Musee d'Orsay
I never heard of the D'Orsay museum before, but everyone else has, because there was a line to get in. And quite a few people were wearing Phonak jerseys seeing as how it was the day after the Tour finished. Between July 24 and 27th, Floyd Landis and Phonak were having really good publicity. It was so insanely hot outside, and so well air-conditioned on the inside. A great place to spend some time. Just like with the Louvre, I really liked the building and the way it's designed on the inside. It was once a train station and this is the central hall. When you first walk in and look up, it's a nice view. This photo is from a high point looking down. Most of the museum is paintings, especially impressionist paintings by the usual crew of famous painters: Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, etc. This just so happens to be the kind of art I like to see. Except a still life of a dead fish. 
I didn't really care for it aesthetically, but I felt compelled to take a picture. Did this guy run out of baskets of fruits or bouquets of flowers? Did someone commission this? Was it a joke? Every painting has a story, but since I don't like walking around a museum with a handheld audio tour thingy, I don't know the story. If you do, please post a comment.
I've said it before, I'll say it again, the layout of museums is not efficient. Take this gallery room for example. I applaud the guy/gal who was in charge of lighting, but let's examine the floor plan. There's painting on all 4 sides of the room and on both sides of the central partition running the length of the room. I must enter the room from one side and exit on the opposite side. I arrive at the opposite side after having only seen half the room. I walk back along the other side of the partition. I've now seen the whole room, but I'm back where I started. Does anyone else feel my pain?
On the top floor there's a nice place to eat and from the outside there's an amazing view of the city. While the view is free, a half liter bottle of water costs 2.50 euros, which works out to about $25 a gallon.Labels: france, museums, paris
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