Travels with Forty Roses: Orientation

The issue with Paris is the fact there is so much to see and do, one has difficulty putting order to a day. The question for us is how and what will we try to accomplish in such a few short months. We are attempting to begin in an orderly way and note that our new friends and neighbours down the way are planning to explore each arrondissement in sequence, beginning in the First. We thought that was a great way to organize exploration and said we would start at the reverse end and work towards them. But here it is on Wednesday and we have yet to begin. We have been far too busy running hither and thither investigating the local neighbourhood. Reconnoitering out markets and butcher shops so we can make a good meal, rushing off to buy a handy terrine dish in order to make one, riding the Metro to find our way to various locations, and walking until we drop exhausted, at the end of the day. John is also riding his bike and yesterday circumnavigated the entire city with a friend, also a cycling fanatic.

Additionally, he is recovering from his trip to the wonderful dental clinic in Budapest where he will return for the next step in the process. He is now a wealth of information on the subject of sinus lifts and implants. And he cannot say enough about the Helvetic Clinic. He received great care and has high regard for their very professional staff.

I still must plant my tulip bulbs and have a long list of things that must get done. . But, too many distractions. We have visited the Museé de l'Orangerie as follow up to our trip to Giverny, and very much enjoyed the huge Waterlily series installed there since the 1920's after Claude Monet’s death. Of course, many others were there having a look too and we feel that a quieter atmosphere and some lovely nature sounds playing would enhance the experience of these beautiful and masterly paintings.

We are located close to the Place des Vosges, originally Place Royale, which is the oldest planned square in Paris, France. It is located in the Marais district, and overlaps the dividing-line between the 3rd and 4th arrondissements of Paris. It was a fashionable and expensive square to live in during the 17th and 18th centuries, and continues to be a beautiful setting for the park located in the square’s center. A few photos follow. So, this week, the photos speak to a scattering of trips and sights seen. No particular order or sequence. Next week my objective will be to investigate and explore a subject in more depth. Meanwhile the distractions pile up. . . a Dorothy Lange exposition at the Jeu de Paume that is so good I will return, a concert at St. Eustache this Sunday on the famous organ, and a myriad of things in between, including my French lesson and our French conversational group that gets together each Thursday evening.

The amazing golden sculpture that is currently located within the Louvre Pyramid and pictured below is part of “Japonismes 2018: Souls in Resonance,” a monumental sculpture by Kohei Nawa. With this floating throne, Kohei Nawa expresses his intuition that the rapid progress of computer science and artificial intelligence could, in the long term, replace power and authority, instruments of influence in politics and the economy. This work, inspired by the shapes and origins of the chariots used in the Orient during religious festivals, is a combination of the art of gold leaf gilding, which dates back to Ancient Egypt, and the latest 3D modeling techniques. This 10.4 meter-high monumental sculpture is floating in the middle of the Louvre Pyramid for six months, in order to question the notions of power and authority that have been perpetuated in the past, and to question the future that awaits us. However, in simpler terms than the sculptors explanation, it is a glorious golden piece of sculpture.