Love Sundays!

I am beginning to love Sundays.  Sure, a lot of things are closed...but that makes walking around aimlessly that much more fun!  I had set my alarm for 9, because I have to be at school tomorrow at 8 and wanted to be able to go to bed before midnight tonight!  Since I just visited the Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais, I decided to continue with Monet today and visit the Musee Marmottan Monet.  It was yet another really good decision I made this week!  The museum opened at 11, and I arrived around 11:30 (after using my metro pass this morning which after 2 months of tickets was really exciting!) and there was no line! Woo hoo!  They had a strict no cameras policy, and had men in black suits guarding everywhere catching sneaky people like me with cell phone cameras.  So..no pictures, sorry!  

The Museum is an old townhouse that belonged to Jules and Paul Marmottan on the edge of Paris near the Bois du Bologne.  The furniture, statues, lighting, and some tapestries that still remain in the house belonged to the Marmottan family as well.  The first floor of the museum feels as if you were still in their home...not some uncomfortable, stuffy museum.  Nestled in a quiet neighborhood near a pretty extensive children's park, it is the ideal setting for such a beautiful museum.  It wasn't until 1966 that it became the Marmottan Monet, as Monet's second child, Michel, left all of his collection to the museum....making it the largest collection of Monet's paintings.  As you wander through the museum there are huge windows looking out into the terrace/yard.  It would be an incredible place for a wedding.  There were around 300 works from primarily Monet, but Renoir, Sisley, and Manet as well.  After discovering so many of his works in the past few days, my favorite paintings are of his garden in Giverny.  They are so vibrant with color and his lighting scheme in each one is perfect.  

After I left the museum I practically traveled across the city to visit Sainte Chappelle, a church that Toni suggested I put on my to-do list.  I approached the entrance and looked at the line.  People didn't seem irritated and it was just a little bit warmer today so I decided what the heck...I am here, just be patient.  

It was well worth the wait!! Security was holding everyone up.  The Sainte Chappelle is surrounded by numerous government buildings and they were taking every precaution that's for sure.  On weekdays you can buy tickets to visit La Conciergerie but not on Sunday.  

The church was consecrated in April of 1248.  1248?! That is a looong time ago.  The steeple was destroyed during the French Revolution and most of the church has been restored since then.  Although I was surprised to discover that two third's of the stained glass windows are original, and they are in the process of restoring all of them.  Each one of those pictures is a scene from a significant story in the Bible.  There are 15 windows and I believe 1100 scenes?  I thought this was interesting...they read from left to right and from the bottom upwards.  I had a video made but it isn't working so I'll add pictures one by one.  

Now that you have all had your history lesson for today...we can move on.  A few things I thought were picture worthy on my aimless wandering today:  

Ice Skating at Hotel de Ville

How cold the Seine looks in winter

Need to get rid of your Christmas tree?  Just pitch it on the sidewalk. nbd.  

Lunch/Dinner:  Croque Monsieur

As night began to fall, I noticed the sky getting really blue!  I stopped on my way home to take a couple of pictures of the lights on the Champs Elysees but discovered how gorgeous the Arc de Triomphe looked at this very moment!  

Came home to discover my electricity is out again.  Oh la la.... I am tired of this happening.  So are Sabrine and Laurent!  This time I am sure they will have to start over with all the wiring.  I think they have too powerful of a heater for the wires that they used.  On the upside, this is my room until Tuesday at least!  It's their unfinished 3rd bedroom, but a palace to those who live in a shoebox!  And...only 5 flights of stairs.  

I've gotten quite good at "making myself at home" anywhere I go, so its really no problem.  I start school bright and early tomorrow and I can't wait to report!  I've been reading through my book a little tonight so I'm somewhat prepared for class....which is definitely a change from Ole Miss!