A VISIT TO THE LOUVRE
Today we went to the famous Musée de Louvre (pronounced "Hors d'oeuvre") which attracts art lovers from all over the world.
Here you can see famous works of art such as the Venus "de Milo" ("without arms") and take pictures of yourself with your back to them.
Or if you prefer, you can photograph your wife with her back to some art.
The most famous artwork is the Mona Lisa, which beckons you with its legendary allure from across the room.
As you get closer, subtle details of this masterpiece begin to emerge.
Until finally, as you stand in front of this incredible painting, you are overcome by its transcendent beauty.
ACTUAL STATEMENT MY DAUGHTER OVERHEARD IN THE MOB IN FRONT OF THE MONA LISA: "Why are people just standing here looking at it? If you're not going to take a picture get out!"
Those two women in the first photo are definitely a piece of artwork themselves.
Seriously, I am stunned by the crowd photos. It has affirmed by long-held stance that I need never visit Paris. I don't understand what people get out of blurry, off-color smartphone photos of tourist attractions. I'm sure the sarcasm of your Mona Lisa photos and captions would be completely lost on these people.
Posted by: wanderer2575 | June 11, 2015 at 10:20 AM
" Dome of the Tourist ". We studied that one in art class.
Posted by: Clankie | June 11, 2015 at 10:33 AM
. . . what *EVER*
Posted by: ligirl | June 11, 2015 at 10:52 AM
How about snakes in a museum?
Posted by: Cheesewiz | June 11, 2015 at 10:54 AM
While viewing Big Ben in London I heard a tourist a tourist say, "Quick, take a picture while the bell is chiming!"
Posted by: poker | June 11, 2015 at 10:58 AM
I was really surprised how much smaller the Mona Lisa was in person than I thought it would be when we visited the Louvre. I think they were selling posters that were larger than the actual painting.
Posted by: Steve (The 24 Guy) | June 11, 2015 at 11:11 AM
and yet it's still illegal to kill 'em...
Posted by: mudstuffin in klumbus | June 11, 2015 at 11:11 AM
The Ugly American Abroad, or Honey Boo Boo Goes to Paris?
I remember being impressed (this was some 40 years ago) with how the Mona Lisa was just hanging on a wall in a random gallery rather than they way they'd showcase it here, as in its "visit" to New York in 1962-63, when we stood on long lines to see it.
Posted by: Jeff Meyerson | June 11, 2015 at 11:37 AM
*Snork* @ poker – reminds me of an old Reader's Digest anecdote about a tour guide who showed a group some fossilized dinosaur footprints. One of the tourists said "I'm surprised they came this close to the road."
Posted by: AmoebaStampede | June 11, 2015 at 11:51 AM
When I was there in 1979 there was a bomb threat and we never got in. C'est La Vie.
Posted by: LeDud | June 11, 2015 at 11:52 AM
Lived in Paris back when I was in university. Brought my husband and kids back for a big tour a bunch of years ago and was never so happy in my life that the Louvre was "en greve" (on strike) the day we had planned to go there. Karma was in my favor that day!
Posted by: Sally T | June 11, 2015 at 11:57 AM
The Louvre shows more breasts than any museum in the world except for the Bill Clinton Presidential Library.
Posted by: manual tomato | June 11, 2015 at 12:05 PM
Everywhere we went in Versailles and Paris last year we were accompanied by 50,000 of our closest friends each jockeying to stand right next to us. Outside Paris the crowd was a mere 10,000.
"While viewing Big Ben in London I heard a tourist say, "Quick, take a picture while the bell is chiming!"
Unless that person was inside the bell tower they didn't see Big Ben. It's the bell itself.
Posted by: Emmett Flatus | June 11, 2015 at 12:20 PM
Thank you Dave. That series of photos and captions made my day. (I'm really into art.)
Posted by: Mr. Bill | June 11, 2015 at 12:42 PM
Famous scene from an episode of Columbo, in which he visits London.
Looking at Clock in Westminster and comparing it to his Timex: "It's amazing that it's only a few seconds off after all these years."
And that's not even the real Mona Lisa.
Posted by: Horace LaBadie | June 11, 2015 at 12:44 PM
*Snork* at ligirl!
Posted by: ubetcha | June 11, 2015 at 01:06 PM
A lot of people to take a picture of the Mona Lisa. I wouldn't want want unless it was a really good picture of it.
Say Sir Paul was advertising an Out There concert of his in Paris.
Posted by: Theresa | June 11, 2015 at 01:40 PM
Yet another reason why I opted out of visit to Paris this Summer. Budapest is the "Paris of the East".
Posted by: Sandy | June 11, 2015 at 03:44 PM
All that elbowing and selfie-snapping not fifty yards from the Winged Victory of Samothrace...incredible.
Posted by: Deadstick | June 11, 2015 at 04:03 PM
The only way I would ever be in a crowd like that would be if there were beer and nachos at the end of the line.
Posted by: HogsAteMySister | June 11, 2015 at 06:21 PM
I went to Paris before selfies were invented, for which I'm grateful. Still, there were mobs of people trying to take pictures of the Mona Lisa though the smudgy glass.
I think maybe they should be inspired by public pools that banish kids from the pool for short periods in order for adults to be able to swim laps. The Louvre should have a "no-phone, no-camera, actually appreciate the art" period every day.
Posted by: Captain Spoilsport | June 11, 2015 at 07:06 PM
We went to France in February. It was wonderful. No crowds anywhere. We were the only Americans in the country. Everyone was nice to us. There were no lines at the museums. A couple of times we got lost, and a passer-by actually walked with us to where we were going. We were at a restaurant and my husband mentioned how much he liked the soup, and the chef himself came out of the kitchen and explained how to make it.
Off season is the only time to travel.
Posted by: Guin | June 11, 2015 at 08:35 PM
In Paris, about fifty percent of days are on "la greve" (apologies to francophones if I gave the gender wrong)
Posted by: Nick | June 11, 2015 at 08:53 PM
Les Dames de Wal Mart?
Posted by: K | June 11, 2015 at 11:00 PM