Kirsten and Carl were off somewhere so we had lunch with just the four of us before we headed out afterwards. Kim, Caron and Sage to go on the big wheel which is at the one end of the Champs Elysee while I went to Musee D'Orsay. When I arrived at the Musee D'Orsay the queue was enormous but I thought I would give it 30 minutes and by the time 30 minutes was up I was already inside. Thoroughly enjoyed the gallery especially the impressionist painters. I was surprised at some of the Degas, Sisley and Manet's which I liked when I wasn't really expecting to. Not as impressed with the Rodin sculptures as I was expecting to be although there were some other outstanding sculptures whose artists I can't remember. There were definitely no photographs allowed in Musee D'Orsay, the gallery guards making frequent use of Frances favourite expressing, 'Non!' and don't miss the gallic '!'. The gallery didn't only contain paintings and sculpture but had exhibitions of furniture which were really beautifully made and highlighted the distinction between France (Developed) and South Africa (Developing) where a table, for instance, would be of purely of utilitarian value in South Africa whereas in France it is of both utilitarian and aesthetic value. The graceful curves of the legs and table tops add nothing to the utility of the piece but everything to the aesthetics.
I met up with Caron, Kim and Sage in the shadow of the Eiffel tower looking forward to the trip to the top. As it turned out, the top was closed due to ice so I still have not made it to the top of the eiffel tower. Although this was quite disappointing the views from the second deck were still quite amazing.
Looking up to the top of the eiffel from the second deck.
And of course we had to have some happy family snaps for posterity.
We had made arrangements to meet Hennie and Dierdre for the evening but Sage was having tantrums and I wasn't feeling that great so we decided to slit from Kirsten and Carl who went on to have what sounds like a great evening while we went home and had pizza and some wine for supper. I really would have liked to have been with Carl and Hennie wandering around the Latin Quarter puffing on cigars and enjoying the ambiance but it was not to be. I spent the evening in a semi delirious state while a fever raged, dropping in and out of consciousness. Not the best manner in which to spend new years evening, particularly given the location and the alternative but I would rather be sick now and well for the skiing, all things be told.
Having taken our leave we walked across the bridge towards the Tracadero metro past stacks of police having their supper inside their vans, I don't quite know what they were there for but there were stacks of them. I shot this from near trocadero looking back towards la tour eiffel and while I was shooting this sage ran off in a huff and sat down about 10m away and before we knew it two policwomen were talking to her and admonishing us for letting her get so far away. 'They take them very quickly here' was what they said so maybe the film 'Taken' is not so far from what actually and currently happens. Pretty scary.
This was taken just before we got off the metro, Sage was trying her very best drop dead look which she is learning quite quickly from her cousin Megan.
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