C’mon you all, sing it with me!
Okay – seriously, we traveled to Paris and I just felt it a shame if we went through our entire trip not visiting one of the major museums (yes, shoot me, I didn’t count the Pompidou in the ranks of major museums – though it probably should be). In my mind, I was thinking Louvre or D’Orsay. So with that in mind, we asked the kids if they had any desire to see any work of art, to which they replied, “We could see the Mona Lisa.”
Of course, that statement was quickly followed by, “But that’s all we want to see in that museum.”
So on Thursday afternoon, after climbing the Tower at Notre Dame, we didn’t make an exact b-line for the Louvre, but instead, hopped on the Batobus (boat that travels up and down the Seine), and got off at the Louvre stop, where we arrived a few minutes late for entry (5:46 – the museum closes at 6:00pm).
So, after some photo-ops in the courtyard, we headed home.
On Friday morning though, after letting the kids sleep in a bit, we headed back to the Louvre, taking the 1 metro line to the museum exit, walked through the Carousel (aka shopping mall underneath), with promises of post visit shopping, quickly through the underground security and right into the museum, flashing our museum passes along the way (love the no lines thing).
It was really almost a jog, past the ancient Greco-Roman sculptures, up the stairs, following the signs pointing us to the Mona Lisa all the way. Once we arrived, it was a matter of worming our way through the crowds, eight deep, for a few seconds thirty some odd feet from the painting. Honestly, I thought it a ripoff the first time and I’m still thinking it this time. I just don’t get it.
Anyway, once we left the Mona Lisa’s room, which, by the way, was the only area nicely air-conditioned, we managed to convince our charges to walk up and down the great hall outside, where we saw pictures of King David in various outfits and in various states before and after killing Goliath, John the Baptist, Jesus and assorted other saints. But once that was done, they were done, and we quickly made our way back to the carousel for some shopping (a few more gifts purchased) and then on to lunch.
Kim,
A little late here, but as I have been blog-phobic lately, just wanted to say that David took the same approach to the Louvre on our first trip there – he had a few things he wanted to see, and that was that – of course, he was a little older than your teenagers . . .
I know I agree with Sammi. Which out the stories behind the paintings, knowing the artist, understanding the times, it’s hard to really be impressed with an original painting versus a copy – how would one know?
I was a little disappointed also when I saw the Mona Lisa. I was more impressed by the huge painting on the adjoining wall. Sammi really should go into being a news reporter. Perhaps for Jon Stewart. She cracks me up.
Check out this Mona Lisa:
http://eternallycool.net/2009/08/would-you-like-cream-or-sugar-with-that/
It is amazing to see the groups tours that run to this room. Great painting but there are alot of other things to see in that tiny museum, at least you got them to go.
Can you stand one more glimpse of Mona? http://ow.ly/j2ui
;p
It’s been a long time since I was there, but I remember thinking that it was strange – all the crowds and security around Mona Lisa when really, the other da Vinci painting there (Madonna of the Rocks?) is a better painting and it wasn’t behind glass!