Simmy and I spent about a week in
Paris this month and I was pleasantly surprised with the great time I had. We stayed at a small inn (kind of no-frlls) in the
Marais district on the right bank and it reminded me allot of my place on the upper east side of Manhattan ; less touristy and allot of boutiques, museums, and incredible dining. The architecture and food are sometimes sensory overload as both are sometimes equally elaborate and over the top ; But hey -- this is France.
I would highly recommend the
Musee d'Orsay and the
Musee de l'Orangerie ; 20 minutes in front of Monet's les Nympheas was beter than any course I took in college on French Impressionism; Unbelievable. Oddly enough, my second favorite exhibit in Paris was of a Dutch painter .. Vangogh while he lived in Paris; Check out the room in the
Musee d'Orsay and you'll stop dead in your tracks. It was by far the best arranged group of painting by a single artist I've ever seen assembled in a single room. The French understand how create the perfect museum space for these masterpieces to occupy. An amazing gallery. Regarding the Louve -- I thoroughly enjoyed sitting outside the Louve along the water fountain; It is one of my favorite places on the planet to sit, watch, and experience a different culture ; I found the interior of the Louve too large and gaudy and the scale of the collection was overwhelming and ultimately disenchanting.
Our
Carte Orange cards were a great investment and the best way to get around Paris. Don't get me wrong -- if you don't walk and walk until your feet hurt -- then you are missing part of the experience ; However the Paris Metro is the second best option to scoot around the city. Finding the different
Art Nouveau Metro entrances scattered throughout the city was part scavenger hunt and part living art class. The entrances were designed by
Hector Guimard in the early 1900s , a masterful artist who lived in Paris in the early 19th century. I can see why so many creative people and artists like Vangogh and Hemingway were drawn to MontMarte cafes and Latin Quarter side streets for inspiration and thought provoking conversation. All the ingrediants must have been present to ignite their sense of inspiration.
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