Family Time. Thursday 20th August 2009.

AJ snoozed while JR and I met Mum and Dad in Jardin des Tuileries at 9.30. JR and Mum ventured to L'Orangerie to enjoy Monet, Renoir and the like, while Dad and I ambled towards the Louvre. We parked ourselves at Cafe Marly enjoying an expensive but gloriously good coffee together. Life was calm and easy and seemed one hundred miles away from the troubles of yesterday. We stayed a while, watching the world pass us by, the Louvre's gleaming, glass pyramid was the backdrop to what played out before us.

We entered the Louvre foyer as Dad had never been underneath the pyramid, we popped back into the sunlight at the carousel and walked through to rue de Rivoli where we parted company. I liked my time with Dad, yesterday was stollen from us and I hope that today Mum and Dad will have a little time to enjoy the real Paris before they leave at 5pm.

Dad met up with John and Mum to return to the Australian embassy and collect Dad's passport. it was not to be, they had arrived at 12.04pm and the guy was on lunch beginning at midday until 2pm - although they were visiting the Australian Embassy, it is in France where I guess they have adopted the French way of life and a fierce dedecation to the long lunch.

I had returned home to collect AJ and just as we were walking out the door, JR called with the news that Mum and Dad had to return to the embassy after 2pm so this afternoon's plans were up in the air. We arranged to meet up on rue Mouffetard for a bite. It was hot, but lunch was lovely, we went to the same place we had lunched in last Tuesday, the one with the yummy French onion soup and the welcoming service. They didn't disappoint.

This is where we bade Mum and Dad farewell. They had to get to the embassy and then to the dreaded Gare du Nord and JR had to find the cannon office to get his camera sensor cleaned. I had a yearning to go to the L'Orangerie after hearing from my fellow food writing friend in Sydney that it was not to be missed, AJ accompanied me even though he really didn't want to, thanks AJ. JR was quite taken with Monet's Water Lilies this morning so I really had no choice did I? It seemed that the universe was telling me I had to go. I was so glad I did. I was very moved by the enormity and beauty of Water Lilies. They are hung in two oval rooms of which you can enter either side, the rooms join together and make the sign of infinity, they have no beginning and no end, I got lost in them. I found so many pieces for my food in art research, and was particularly taken with Renoir's 'Fraises'.




We reunited with JR back at home where we all collapsed together in front of a few 'Friends' episodes. It was nice to chill for a while. JR raided the fridge and made a lovely platter of lightly toasted bread topped with slices of ripe tomato and fresh mozarella, it was drizzled with fruity olive oil and seasoned with Guerande's finest. Ahhh...

The lovely Louvre. Saturday 15th August 2009.

It took us most of the day to cover two floors of The Louvre. It was not only the works of art that were so wonderful to see, it was the building itself. Steeped in history and so ornately decorated, we spent much of our visit looking up at the ceilings. We were in front of the Mona Lisa by 11ish, the crowd was a little crazy and you could not get nearly as close as I had done on my visit a few years ago, they now have a barrier set up a good ten feet or so from the painting. She was still the same though, even at a distance, smiling her little smile from behind the protective glass. I am glad that JR and AJ got the opportunity to see her, even if it is not the most beautiful painting in the world, it is something to see a painting so famous in the flesh.

JR went to enjoy the museum as only a photographer can, and AJ and I continued onto the second floor where we found some of our favourite pieces. We both thought the room with Alexander the Great paintings was the most beautiful and it was so lovely to see AJ taking an interest and enjoying the world of art. His intense interest in history in years past made it possible for him to understand the stories behind so many of the historic paintings, it was great to have him by my side to explain things to me - history has never been my strong point.

I nearly forgot, AJ found the inverted pyramid made famous in the Davinci Code.

We came home smashed at about 5ish, JR came home a little later, no doubt seduced by magic hour once more.