The Paris Traveler

Today’s guest post is from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe.
One of the most famous museums in the world is the Louvre, or more correctly the Musée du Louvre, and it was one of the items that was high on my Paris must-see list. It is located on the Right Bank (of the Seine) in the 1st arrondissement.
Originally a palace, the museum is now home to some of the most world-famous works of art, including the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and Aphrodite/Venus de Milo. It opened to the public in 1793, …read more

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This is a guest post from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor and blogger at Flyaway Cafe
 
As is often the case when travelers get to talking, the discussion soon turns to places we’ve been, places we’re going, and places we want to go.
One of my favorite recent trips was to Paris.

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 …read more

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This is one of my favorite museums in Paris, not surprising since Rodin is one of my favorite sculptors. I, also, love the work by Rodin’s student, lover, model, and inspiration, Camille Claudel, but unfortunately, unless you can wait until next year, her work will be on loan in Madrid until mid-January. (Which reminds me, if you’ve never seen the movie Camille Claudelwith Isabelle Adjani and Gérard Depardieu, it is a must see film!)
The harmony between the museum itself and the garden makes this museum rather unique, where some of Rodins most famous sculptures are on display. Looking at The Kiss …read more

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There’s only a few days left to see the Good Planet photo exhibit by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and a large number of other photographers specializing in animal photography. The exhibit takes place right outside the Musée du Quai Branly and deals with the impact that animals have on man and our planet.
                                                                                                      There are 92 photographs by 39 photographers who have captured incredible moments of animals and insects in their natural habitat. The expo is free, open 24/7 and text written in both French and English. It’s a great place to relax, browse, and enjoy!

Photo Credits: Flickr

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Are you disheartened when you see the long lines at all the “must see” places in Paris like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre? Just the idea of spending literally hours waiting to go somewhere or see something when time is short need not be your reality while visiting the City of Lights!
“How?” you ask. Well you can cross your arms, blink three times and spin around like you’re some sort of genie and hope that everyone in front of you has disappeared!
Or you can consider buying the Paris Pass which not only gives you free public transportation, free entry …read more

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Someone asked me yesterday where they could find a place in Paris that had everything close by. I responded, “Do you mean like a mall?!” What they were looking for was a place where you could shop, eat, visit a museum, and sit outside without walking all over Paris to do it.
I had just the place for them! No don’t worry, I didn’t tell them that the Place des Vosges, which happens to be the oldest square in Paris, was a shopping mall! It is not! But…it does have places to shop, a number …read more

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I love the Luxembourg Gardens and I love Lalique, so it was a nice surprise when a friend and I were walking through the Gardens and happened upon an exhibit by René Lalique at the Musée du Luxembourg. Lalique is known as the inventor of modern jewelry and was very influential in the Art Nouveau style during the Belle Epoque.
The exhibit contains a vast number of works by the master himself which includes some 150 drawings, paintings, photographs, as well as glass pieces and jewelry, most which were created between 1890 to 1912. There are a number of pieces that …read more

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Parisians have always been kicking and screaming about any new buildings in Paris. The famous French author Guy de Maupassant was asked why he had lunch at the Eiffel Tower everyday. His answer… “Because it’s the only place in Paris where I don’t have to look at it.” It is said he finally left Paris for that very reason.  (An over dramatization, I think!)
French presidents tend to want to leave a legacy of their time in office. George Pompidou commissioned the Pompidou Center. After its construction in the 1970’s, Parisians everywhere protested such a horrible building! The same was true in the …read more

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A friend of mine, who happens to be a magician and was married to a world famous magician, use to perform at a number of cabarets in Paris.  She’s retired now and lives in Madrid, but I use to crisscross the city with her driving like a madwoman from one show to another.  Along on this bumpy ride were her doves, dogs, canaries, and everything else that she used in her act!  Sometimes we were a sight to behold! 
If traffic was really bad, there were a few close calls where she barely had time to jump out of the car …read more

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