Lisa, a fellow Adventurer, and beg her for some photos. So the photos from this day are either Lisa’s (or Len’s, her DH) or from the Photopass CD.

Anyway, I was blissfully unaware of the crappiness of the memory card and I headed down to meet Miriam and Michael and get some breakfast. After we ate, I returned to my room to pack up for the day. When we met up in the lobby for the morning walk, I discovered that Laurent wouldn’t be our guide because he was sick.

So our new guide, Alain, introduced himself and we set out for our morning walk. I thought Laurent was more fun, but Alain was almost as good. I really enjoyed the walk because as I’ve said, walking around a city really helps me to bond with it. We walked along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which is one of the more famous and fashionable streets in Paris. There were a lot of designer boutiques, fashion houses and Embassies there. We did some window shopping. Eddie noticed me checking out the shoes and asked if I was a shoe girl. Guilty!


I love this photo! It looks like an ad for ABD!



We stopped at Palais de l’Elysée, the official residence of the President of France. It was very official-looking of course, and something was going on because there were people driving in and security (I don’t know what they call those Secret Service-types in France) everywhere.

Because I am skilled at stealth pictures, I got a photo (not that I was trying to be sneaky, that’s just my everyday technique). One of my fellow Adventurers (who is less skilled) went to take a picture and someone came rushing over and said “NO PICTURES!!!!!!!!” I guess he didn’t see me take one! Of course, the frakkin’ memory card ate the picture anyway, so if you want to see what it looks like, you’ll have to look it up yourself.

After that, I was very hesitant about taking any more pictures on that street, so I really didn’t lose too many photos from that part of the walk. Also, our guides warned us that we wouldn’t be able to take photos of the American Embassy, which was a bit further down the road, so I just put my camera in my pocket for a while.

We stopped at the flagship Hermès and I did take some pictures there, but… *%@$ memory card! I do have this one from the Photopass.



Then we arrived at the Place de la Concorde (and I took tons of pictures, which were unfortunately eaten by the blasted memory card). I do have a couple of good ones from the Photopass.





I should say that Lisa and Len decided to sleep in and not go on the morning walk, so that’s why I don’t have any pictures besides the Photopass ones. I also recently begged Miriam and Michael for pictures, but because of their crazy schedules since returning from the trip, they haven’t been able to send me any yet.

We continued through the Jardin des Tuileries, and here’s where we got one of my very favorite pictures from the trip!





I was in love with that park. It was so beautiful! And Parisian! Well except for the folks doing tai chi, which was not exactly Parisian, but still cool to see. I loved the parks and gardens in Paris and wish I could’ve spent some time enjoying them. For the “next time” list: a picnic in the park!

Our next stop was the Louvre, and while I lost my photos, Lisa and Len’s pictures are quite good and really made up for it. We waited for the rest of the group and had the pleasure of being approached by panhandlers and peddlers. A woman came up to me and asked me if I spoke English. When I replied “yes,” she handed me a card saying she was broke and hungry! Poor thing, but I’m a cold-hearted Noo Yawka who’s used to beggars, and I had no trouble telling her to beat it. I was a little nicer to her about it, though.

The Louvre was the only place on the entire ABD where I really felt we were rushed. I wrote in my notes “Speed tour – the Louvre for philistines.” Michael later joked that it was like a three minute mile. We did manage to see the highlights, but only briefly! I’m sorry, but I have to say that I think that little museum guy is so cute. I’ll put him in again just to see him.











We got to see the pyramid up close (and I got to feel like I had no culture because the first thing that came to mind was The Da Vinci Code ) But on the Louvre for Philistines tour, I guess it doesn’t matter.







We started our three minute mile checking out the history of the Louvre.









Then we saw some of the Egyptian Antiquities.



Then we checked out the three great ladies, starting with Venus de Milo



Then we saw some other pieces



while quickly making our way to Winged Victory of Samothrace.





Continued…

[Meggera]

Blasted memory cards! This is the only reason why film is better. I am so sorry you lost your pictures. That really stinks. The Louvre is gorgeous. I hope I will get to see it in person one day. Although I don't want the 3-minute mile version. Great update!

[PrincessSharon]

We saw a few other insignificant things











While heading to the biggest of the big 3, La Gioconda.





I have to admit that everyone (Everyone. Really, everyone.) had been telling me how small the Mona Lisa was in person. Seriously. Every freaking time I said I was going to Paris, people would be all, “the Mona Lisa’s so small.” “You’ll be surprised at how tiny it is!!!” It’s little. Wee. I get it.

Anyway, after all that, I was actually surprised that it was bigger than I expected it to be. There was a huge crowd around it, but people would get their photos and move on.

Since we were ahead of the pace for our three minute mile, we had time to speed-walk past some other insignificant pieces.









And then, we came to the Coronation of Napoleon.



Do you know the biggest difference between this one – the original and the copy painted by the same artist, which hangs at Versailles? It’s Napoleon’s sister’s dress.


The Louvre


Versailles (sorry for the crummy picture)

We then continued our tour, checking out sculptures by some relatively unknown artists, including some dudes called Michelangelo and Rodin.











Now that our speed tour was over, we had a few minutes to spend in the gift shop. I didn’t get anything, partly because we weren’t in the kind of gift shop I would’ve purchased anything out of. And you guessed it, the Louvre is on the “next time” list (but really, you can spend weeks in there, so that’s no surprise).









Once everyone was together again, we set out to board Batobus, the water taxi, on our way to La Tour Eiffel.

Up Next: My other favorite Tower

[Colexis Mom]

Great update!! Sorry about the memory card!! Great pictures though, even if they weren't yours!

[orionchika]

Nice day at musee du louvre... Dang about your memory card...can't wait to hear about your time at the Eiffel tower...

[Meggera]

Yeah, ya know, for unknown artists, those insignificant paintings were pretty good. Great pictures! I'm glad you have them even if you didn't take them yourself. Another wonderful update.

[Minnie Lor]

Sorry about the memory card. That's really a bummer but how would you know? Great photos never the less. I'm amazed that you could take photos of the paintings. Did they have something saying no flash?

[mcc0313]

Sorry about the memory card, glad you were able to still have some from the photopass and from your traveling companions. Great pictures from the Louvre...it looks liek you could have spent hours there, but at least you got to see a lot on your three minute mile tour cool fact about Napoleon's sisters dress...and now you can add to your list that you have seen the Mona Lisa in person...

I had to laugh when you described the woman in Paris handing you a card stating that she was broke and hungry...interesting to see that the "please help me card" is universal...still do not understand the logic behind that, bu then again mayb they can tired of repeating the same story over andover which is why they feel it is easier to pass a card out (like they do on the train) and have everyone just read the story themselves....

[Mauimouse]

Sorry about the memory card, what a bummer. When we were in Ireland before digital camera's I lost a roll of film that I took at the Blarney Castle. So yes it does happen to film too.

I wasn't feeling too great when I visited the Louvre with my friends, but I do remember seeing Mona Lisa. I too thought it was rather small, plus being behind how much glass and so many tourist it was hard to get a shot. Your picture is great.

Looking forward to hearing about the Eiffel Tower. We just had a crepe underneath never went up.

[dsteiny23]

Gosh Darn memory card!! But you got some good 'substitute' pictures. I really did love the Louvre and would love more time there also. But, it still inspired awe.

[POOH]

Stinky memory card! At least you were able to get some pictures from your friends.

[sc507]

Sorry about the card - that stinks!

[goofyboysmama]

Great updates - thanks for the museum eye candy anyway! (BTW, don't worry about being squeamish about the lobster head. My husband and other folks we bring to New Orleans always freak out b/c they serve shrimp down there with the heads still on! Folks here in Maryland are spared this...)

[chezp]

So sorry about the memory card - thank goodness you were able to still get some photos from Photopass and your travelling companions.

You're one ahead of us - in all our visits to Paris, we've never visited the Louvre, so it was fascinating to see inside it.