Louvre // Paris 2 // August 2014

 I would love to caption the pictures for you but my memory doesn't go back that far. Seriously, this was 10 months ago, I don't remember what any of this stuff is. I barely remember what I had for dinner yesterday. It is quite possible that I didn't even check what some of this stuff was at the time. I probably just thought it was pretty. You've got to admit though, it is very pretty!

Despite me being rubbish at this, my knowledge can tell you about the last two pictures. The bust is Marie Antoinette, and the final picture is a recreation of her bedroom. It was gorgeous. I just wanted to sit in the chairs and read books whilst listening to the Les Miserable sound track. Also, how cool is Marie Antoinette's hair!! What an icon. I got really into the French Revolution stuff as I was walking around and my Historian brother filled me with his knowledge. As someone who likes History it is kind of magical to have pieces of the past in front of you. 

A lot of people, particularly art history geeks, told me they don't like The Louvre. So, I was a little sceptical. The general opinion is that The Louvre is really gigantic and there is just too much to take in. The Louvre is very large, that is undeniable. However, this didn't ruin it for me. In fact, I quite like the idea that I could go back again and spend another 5 hours looking at things I've never seen. 

The size and the abundance of very famous works means that some sections are really very busy. The queueing outside is long and when you get to the Mona Lisa it feels more like a gig than an art gallery. You will see more raised iphones and cameras than you do the actual painting. I guess if you were a big fan of Mona, this would be disappointing to you. But that said, there is so much more than just Mona in there. 

Some sections were basically empty. It felt like just Josh and I wandering around the Moderns. There was space to read the captions and take it all in. My advice to any one going to The Louvre is explore. Don't follow the crowds, find your own paths and you may just find yourself in a private viewing of a whole wing like we did. Despite what people said, I liked The Louvre. It is full of wonders and actually the size is part of the magic. If you go with it, you can have a wee adventure amongst delightful art.