Paris to Strasburg, Blog 12

Paris to Strasburg—Fantastique!, Blog 12

We checked out, stored our luggage at the hotel, and walked about 30 minutes to the Orsay Museum.  Our hotel helped us to purchase tickets on-line so we wouldn’t have to stand in line because the line to buy tickets was endless.  Even in the line for people who already had tickets it was necessary to wait.  Oh, but it’s worth it!  We were last in the Orsay about 19 years ago.  It’s been redone.  If my memory is working (which doesn’t always happen) I think I liked the original layout better, but……the art is timeless.

 You all know Impressionist art so I won’t go into too much detail—just reactions.  Manet, Monet, Renoir,  Tourlouse, Cassat—they’re all at the Orsay. There is absolutely no substitute for the originals. Dan and I both loved the landscapes of Sisley and Pissarro.  Degas’ La Petite Danseuse is one of my top five favorite works of art  (David is number 1.)  In fact, I love all of Degas despite his virulent Anti-Semitism.  While I think the Mona Lisa (Louvre)  is one of the most overrated works of art ever, I am fascinated by another classic:  Whistler’s Arrangement in Gray and Black No. 1…the famous portrait of his mother. Up close the original has wonderful nuances.

We ate in the café on the top floor—one of my best meals of the trip:  poached salmon, smoked salmon, salmon salad, and salmon mousse—all on one plate-- with a horseradish dill sauce and salad.  There are some positive outcomes of getting older.  The queue to the lady’s room was very long.  The attendant in charge of the handicapped loo scanned the line and motioned for me to come forward!  I was more pleased than insulted.

On the floors below the Impressionists were exhibits of Art Deco, Arts and Crafts furniture, Art Nouveau, and sculpture.  The Art Nouveau floor had a recreated room using objects from someone’s house.  Spectacular!    I took a forbidden snapshot from the doorway of the entire room.  I’ve already confessed this is one of my failings that I atone for on Yom Kippur, but I do have my standards.  I will never take a picture using a flash of a painting because I know the damage it can do. In fact I later became upset with a gentleman who took a flash photo inches from a Van Gogh self-portrait. Hypocrite?  Oui ou No?

I refused to take the metro back to our hotel because I wanted one last stroll in Paris. Part of our route took us along the Seine and a view of Notre Dame.  From our hotel, our trip to the Gare d’Ouest was an e-ride by taxi (are you old enough to understand the reference?) because of the traffic.   I was surprised to find that the station was immaculate with fine shops and few people.  We settled in on the TGV for our 2 ½ hours to Strasburg.