Mel calls me over to a couple of paintings she has been looking at for some time. Both are by da Vinci, the first is 
Back on the trail of VDM, as we exit this gallery I am taken aback by a beautiful table it’s about 12 foot long, 5 or 6 foot wide marble table with marble inlays with 5 or 6 various shades. The craftsmen that made this stunning piece of furniture back in the 1700’s must have laboured for years. I pointed out to Mel that we saw a much smaller table in a shop window in Saint Germaine, and with out doubt less history than the one we are now admiring; the table in saint Germaine was priced at 300,000 euro, this one must be priceless.
I.M. Pei’s Pyramid has dominated the Cour Napoleon since 1989. It divides a lot of people, they either love it or loath it. I think its great but I am a bit of a fan of Pei’s work.
The mysterious portrait of a semi-nude woman, looking straight at the viewer with an enigmatic smile and with her hands crossed, bears a remarkable resemblance to Leonardo’s world famous painting.Below is from the Sun-Herald a piece by Jane E. Fraser – I’ve added in my own comments
“It might take longer but public transport can be a real eye-opener, writes Jane E. Fraser.
If you’re a weary weekday commuter, you might take a bit of convincing that public transport is a wonderful thing.
But a daily slog for a commuter can be a memorable journey for a visitor without work commitments and time pressures.
Not to mention being a lot cheaper than other forms of transport, including organised tours and hire cars.
Yes, public transport usually takes longer. And no, it’s usually not very glamorous. But by taking public transport instead of sitting in an air-conditioned coach, you get a much better feel for a place.
You are mixing with the people who live there, listening to snippets of their conversations and generally seeing it through the eyes of a resident rather than as a tourist [and this is really good to practice your french and see if you can overhear some tasty gossip]. If you catch a train or bus across the Harbour Bridge every day, you might be blase about the view.
But for a first-time visitor to Sydney, it is a fabulous journey – for only a few dollars. [this is absolutely spot on a Carnet - 10 tickets purchased at the one time will also save you extra]
When I think of Chicago, I remember catching the train into the city with a group of businessmen who obviously travelled together every morning. No sooner had they sat down than they each whipped a hand of cards out of their top pocket and continued a game carried over from the previous day.
Listening to their conversations about work and home gave me more information about Chicago life than any guidebook.
I also have fond memories of travelling on underground lines in Europe in the cold of winter. The bundled-up commuters around me were probably wishing they were still home in bed but I was enjoying an experience far removed from my everyday life.
Watching Paris workers getting back on the metro at the end of the day with fresh food from the markets or a favourite bakery is as much a part of experiencing Paris as seeing the Eiffel Tower.
The Tokyo subway, where commuters are forcibly crammed into carriages, is one of the most memorable scenes of Tokyo for many visitors – and what would London be without “mind the gap”?
There are a few things you need to consider in deciding whether to opt for public transport. The most important is time, as public transport can take a lot longer than other forms of transport (although sometimes the reverse is true) and there can be a lot of waiting around.
The other is how much luggage you have and whether you are willing to lug it on and off trains and buses. [this we didn't do...with all the money you've saved getting around on the metro or busses make your transfer to the airport in a taxi or call an airport transfer service, sure it is a little more expensive but it is worth it not having to lugged your baggage about]
It pays to travel light when using public transport, as there is often not much room to store luggage and you sometimes need to get on and off in a hurry. Security is also a consideration in many countries and it pays to have a bike lock or other means of securing your bag to your seat.
Thankfully, these days it is a lot easier to plan journeys on public transport, as most bus, train and ferry services now put their routes and timetables on the internet. [in Paris don't plan too much you'll spoil your fun in exploring the city - once you get a handle on the metro it is really easy, and the busses are like wise]
Lonely Planet guidebooks are also good, as they have an emphasis on public transport.
Working out what sort of ticket to get can be a challenge but if the ticket sellers are not very helpful, you can usually find a local who is. [not true - always attempt french. If you are not confident there are always the self serve machines and by a simple press of the button you gat a screen in English to help you buy your tickets - these ticket also take credit cards]
Ask about day passes, multi-day passes or off-peak travel as a way of saving money – some cities even combine public transport passes with free entry to attractions.
At a time when travellers are looking for ways to save money, as well as reduce their carbon footprint, public transport may be the way to go.”
Marveling at the marble statues and busts (you would think I would have had my fill for these today), the steady hand that created these almost living rocks into something that will, I hope, be around long after I’m gone. The site of these glorious works of art makes your emotions bubble to the surface, all manner of thoughts flood your mind. Yes, I’ll admit it, I did feel teary, but it wasn’t for me or my own mortality but for the stunning beauty in marble that will not age and die but be forever beautiful. You can see from Alexandre Falguière’s piece, Tarcisius, martyr chrétien how it is possible for works of art to stir such emotions.
victories. (Strange: there are none from the late 19th century or the 20th). Some of these cannon are works of art. One in particular you can see where it was hit on the side by a cannon ball, it has a large, smooth gouge from the impact. Finally Église du Dôme, in 1840 Napoleon’s remains were bought back from the island of St. Helena. It took another 21 years to create his mausoleum in the Église du Dôme; the remains are encased in six coffins inside a huge red porphyry sarcophagus set on an immense granite base.
