OPPORTUNE ITINERARY CHANGES

One key to a successful trip is to be flexible and sometimes a deviation from the itinerary is a great idea. Such was the case when we found ourselves a couple of blocks from Musée Rodin en route to the metro station home. Too close to not take advantage of the gorgeous day and enjoy Auguste Rodin's sculptures outside in the gardens. It was opportune and re-energizing.

After passing through the modern entrance of Rodin's earlier works of noble busts, portraits and sketches, I was anxious  to be amongst Rodin's sculptures after views into the lovely gardens... It was fascinating to discover Rodin was self taught and practiced his art originally sketching at the Louvre. WOW.

 Only a few roses of the many rose bushes  were blooming but they were stellar amidst all the green, stone and metal . 

Mansion where Rodin worked and lived

Strolling through the tree laden back garden rooms the oversized hands and feet were inescapable, a major characteristic of Rodin's work besides their restlessness.

They say if you want to touch sculpture the artist has done his job. Rodin did not fall short... 

Returning the original patina is underway for the Burghers of Calais...

Rodin's life has recently been released in a movie filmed in Villa de Brillants in Maudon, Rodin's original home, giving his story credulity. The Museum was worried until the screen play was read revealing extensive research conducted by the director. Photo archives also helped with costume and artifact period accuracy. 


This movie was tackily advertised through numerous posters affixed to trees down a cooler shady back allee BUT I did learn more about Rodin.

At 40, in 1880 Rodin's Gates of Hell received Rodin's first state commission included in these works are:

 The Thinker (R) and 
The Kiss( below)

The Kiss

Rodin's life long partner had been Rose until he met a young woman, Camille Claudet who becomes his pupil, then mistress and equal for a decade. Upon their break up he continued creating with a fervor, placing his energies into his craftsmanship as it evolved into the modern sculpture of Balzac.  His work remained hidden as he worked to perfect it with drawings and many clay figures. (photo to be added)

 In 1897 he painstakingly unveiled the modern piece of Balzac amidst  public and conservative critique. Numerous artists including Miro praised him for both his art and poetry. Some refer to Rodin as the modern Michelangelo. What do you think?

Impressive no matter where  Rodin's work sits, it was extra special to be enjoying his art where he once worked and lived... 

SO WHAT DID THEY SAY AT THE MUSEE D'ORSAY?

Look at the floors above (to the right of the clock)

 one can visitors walking across the window hallways

Located by the Seine River the Orsay Railway station was built in1900 for the Universal Exhibition on what was once the central garden of Henri IV's Queen Marguerite de Valois. The Musee d' Orsay picks up where the Louvre left off in the mid 1900's specifically featuring the Impressionists.  If truth be known definitely these visitors's preference.


The building itself is a piece of art with an elaborate curved ceiling (see below) with a giant gilded clock sitting majestically at one end of the building. (above)

Magnificent sculptures don the center of the building while rooms of paintings flank its sides. The great artists of Impressionism and Post- Impressionism deserve the beauty of this renovated space with all its attention to detail including many of its original architectural features. Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, Degas, Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin,Seurat and the special exhibit of Cezanne.

Through September 14 Portraits de Cézanne will be exhibited. But we were here to peruse all of the Musee d'Orsay. It was special and so much more manageable than the humongous Louvre. 

So time to share a sampling of its contents.

       Toulouse-Lautrec's The Circus

Who better to talk about the intricate Paris opera house model than our very own personal 'in country' opera singer, tour guide extraordinaire and trip companion Jim?

Incredible, n'est pas?

And when we climbed the stairs more beauty awaited...

Panoramic Paris city view through the clock's face

 And more rooms of the masters... 

One after another...

Cézanne around 1800's

And time flew by ... In my backpack that mini water bottle and bag of home made trail mix came in handy for a snack to tide me over as I sat  admiring the surrounding exquisite beauty...

So the answer to the question: "What did they say at the Musee d'Orsay?" Answer: Not much. These museum goers take their museum etiquette super seriously, NO talking. Maybe a whisper but reprimanding looks are given if one's excitement gets the better of you. 

LOCKS OF LOVE, PARIS STYLE

During one of our walks we crossed over the Pont Des Arts, a bridge whose name may ring a bell with you. A couple of years ago this is the very 1804 9-arch pedestrian metal bridge over the River Seine which made worldwide newspaper headlines.  Sweethearts, in the name of their undying love, for years had been attaching locks to its railings then throwing the keys into the river below. 

The estimated 45 tons of locks had taken its toll on the bridge compromising its integrity as a 5 foot section crumbled and there was no other choice, the locks had to be removed. 

During the three day repair entire sections of railing were removed at a time . But Paris wanting to maintain one of its nicknames as the City of Love, kept these discarded sections installing them land side off the bridge. 



As you can see messages, names and dates are written upon the locks.

Apparently folks couldn't be dissuaded by the campaign to just 'take selfies' so hopefully this land side reinstallation is dissuading this bridge and others bridges from becoming padlock heavy. Tourists can still visit the locks just off the bridge. It is still plenty romantic and impressive...

KERNELS OF TRUTH

It was time. Time for one of my most favorite local festivals, Kornfest, just north of La Crosse down the highway a piece in Holmen, Wisconsin. It's definitely worth the hour ride hour from the End of the RainbowValley as nothing beats eating corn on the cob than enjoying it with 100's of other folks. 

It's one of those feel good community events which comes with a parade, fun run, breakfast, car show, pie & ice cream barn, bingo tent, 
carni rides & games, horse shoe &volley ball class B tourna ments, music, a beer tent in addition to the American Legion's bar, chicken dinner with corn of course, and a corn station where a buck will buy you an ear of corn freshly cooked. 

Natureman even met the local farmer who donates the festival's corn and that is one heck of a lot of corn. 

One volunteer shucking station with the
garbage can for the discarded husks
in the center 

The Boy Scouts and their families man/woman the stations for shucking, selling and buttering. Salt is on your own.






The roasting is not a little person's station and the bigger guys keep the racks filled on the three roasting machines like those oversized convenient store hot dog cookers where they rotate as they roast.

 There's even a butter latherer provided who will leave your corn dripping and then it's up to you to add the salt to your heart's desire. ( I passed on the salt considering the amount of butter) To emphasize the amount of butter applied one just needs to take a look at the sidewalk which is stained with grease stains from the dripping corn. (See link below) Most folks don't even wait to get seated to polish off their corn. It's quite a sight.

On Saturday music doesn't start until 8pm and we faded a lot earlier but it was a terrific summer day for a convertible ride for some great corn at the best Kornfest around. If you missed it this year, there's always next August!

Below are a couple links from previous blog Kornfest entries:
KORNFESTING
DAYS OF CHROME AND ROSES

FOTO FRIDAY: QU'EST-CE QUE C'EST?

FOTO FRIDAY this week is a Whatchamacallit / Qu'est-ce que c'est? 

We saw this architectural feature walking down a Paris main boulevard of high end stores. 

Sometimes one has to capture the unusual. I had never seen this before, have you?
                                               Guesses? 

I'll be glad to list your responses until we get the answer. 

Marianne's guess is to keep cars from going where they should not

go. ( Sorry this is not in the street nor has anything to do with cars.)

Friend Sara actually knew this one. This is a nice large window ledge of one of those high end stores with mini metal spikes in Sara's words " to keep people from sitting..."  

Guess a lot of tired tourists shouldn't clutter up their windows to rest their weary bones. AND I would guess also a major deterrent for homeless folks ...

FOTO FRIDAY last week was from our AirBnB'sSTAIRWAYS TO HEAVEN/WHEREVER