Day 33 September 17, 2008
I fell in love today.
It wasn't with Edith Piaf, although I enjoyed tracking down her "life" in Belleville. I found the steps where she supposedly was born on a cold winter night. And then I found the hospital where she actually was born. I saw the area where she ran around and the street where she grew up. I admired the Chinese restaurant (mmmm, chinese food) that used to be a theater where she sang and Olympia (not in Belleville) where she held huge audiences captive with her grand voice. And I marveled at her petite stature captured in a tiny statue that I'm going to believe is life-size. Edith Piaf had an amazing life; may she always be remembered.
I took on the Louvre by myself for visit #3. I never realized how much I liked seeing a musuem solo until this day. I also never knew I had "official Louvre photographer" tattooed on my forehead. For real, people, just because I'm by myself and look like I wouldn't steal your camera doesn't mean I won't. My camera sucks. I need a better one. And I run faster than you think. I really do.
Anyway, it really was a pleasant experience. Mostly because of the falling in love part. But that didn't happen in the Medieval moats of the Louvre. Did you know there was such at thing? Me, neither!
And then I discovered I like Persian art a whole lot. I also discovered I'm comfortable with France looting and keeping lots of art, but I'm not okay with the Egyptian sarcophagi and mummy held in cases. Shouldn't there be more respect for the dead?
I also saw lots of other stuff, but I ended the night by going back to see my favorite painting (see: Day 5) and statue. As I was standing on the Daru steps, my eyes and heart opened unexpectedly and I completely fell in love with the Winged Victory. Yes, I'm in love with a statue...that has no head. Or arms. I'm okay with that, though. She is so full of grace and beauty and her history is captivating. I can't believe that I can actually be in love with art, but I here I am, in love with an old, old, really old Greek lady with wings.