Powered By Blogger

Halloween Countdown

Daisypath Halloween tickers

Thursday, November 17, 2011

...the bells of Notre Dame




Last Sunday we ventured to Notre Dame.  We figured it would be something fun for everyone since Grandpa Pete and Robin are visiting. I decided that as much as I love gargoyles, I would not make the trek up the tower.  Since the only shape I am in is round and my knees/feet frequently remind me they have seen better days, I elected to explore the area while everyone else went to visit the gargoyles.

Are we twins?

Touching a 'goyle
They said the views were great and the climbing wasn't too bad.  (You can click on pictures for bigger images.)




So things around here are beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  There are many lights being hung and little villas being put together for Christmas Bazaars.  
This Christmas Village is going up at LaDefense

Totally outside but the chandeliers are being hung


We have already booked the tickets home and are beginning the countdown!  We will arrive in N.C. on December 19 and stay until Christmas morning.  Then we will head to Florida for the second half of our vacation.  We will leave to come back to Paris from Florida on January 3.  Ready for 20 days of U.S.A.!!




Sunday, November 13, 2011

...I still don't "get" modern art

We went for a visit to the Centre Georges Pompidou, which is the largest museum for modern art in Europe, with Patrick's Dad, Pete, and Pete's girlfriend, Robin who are here visiting.  While the place is cool, the building is kinda modern-y design, I just don't understand much of what is going on inside.





All of the functional structural elements of the building were color-coded: green pipes are plumbing, blue ducts are for climate control, electrical wires are encased in yellow, and circulation elements and devices for safety (e.g., fire extinguishers) are red.


I tried to be "open to the art", and some of it was interesting to look at for 30/45 seconds, I just don't really understand how someone could stare at some of the pieces any longer.  Patrick is also not a fan of modern art, but we tried no to impose our views on the kids.  They thought some of it was "cool" but when presented with pieces like this....... well, what do you tell them?



This was kinda neat, but is it art?



After a while, we waited outside for Pete and Robin to finish checking out the many floors of art.  There are usually a good number for street performers outside the Pompideu Center and we got to see a really good juggler and unicycle show.  The guy even "recruited" Patrick and two other guys from the crowd to help!




We have MANY more museums to visit and a lot more art to see, so I am hopeful that something will "speak" to me somewhere!