Okay another surreal experience...still in France with the friendly people

Friday - itching to do something fun, educational and exciting.   We booked a tour for Montmarre and Sacre Cour and it included the Louvre.  This tour was worth the price paid and then some.  Now earlier this week I had the opportunity to sneak in with a group at the Louvre and saw Venus de Milo...then I got a little unnerved and eased right back out the door.  Can't share how but I did...

So the tour of Sacre Cour was awesome.  To see a church so old and know a little bit about the history of it was informative to say the least.  The grounds around it and the neighborhood in it's eclectic glory was also surreal.   Nope I did not buy any of the trinkets or baubles because to me this is something that should be a brain imprinted memory.

I demagnetized my little fare card for the funicular (trolley that takes you up the hill to Sacre Cour and back down) so we had to walk down the steps.  The gardens surrounding this awesome place was in the early art of it's winter glory.  (Pictures to follow)

We left there and went to the Louvre.  We saw several paintings among which was the Monna Lisa (yep that is the correct spelling of her name - peer our guide).  It was not as big as one would have imagined it either,  but it was beautiful nonetheless.  We also saw Winged Victory and of course Venus de Milo.  I ma not sure why I love this sculpture so much, but I do.  Perhaps it is because it is still beautiful after being recovered from the ground, missing her arms and yet her beauty remains strong and exudes the essence of prevailing against all odds.   Well that is what I see at least.  I have a miniature Venus on my terrace (reminds me that I have to get home and perform winter clean up on my terrace).

We had the BEST Tour Guide EVER!!!  She took us through the wing where some items from Egypt were - including the Sphinx...ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!!  In my younger years I wanted to participate in an archaeological dig.  I wanted that to be my life's work...and sewing/designing...so I go married instead...go figure!!!  So to be in this room with The Sphinx in all of it's glory was an emotional moment for me.  We next went into an area that was dug out when IM Pei deswigned the new entrance and was discovered as part of the original moat that surrounded the grounds and captured water from the Seine.  The only negative thing about the Louvre that I can think of is THERE IS A MAL WITH STARBUCKS AMONG OTHER THINGS IN THE NEW WING.    I personally think that when you have something so rich in history, holding precious artifacts and memories...why ruin it with an underground mall??  Other than that, I could see myself in the Egyptian Antiquities wing lost for a month or two...pretending that I am discovering ancient Egypt, finding precious jewels and having a conversation with Venus.

Then there was the circus.............