Blue skies in Paris

The opening image should really be of a blue Parisian sky, but I couldn’t resist showing the Mona Lisa selfie shot first. The lady has a less than serene grin but a spot on “Mona” hairstyle. Awesome.

Le Tour de France cap with Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile at Place Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France

A heatwave had settled on Paris as we arrived. Clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid-thirties. Flashing billboards in French reminded people to drink water. Yuki and I happily walked around all day. Unlike Okinawa, there was low humidity, so sweating cooled rather than drenched you.

Coquelicots by Claude Monet at The Musée d’Orsay museum, Paris, France

I was surprised to find that you could take photos in many of the cities museums. Crowds in the Musée d’Orsay and at the Louvre were busy snapping away with phones, video cameras and DSLRs.

Egyptian hieroglyphics on Sarcophagus of King Ramses III, at The Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Turns out the ability to shoot at ISO6400 is useful when you want to get a pic of decapitation on the side of a sarcophagus.

Palace of Versailles, Château de Versailles, Île-de-France, France

At Versailles we got to see how the rich lived before they too were decapitated.

Palace of Versailles, Château de Versailles, Île-de-France, France

It was such a pleasure to see beautiful architecture, sculptures, and paintings. Along with differences in building materials, and damage from wars, Japan’s culture of renewal and replacement means that there are relatively few buildings that survive the centuries. It was a pleasure to bask for a few days in the sunshine and culture of France.