Whatever the reasons a post catches my eye, it makes me feel part of a very special group of people – travel bloggers.

Narrow street in Italy

Here are some great reads from this past week:

My Bella Vita explains her theory on how to learn Italian – an entire month without speaking anything but Italian.  Will it work?

Galley Gossip on Gadling is written by a flight attendant, and this explanation of non-revving, deadheading, positioning, and commuting, explains why you sometimes see flight attendants sitting in a seat, or being give a boarding priority.  Before you curse them out, read this post.

Travel Blog Exchange has a post by Dana on the best and safest hotel choices in Russia.  You don’t have to rough it in Russia.

The Paris Traveler explains where all the Parisiens go in August.  And why.  They definitely have a better attitude about vacationing than many of us do.

The Montreal Guide lets us in on one giant waterfight.  Sounds like a lot of fun!

Gadling covers the story of Ryan Air CEO Michael O’Leary who says that passengers who are demanding anything more than the most basic of service should just go away.  Sounds like a company that has found their niche and has no intention of being anything more.

Nerds Eye View pens a wonderful travel essay from her recent road trip that took her through Montana.  Anyone who has passed through Big Sky country will relate to Pam’s feelings of being the tourist.

Those are my favorites for this week.  I’ll have another selection for you next Sunday.

Photo credit:  personal collection

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Located in the 7th arrondissement (1 Legion of Honor), along the banks of the Seine, the museum is a former railway station.  It had a number of other “lives” before being turned into a museum that opened in 1986..  It’s soaring glass and iron roof make for a dramatic entrance, and scattered around the building are little touches reminding you of that former railway station.  Unlike the the Louvre, which is often dark, the d’Orsay is light, open, and inviting.

The Museum is probably best known for its Impressionists, although that collection only makes up about of third of the work you’ll find here.  There are a variety of ways to explore the collections – picking your favorites to see, viewing the art chronologically (lower floor, top, then middle), or just wandering to see what catches your eye and that you want to spend more time with.  I adopted a combination of choosing my must-see pieces and wandering.

Keep reading to learn what you’ll see

• Lower Level:  Sculptures in the main hallway, pre-Impressionist paintings (Eugene Delacroix and Gustave Courbet), and early works by Monet, Renoir, and Manet in the side galleries.  Be sure to look up and around and appreciate the architecture of the building.  This was my favorite floor!
• Middle Level:  The impressive Belle-Époque ballroom takes up much of the floor, and is worth spending time exploring and appreciating the grandeur of its design.  Side galleries are dedicated to Symbolism, Naturalism, and the Nabis School, along with the decorative arts.  On the mezzanine you’ll find sculpture, including Rodin’s Gates of Hell and Balzac.  The Musée d’Orsay restaurant is located on this level, and even if you’re not stopping in for lunch or tea, take a moment to poke your head in and look around.  The enormous windows and sparkling chandeliers are most impressive.
• Top Level:  Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings and sculpture.  Artists represented here include Degas, Renoir and Gauguin.  On this level you’ll also find the Café des Hauteurs. a popular place to stop for a quick bite to eat.  It’s behind one of the large clocks and overlooks the Seine.  The terrace is open, weather permitting, and offers great views.  We stopped in for a simple lunch here, and found it remarkably delicious, with excellent service and reasonable prices.  Not a common experience in Paris, in general, and contrary to many experiences I’ve had when getting food when I’m a “captive audience.” Stopping off for lunch here will allow you a nice resting break before continuing on to view the rest of the galleries.

Even if you are not an art aficionado, you’ll recognize a lot of the pieces and artists you’ll see here.  This is home to Arrangement in Grey and Black: The Artist’s Mother (more commonly known as Whistler’s Mother), Starry Night Over the Rhone (Van Gogh), Bal au moulin de la Galette, Montmartre (Renoir), and many others.  You may not recognize the name of the work or the artist, but you’ll like recognize the work itself.

Admission is €8, which covers the permanent collections and exhibitions.  There is an extra charge for special exhibitions.  There are numerous discounted or FREE admissions for students, artists, children, and groups.  The museum is covered by the Paris Museum Pass, which also allows you to proceed directly to the front for admission, and bypass any line.  In the day that I was there, the line wasn’t terribly long, but this advantage still saved me about a half hour of precious time.

The Musée d’Orsay is open from 9:30 am – 6 pm daily, except Monday.  It is open late on Thursday, till 9:45 pm.  There are also extended summer hours to accommodate peak tourist season.

This museum is worth a visit, and I’d recommend putting it on your must-see list!

Photo credits:  personal collection

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

This beautiful building was constructed as a result of a promise made by King Louis XV in 1744.  He was suffering from a serious and mysterious illness (later believed to be gout), and vowed that if he recovered he would construct a building worthy of the patron saint of Paris. 

He recovered, and construction of the Pantheon began in 1758 and was completed in 1789.  Many delays were related to lack of finances – a common reason for construction delays even today!

Since its completion coincided with the start of the French Revolution, the Revolutionary government order the building changed from a church to a mausoleum where the remains of great Frenchmen could be interred.  Although it has reverted to a church twice since then, today it is once again a mausoleum.

When I walked into the Pantheon it felt austere and cavernous.  I felt the need to use my “library voice.” 

It’s basically a cross-shaped building, with a domed center.  Around the walls are murals depicting religious and revolutionary figures (I particularly liked the series of Joan of Arc), as well at statuary and frescoes.

Continue reading for more information and photos!

In the center of the Pantheon beneath its dome, is a pendulum standing nearly 220 feet tall (67 meters).  This is Foucault’s Pendulum, named for Leon Foucault who, in 1851, built the pendulum to conduct experiments demonstrating the rotation of the earth.  I was absolutely mesmerized by its simplicity and beauty.

After spending time appreciating all this art and history, you’ll have the option of visiting the necropolis (mausoleum) or climbing stairs to get a view of Paris from the top.

Not entirely morbid, the Pantheon’s necropolis is also a work of art.  Here are buried many famous Frenchmen and one famous Frenchwoman.  A few of the notables include:  Alexandre Dumas (author of the Three Musketeers), Victor Hugo (author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Voltaire, Rousseau, Emile Zola, Rene Descartes, Louis Braille and Pierre and Marie Curie (the latter the only woman buried here). 

Over the years there has been heated debate over who deserves and doesn’t deserve to be buried in this most sacred site.  Today, it takes an act of Parliament to be buried here.

I much preferred to climb up, however.  All 206 steps to the colonnade beneath the dome.  Don’t let the fact that this is a guided tour turn you away from this option.  It’s really only “guided” so that you don’t get lost on the way up!  And don’t worry about making the climb in record speed.  Go slow and rest along the way if you need to.

The view from the top is spectacular – a 360 degree view of all that Paris has to offer.  This is one of the best views in the city, in my opinion.

The Pantheon is located at Place du Pantheon in the 5th arrondissement.  The nearest metro is Cardinal Lemoine and the nearest RER is Luxembourg.

It is open 10 am – 6 pm October through March.  Starting April 1st it is open till 6:30 pm.  The upper area can only be visited April through September, and departure times very.  I’d recommend checking for a convenient tour time when you first arrive, and then work the remainder of your viewing around that time.

Admission is 8 Euros for adults, 5 Euros for ages 18-25, and free for everyone under 18.  It is an included admission on the Paris Museum Pass.  If you’ll be visiting several attractions, that’s a cost efficient option.

Photo credit:  all from personal collection

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

One of my favorite museums in Paris was the Musee Rodin in the First Arrondissement.

Surrounded by beautiful gardens, this collection of sculptures and other artwork was wonderful.

I took the photo of these hands, and don’t even recall what the sculpture was called.  For some reason, I found them compelling.

Join a group of other travel bloggers who are sharing photos today as part of Photo Friday.  I loved the travel photos, and think you will, too!

Photo credit:  personal collection

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Location:  The interior pillars and a glimpse of art from inside the Pantheon in Paris.

There’s marvelous murals on the walls, all sorts of interesting frescos, niches, an cubbies, and some beautiful windows.  It was amazing to wander about, and every time you turned around there was something awe inspiring.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Playing with photo editing software today – always a fun thing to do with travel photos.

I like making the Eiffel Tower even more artistic looking that it really is!

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Pam is a great photographer (click on her link above and go check out her stuff), and we also discussed how much photos added to the travel blog experience.

So today, I’m sharing a photo taken on my trip to Paris last fall. 

The photo was taken on a visit to the Louvre.  The statuary was in a garden atrium area of the museum, and is just one of hundreds of pieces on display.

I recently had the opportunity to watch some sculptors at work, and that has given me a new appreciation for the effort that went into these marble pieces of art.

Photo credit:  personal collection

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Of course, I wanted to share my “masterpiece” with you.  These photos are from the Rodin Museum in Paris, and show a part of the museum and its grounds, as well as a few of Rodin’s marvelous sculptures.

Picnik is a web-based photo editing program that is easy to use and fun.  While it may not do the heavy lifting of some of the other photo editing programs, it’s easy to learn, is compatible with many online photo storage programs, and will occupy you times for hours as you try out all the fun features.

The basic Picnik program is free.  Picnik Premium, with lots of cool bells and whistles, including some advanced collage option, is $24.95/year.

I’ve had such a good time with it that I’d like you to be able to give it a try, so I’m offering one lucky reader a FREE year of Picnik Premium. 

To enter, leave a comment telling me what your first photo collage will be about.  Be brief, go into details, whatever you want to share.  Be sure to include your email address in the comment box or I won’t be able to contact you to tell you that you’ve won.

Contest deadline is Sunday, September 21st at midnight Pacific Time.  One entry per person.  I’ll randomly draw the name of the winner.

Good luck!  And good photo editing!

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

It honors those who bravely fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars.  ,  Beneath the arch is the tomb of the unknown soldier from World War I, marked by the very first eternal flame.  The flame burns in memory of those who died, but were not identified, in both WWI and WWII.  An inscription reads “Here lies a French soldier who died for his fatherland 1914-1918” (translated here into English).

The arch stands about 165 feet tall, and measures about 148 feet wide, and around it is a roundabout that is one of the busiest in Paris.  Do not try to dodge in and out of this traffic!  That would be dangerous, and brand you as a serious nutcase.  While I watched, I saw many people tempted by it – but fortunately no one crazy enough to actually attempt it.

You can reach the arch sensibly by following the signs to the underground passage way that will take you beneath the crazy roundabout to the arch.  From there you can take a short elevator ride back to ground level or climb the stairs.  In the photo above you see me waving at you before heading to the passageway to cross over.

What will you see?  Keep reading to find out!

Spend some time walking around the Arc de Triomphe looking at the sculptured facade.  A few highlights include a winged figure of Victory, a sculpture of Napoleon, and the 30 shields (each representing a victorious battle) on the crown of the arch.  On the inside and top of the arch are inscribed the names of generals and battles fought, with the names of those who died in battle underlined.  Conveniently missing are some of Napoleon’s later battles.

If you’re up to it, climb the 284 steps to the top of the arch.  There is no elevator!  The steps are stone, and the passageway narrow and circular.  It’s okay if you need to stop and catch your breath – most people did.

Once at the top, you’ll be treated to magnificent views in all directions.  Take a look around and you’ll see 12 major arterials leading into the Place (for an example, look at the photo below).  Watch how the merge into the roundabout, and you’ll have a real appreciation for driving in Paris.  There are fabulous photo opportunities from the top, and since the Arc is open late, it’s a favorite spot for sunset and evening photos.

You can reach the Arc de Triomphe by RER line A (train) and Métro (subway), getting off at the Charles de Gaulle-Étoile stop.

It is open daily from 10 am – 11 pm, and closes a half hour earlier during the fall and winter months.  There is no charge to walk around the base of the arch.  Access to the top was €7 when I was there, and kids under 18 are free.  Admission is also covered as part of the Paris Museum Pass.

The Arc de Triomphe was one of my favorite monuments in Paris, and is probably the most famous in Paris.  I’d put it on a must-see list for a Paris trip, for its historical significance, art, and views.  Allow half an hour or so to explore the ground level, and an additional hour (or more) if you are going to go to the top.

Photos credit:  all from personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

Bateaux Parisiens is a cruise company that conducts sightseeing, lunch, and dinner cruises on the Seine, along with operating a river-boat shuttle called Batobus.

I opted for an evening sightseeing cruise, and for an hour we cruised the Seine while the hostess pointed out a number of attractions.  The commentary was pleasant and informative, and not filled with the typical puns and drivel that you so often get on tours.

Schedules vary, but details and information can easily be found in the city.  At the time I was there the sightseeing cruise operated every half hour until 10 pm, and cost €11.  It was easy to walk up and get a seat.  Reservations required, however, for lunch and dinner cruises.

Thanks for the contribution, Jon. 

Photo credit:  Jon Rochetti

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe