18/5 Is there anything open on a Monday?

Monday 18^th Paris is closed - Louvre

A bit of a gloomy day that needs to be spent in a museum and luckily one is open – the Louvre! We had previously admired and enjoyed the gardens but hadn’t planned on going inside. There was a long queue snaking round the square but it moved quite quickly and we made it inside.  We saw the Mona Lisa up close (not as small as people say) and also the Venus de Milo which is actually Aphrodite! An ancient Greek statue and quite armless (sorry). Apart from that there was a huge Egyptian collection (like the Vatican – much better than anything that is left in Egypt) and rooms full of Rembrandts etc. The great royal collections were moved here from the Palace de Versailles after the revolution.

Not short of a statue either – galleries full, including a few more of the major pieces Michelangelo did for the tomb of Pope Julius II which ended up elsewhere.  It was quite tiring being on our feet all afternoon but very interesting and enjoyable.

You are not allowed to walk on water out ther front of the Louvre

This was beautiful.  Never saw anything like this is Egypt

Tut and the French guy

Made of wood.  Again, never saw anything like this in Egypt

Scribe

Jointed wood...wow

The scrum in front of the Mona Lisa

Crown jewels

Castle that once stood where the Louvre is now

The remnants of that castle in the foundations of the Louvre

Venus de Milo

So many sarcophagus

Look at the wrapping on this mummy....wow

Enormous

After we got thrown out of the Lourve, way to early, we walked to the Pompadu centre.

 What a strange building.  It is different though.