Thursday, December 3, 2009

Disney, The Morning After and Musee D'Orsay Too!

I have to give three cheers for the Disney Marriott complex. Kirk had hotel points and the only option was basically a two bedroom condo - perfect for our two family crew. I honestly gasped when we checked in. It was so plush, so FREE, and so perfect for us.The morning after Disney I unpacked the princess costumes I brought along. The girls dressed up and ran around chasing each other. Somehow I don't think Snow White was ever so rambunctious! They were precious together. Instant playmates and the best of friends.After the costumes they took to doodling together on the hotel paper. That provided a surprising amount of entertainment. But I think the attraction was more drawing together!After a leisurely breakfast in our abode and a late check out we headed for Paris. Kirk had never seen the Musee D'Orsay so we headed to the Seine river banks to check it out. The Musee D'Orsay must be the very best art museum in the whole world. The collection is very relateable and familiar. Plus the building is a remodeled train station! This art museum was the first that I felt like Connor settled in and enjoyed the art. Of course the most hilarious part is that MANY of the pieces featured nude women. Connor took one look at all the "bums" and proclaimed "That lady forgot her big girl pants!"Indeed she had! Can you tell that pottying is still a huge deal at our house? But Connor kinda had a point. Where were those ladies' clothes? And why in this painting are the men fully clothed and the woman naked?Connor pointed out every single "bum" she saw! I never realized how many there were in classic art masterpieces!But then again everything appears different through two year old eyes!We did see more than just ladies who forgot their big girl pants though. We also found many painting of Etretat! We were just there a couple of months ago. What fun to find in art places we have been in person!It was a scavenger hunt to find all three of these Etretat pieces scattered throughout the Musee D'Orsay!We were just as excited every time we found another Etretat. The waves weren't quite this angry the day we were there.Mom, this one is for you!Ahh. Mr. Van Gogh. What a talent. I never tire of looking at your work.Connor has a book about this Renoir painting where the narrator jumps inside and runs in the field of flowers. We tried to jump in too - without success. Shucks!I thought the grouping of these three paintings was fascinating.Degas' dancer. It was my favorite the first time I visited the Musee D'Orsay in high school and it was my favorite still. She is so regal and ready to dance, dance, dance. Simply amazing a cold, hard statue could seem so soft and lifelike.Around every corner was another stroke (ha!) of genius.Rodin's The Gates of Hell. I have never seen anything quite like this before.The Musee D'Orsay was spectacular. Even though we had to make three mad dashes to find a potty in the long, cavernous exhibit halls. And then retrace and backtrack to return to our starting place. Such is life when you remember your big girl pants! I do so hope Connor will retain at least a vague memory of this wonderful museum and our joyful time there together.We made a brief stop on the way out of town to Paris' Suresnes American Cemetery. It overlooks the City of Lights on a high hilltop.These cemeteries really are remarkable. Especially when you are an expat living far from home. They are oddly comforting and help alleviate homesickness. Disney, Paris and the Musee D'Orsay made for a memorable trip!
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