Cat's Adventures in the Wild: 6/13

6/13/2025 - Musée D'Orsay in Paris, then flight to Florence

It's Friday the 13th, we're loaded on the bus going to Musée D’Orsay. What could go wrong?

Take a moment …. I am.

Running on 5 hours of sleep this morning. The night before was closer to 4 hours. These are bad habits to get into. I've told Mr. Bartlett that I'll be cutting out early from now on. I'm planning on skipping dinners with the group unless they're running early & not doing anything afterwards. Or I've been getting 8 hours of sleep.

Right now I'm going to D’Orsay, but my head is already saying “sleeeeeep…. Sleeeeeeep.”

1:00 pm

All that to say - I was SOOOOO mistaken about D'Orsay. It helps that we've been given ample time & freedom to wander so that we are not rushed. I'm set u right now in the main sculpture hall of the Museum. The construction of this building really is idealy suited for a museum. When an archcitect designs a railway station they must be conscious about building in noise reducing buffers throughout the walls and ceilings - There are roses built into the buffering squares here - providing additional surface area with which to redirect any noise. It doesn't eliminate sound - there is still ome whispers being echoed around, but it is not distracting and allows for the patrons to become lost in their moment.

There are many receses that would have been planned for train connections, but are now used for differet parts of the collections. Being a national Station, there was effort taken to represent the splendor of france and its wealth. Now it holds the wealth of a nation known for its art. It is quite perfect.

People visiting Paris already feel compelled to dres in their mot fashionable outside the museum. This crowd has a good mix of people being quite comfortably dressed - tshirts, shorts - tourist looking very much like tourists. There is an older man (healthy 70s probably) in a pastel tie dye tshirt and brown cargo pants, with a belt and a waterbottle on a strap. He genuinely ooks like an artist I might see up on Montmartre. He has a precisely clipped mustache, hair a little on the long side with his baldness showing through, ears grown llarge with age - wearing glasses - intently observing one sculpture carefully at a time. I feel like someone should be painting him. His shoulders back an hands tucked loosely behind his hips much in the style of te little ballerina bronze girl upstairs. Dumas? Degas? Rodin? Cezane?

Women here like to dress in their dresses while they go touring. Some skin tight and fitting, some very loose and bohemian, others looking like they pulled out their one dress covered in flowers because they would be visiting the impressionists - and they thought flowers this morning. Others seem to want you to see their nakednes throught their white dresses, some of which are little more than netting over unerwear. One stops being shocked. Especially when one sees the painted version of "The Vagina Monologues" on a wall a one passes by (no picture, sorry - you'll need to come see it yourself). It's appropriate - the whole human body is exposed in art - the Vagina usually gets a pass as being too intimate - but their are no private spaces in art.

There are also a very interesting looking older couple - 80s - watching me. She has a face that deserves the paintbrush.... or she should be brought in as an extra for the next Tolkein movie. Clover was noting the interesting faces here yesterday. They love the people watching. So many interesting faces.

I'l include the pictures - I'm happy to realize after all these years and so many museums I am beginning to recognize the main Impressionists from their art before seeing the label.

I started with the statues along the main hallway. Much of what is here was made for the Grand Exposition 1880-something? It must ave been amazing - I love that each of the great nations seemed to do this - England - France - US? Germany? What is my favorite of these? I can't say - I love the playful face of the fawn feeding the bear cubs, but I love the one tiitled.... what was it? Pain... Sadness...?

Titled "Despair" Jean-Joseph Parraud

from the Universal Exhibition in Vienna 1873

I went up to the Impressionists next. Stary Night was not what I expected - we always see the one with swirls around the stars. Is there One Stary Night or did he name them all Stary Night? Monet.... Degas... I loved the pointilism paintings - particularly the story of the one woman who was recognized as a great impresionist during her lifetime.

The art from nature section was redeeming.

Renoir seems to paint the same lips on each painting - but maybe those were early - others seem very different. I wonder how quicky he tried to paint some.

2:12 pm

Clover joined me on the bench, just after a woman dramatically fell down a step. I've been her - I know how much it hurts both the ankle and the pride.

We went outside to meet up with the group. I got water from one of the many outside vendors of water bottles - the man was talking to an American couple when I walked up who were handing him a $10 and asking for change (he didn't have US change) - i had a €20 out and said "Oh, you don't have change - nevermind then" at which he jumped in "Oh! I have change!" Me: "But.." and pointed at them & he replies "I have Euro." I bought two bottles the he handedme a 10 bill and a 5 & 2 coin. When I looked at them I realized what he was charging & handed the €2 to the couple. They said "Oh no - we can't take your money." I tell them "It's fine, get some water." They were so appreciative - it's very hot out and I could see how uncomfortable they were. I told them I'm feom Virginia & they said Maryland - Silver Springs. I said Richmond. We talked a little then I went back to Clover with the water.

I really felt for them. They were so shocked by a stranger being helpful, it just makes me sad that kindness isn't normalized.

Long bus ride to Charles de Gaul. Ugh.

Airport experience was about as much fun as one could expect from flying in another new country, another new airline, more new expectations. Ultimately it seems easiest to just fly Virgin Atlantic. All the time. Personal opinion. Just them. Nobody else. LOL. But seriously, Air France was very nice once we were on the airplane and the people were very helpful telling us where to go in the Airport. (I mean that "sincerely.")