Thursday: June 12
Pere Lachaise Cemetery and the Louvre
After a light continental breakfast, Larry Yee, Jean-Jacques, Ollie and I hopped onto the metro and traveled across town to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery where many famous generals, politicians, royalty, writers, movie and rock stars are buried.
Here the famous and the infamous sleep, side by side with heroes from the French resistance and victims of the Nazi concentration camps.
The stories behind some of the memorials found here are quite provocative. This tomb commemorates a young writer who insulted a man of power and was killed for revenge. Young women who want lovers or babies come and caress parts of his effigy to receive his erotic energy.
Continuing this theme, the monument to Heloise and Abelard celebrates the forbidden love between this nun and a catholic priest that resulted in his castration. Nevertheless, they continued their relationship, although on a more spiritual plane.
We also saw the graves of Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Balzac, Maria Callas, Edith Piaf, and Colette.
From the cemetery, we took the metro back across town to the world-renown Louvre. Here we experienced some of the greatest artwork in the entire world.
The amazing "Winged Victory" welcomed us to an afternoon of the sublime.
Many of Da Vinci's works, including the original of the "Mona Lisa" were on display, although protected by guards and special glass screens.
We also saw the original "Venus de Milo" and several Michaelangelo sculptures, as well as works by Delacroix, Goya, and others.
We also had an opportunity to visit some of the original royal chambers where we viewed a selection of the crown jewels.
The immense diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies and pearls were incredible. ... Tonight we're off to a show at the Moulin Rouge.