Do you have a Napoleon ego?...

It’s week four, and things just keep getting better, except for the weather? Just when I thought we had lost the bitter cold of winter, another gust of it comes sweeping in! I’m hoping in the next two to three weeks it will finally be gone so spring can come.
Thursday was a great night for me and the rest of my study abroad program-mates. Our directors planned for us all to go to the famous Opera Garnier for the night to see a ballet!
Unfortunately, I didn't have my nice camera with me, but I tried to get some good shots with my powershot.

What a great experience it was to take part of with all my new friends. I arrived there around seven to walk the halls and staircases of the house and find my seat. The grand staircase was beautiful, and the surrounding rooms were even better! The ballet of the night was called, “La Dame Aux Camelias” and it was great. Think Moulin Rouge plot, but in a ballet. It was kind of surreal to sit up in the top and see everyone viewing the ballet in such a historic place. It felt very…sophisticated!

The beautiful Opera House wing.


My Australian friend, Dina!

Our very uncomfortable chairs!

This weekend has been the first full weekend where I haven’t left Paris for other destinations or had things planned to do. Friday I walked through town a lot, and ended up at the Louvre for most of the night. I am falling in love with the Ancient Egyptian artifacts. Something about seeing an actual mummy or tablet of hieroglyphics is really bizarre!

Red ribbon on a statue during a protest.
The police at a protest. (very common in the city)

Saturday Erik and I took the metro east of our stop to where the St. Martin canal is. With beautiful bridges and parks lining the canal, it is a very picturesque waterway in some areas. We found that a lot of the area is not so tourist friendly, with many homeless people lining the canal itself.

The picture-perfect part of the canal.

The not-so-picture-perfect part of the canal.

After unsuccessfully trying to get falafel in the Jewish area of Le Marais, (we got it today) we wondered over to Les Invalides, a museum of numerous wars and the resting place of Napoleon.

A statue of Napoleon as "the King of Rome"

The building itself had many purposes when it was built. First and foremost, it was a “hotel” for all wounded and disabled soldiers from the war. Other uses of the campus included a convent, factory and barracks.

According to what I learned in the museum, the church within the site was divided in half so that the King and soldiers could attend mass at the same time, all while having the King enter in a separate way. It was very interesting to see what the King saw during mass, and what the soldiers saw. Both sides were beautiful and wonderfully made.

The soldier's side of the church.

The King's alter.

Beyond the church, Les Invalides is now a museum for the uniforms, weapons and other artifacts from the 13th-17th centuries and the 1st-2nd world wars. All the rooms were amazing to see how military uniforms changed through the years. Finally, there was an exhibit on Charles de Gaulle that was very modern and had amazing digital effects and lighting.

The next post will be full of a crazy day of museum-fun!

Affectuesement,
George

Sunday 7 March 2010