I posted the film of the first time we set our eyes on the Mona Lisa the other day, and then we saw it again with the kids. The crowd was four times as big on the Monday, than on the Sunday. Somehow we discovered that the average time each person actually gazes on ‘IT’ is 15 seconds … hmmm, and it’s warped a little over time. Now it’s behind bullet proof glass etc etc and in a climatically controlled space (hell, as you would expect !).
Yesterday we walked up the Arc de Triomphe. I was NOT HAPPY as, after having a generational dispute with son over navigation he called me ‘POPS’ (with some spite). Now I call him JUNIOR and have asked him to find a new partner for Europe’s highest and fastest roller coaster, which awaits me just outside Barcelona. Last night Meiduo asked, ‘What’s wrong old man?’ as she stole my dessert.
She is now BUBS.
Anyway, yesterday we went to the The Arc de Triomphe. I had no real sense of what it actually was, except something for the cyclists to enjoy as they finished le Tour. Now I know it is a war memorial in the world weary sense of the words – it honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. It is also a great place to view the Haussmann layout … the l’Étoile … for this magnificent city.
It is impressive in all its physical and cultural dimensions … and like many great monuments, I discovered you can actually climb over the thing. And like all really great monuments, that does entail a rather arduous set of steps … though post-India, the family cruise up these no worries. Meiduo actually scampers and counts at the same time.
You can share some of the experience …
http://youtu.be/TIQohjOeCKU
From THE WIKI:
The Arc de Triomphe is the linchpin of the historic axis (Axe historique) – a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route which goes from the courtyard of the Louvre, to the Grande Arche de la Défense. The monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806, and its iconographic program pitted heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in chain mail. It set the tone for public monuments, with triumphant patriotic messages.
The monument stands 50 metres in height, 45 m wide and 22 m deep. The large vault is 29.19 m high and 14.62 m wide. The small vault is 18.68 m high and 8.44 m wide. It was the largest triumphal arch in existence until the construction of the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, in 1982. Its design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. The Arc de Triomphe is so colossal that three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919, (marking the end of hostilities in World War I), Charles Godefroyflew his Nieuport biplane through it, with the event captured on newsreel.
Since the French invented the department store, I dragged the family to Galerie Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann (established 1912) for a history lesson. It was pouring with rain, and it was dark when we approached. Everyone was grumpy and no one was sure why we were going there. For me, the shop is associated with my father, who bought me a leather jacket from GLwhen I was about 20, after he came to Paris for a couple of days. I never really liked the jacket but that was not the point. It was French. I also wanted to see Walter Benjamin’s les passages, the old arcades that predate the Haussmann makeover of Paris, but that did not eventuate. Perhaps tomorrow, tomorrow …
The ground floor of Galerie Lafayette is a vast acreage of designer shoes. Above it is makeup, and parfum, and clothes and toys and the dome. Up and up and on and on it goes, in a dizzying arc of desire. We had had enough after five minutes. Despite our stop-over at a very pleasant Chineses restaurant for dinner, Mei was discombobulated. Unfortunately she was led then astray by Xavier and ended up at the Sylvania section of the shop and had to be forcibly removed.
Not a good end to le shopping.
I have seen some very good shop windows in the Maris and the 2nd and the 5th. I have desired a 300 Euro leather handbag. I have lusted after a surreal necklace.
And a hand-embroidered bag that reminded me of the plastic one I brought from England to Australia, and lost on the plane. Is that true? Who knows, but it was round with a zip, llike this:
It’s not a book it is an embroidered bag by Olympia Le Tan.
DIVORZIO ALL' ITALIANA
Embroidered canvas round clutch, leather structure and Liberty print lining.
Colour: Grey
LENGTH : 16 cm HEIGHT : 16 cm WIDTH : 4.5 cm
€625.00
Or for the more literary-minded; a clutch!
VILE BODIES
Embroidered canvas book-clutch, with brass structure and Liberty print lining.
At Tso Moriri we walked up to 5500M with a local horseman. Xavier and Meiduo were remarkably relaxed and proficient on the horses – just like their mum – and not like their dad, who preferred walking. Meiduo even survived a rather snappy bite to her thigh by her trusty steed and rode most of the way, while Xavier walked a fair bit, giving the horses a relax. There were many breathless views across the lake to the ‘unclimbed’ (by Chris) 6600M Chamsa Kangri. High up we had a great cook-up on the MSR XKG … how I love the sound of my petrol jets igniting in the thin air. All around were high peaks and rocky crags.
Xavier is investigating the importation of this device … half a wheel of ‘Raclette’ … heat it up, scoop out the molten cheese, place in baguette along with your meat selection … it may well have been a life changing moment. Ahh, missed the oysters and champagne today, perfect in the morning to set up the rest of the day.
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