two days worth...

Ok, I know that I did not post yesterday, so I will tell you about my very full day that I had.  It all started with a visit to Pere Lachaise cemetery.  We met our guide and he was only supposed to take us on a 1.5 hour tour.  Well, it ended up being nearly the entire day.  The pathways were cobblestone and the terrain was hilly, and my ankle did not like it, but I pushed on.   For nearly 4 hours our guide had us walking back and forth through the tombs and monuments of past Parisians.  We saw Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Nadar, Ingres, Chopin, Denon, and so many others.  WWII memorials, communist memorials, great sculpture, our guide was so full of stories about the people buried in the cemetery and he was so passionate about telling them to us it was hard to get him to stop.  After 4 hours of hilly terrain my ankle was screaming at me to stop.  So I bid farewell to our guide and he says to me, "No, don't go,...one more, just one more".  But I said that I just could not stand up to the walk any longer and I had to go.  

Last night was also my night for our special, proper, 3 course French dinner courtesy of the program.  My appetizer was escargot in a parmesan cream sauce with sauted spinach.  I dined on sea scallops for my entree with roasted eggplant and tomato and for dessert I had flaming creme brulee.  The table shared a red and white wine and we were treated to a kir before dinner.  Dinner started at 8pm and lasted till 11:45pm.  Every mouthful was delicious and the conversation and stories we all shared were just as rich and delicious as the food.

Today was the Musee d'Orasy.  They are remodeling the whole building that used to house a train station, to make it more user-friendly.  The museum opened up its doors in 1987 and it houses one of the most impressive impressionist collections, I think in the whole world.  Cameras are not allowed inside the building, so there will not be any photos.  I am just going to rattle off a list of the artists that I saw today and a few of the titles that you may know.
There was a huge Manet exhibit going on; I got to see Olympia, Luncheon on the Grass, and The races at Long Champ.
Van Gogh- several of his pieces including the one where the workers are laying in the haystacks, and his self-portrait.
Gauguin- The Blue Horse
Courbet
DEGAS!!!!  several Degas
Millet- The Gleaners
Rousseau
Bonheur
Whistler's mother
Renoir
After we went to the Orsay we walked across the street to another museum who's name escapes me, where we were allowed to take photos.  Here there were 6 of Monet's Water Lillies along with several Cezannas and even more Renoirs. Here are the pictures.  The photos DO NOT give them justice.  The lighting was not the best for photography so there is a bit of a glare and the Water Lillies are HUGE!  About 50 feet long for 4 of them.