I got a fairly intensive 5 hours from an art historian and only saw a fraction of the museum. I'd like to go back and see the egyptian and greek sections more intensively - the historian focused on the 17th century painters (bleh!).

Saw the biggies like Nike, Venus, Mona Lisa.

I learned to navigate it the hard way - picked a random area off the map and then went toward it like we were on the Amazing Race after the formal tour was done. Avoided the main plaza between the wings because the French were being jerks about our student/university passes. One guard finally let us in and so we decided not to risk being denied if we we re-entered through the courtyard.

It's actually pretty easy to get around if you use the main plaza - without it, it's a nightmare. Always look out the windows, look for either the pyramid or other parts of Paris you recognize to orientate yourself, and expect to change floors constantly as you'll run into roadblocks - know where the stairs and elevators are.

I've not been to that part of the world. I know many people that love visiting the Rijksmusuem.

My favorite place for art work is Florence and my favorite museum is the Honolulu Academy of Arts. The Honolulu Academy of Arts is small enough to be able to view their collection and they seem to have one good example of many art types.

That was my summer. D'Orsay, Grand Palace, Louvre, Marmottan, L'Orangerie, Pompidou, and smaller places like the Gustave Moreau, Picassiette (Picasso), and Giverny for Monet. Also went to tons of "Sites" like Chartres, Vaux le Vicomte, La Roche Guyon, and even tiny stuff like Bois de Vincennes.

I liked Cour St. Emilion, Andy Warhol at the Grand Palace, La Roche Guyon's chalk caves, and Chantilly. The rest of Paris can go *bleep* itself.

Florence is my favorite city in Italy. I think I am the only person in the world who is not enamoured of Italy. There are many other places in the world I would choose to visit before going back to Italy.

Ii do love Florence, though, and I also quite liked Pisa (!).

Plus, my middle name is Florence, (although, no longer, according to the USCIS who somehow managed to delete it from my citizenship papers!!)

Oh dear, sounds like Le Frogs didn't treat you very well....:(

Perhaps you prefer Le Roast Beef (the Brits) instead!! :D:D

Oh, and there's this wonderful little part of town filled with backstreets and restaurants near St. Michele. You have to walk along the river a little and then down a dodgy looking back alley before you pop out into it, but I got the best gyro I've eaten there and it had amazing food everywhere. Very ethnic little part of town.

The non-sensical stairways poorly mapped was the problem.

I found myself very bored in London. Les Frogs, btw, to be proper... and I dined a few times at a place called Le Frog which was a UK-themed bar/restaurant/TGI Fridays in various malls around Paris.

But back to London - meh. My favorite part of that was the night time double decker bus city tour. I apparently stayed in a very nice part of town there too, right by Westminster. I just felt like there wasn't much to do in London town.

I love Florence. I endured two days on a Spanish train to get there once. I am not a fan of Italy either. Just another place except for Florence and Rome-only for the art and food. I only spent a few hours in Pisa (between trains) to climb the Tower.

I ate in a really dodgy area once last year (couldn't communicate in spanish or english, french only).

To me, finding which floor actually went through instead of dead-ending was the hardest part.

By far, the worst area I encountered was the covered sculpture garden. So many dead ends and confusing hallways to nowhere.

Sorry to hear that. Do I hear a call for a nurse aide?


Great pics and keep enjoying what looks like warm weather.


I had an interesting turn of events for Christmas Day. I did surprise a friend flying SAT-IAH-EWR as she got off the plane at 6:30 am by saying hello. Tomorrow I plan to go to IAH to help she parents, aunt/uncle, and grandpa off to LAS. I will sadly be headed back to the white stuff in Stilly. But then onto NYC and the fun there. XYZZY I will be calling shortly, things got a bit complecated last night! ;)

I forgot about La Defense. Probably because it's one of the last places I went in Paris and it felt so different - like a "modern" city.

It's the place with the clear elevators suspended in space that go up a tube into the air - stunning view in all directions.

http://wheresmatthew.com/blog/media/...aDefense01.jpg

That part of town is very modern, full of business people and contemporary art. Not bad to wander midday, just get food prior to lunchtime - lines become ridiculous everywhere as all the office buildings let out at once.

ack - was intending to mention the "history of the personal computer" museum atop La Defense. Go see it :)

Yes, sorry Les Frogs ... missed off the "s" in my haste!

Obviously you didn't visit all the right places in London!! I lived there for many years, worked in the City, and had a great time. It is, of course, different when you live there.

But, there is a lot to do for tourists if you are so inclined. Maybe you were not in the right frame of mind to enjoy it, given your experiences in Paris???