kimistry

Archive for May 11th, 2012

Sunny day at Sacre-Coeur

The view from the butte where the Sacre-Coeur is located offers an amazing view of Paris! On a clear day, you can see 30 miles in the distance. It is quite the site! On a rainy day you can barely see past the hill where it sits. I have experienced both occasions. In reading about the Sacre-Coeur, I discovered that it has been the subject of much controversy here in Paris. Some people believe it is a beautiful, sacred church while others have called it “a lunatic’s confectionary dream.” Here are the pics. You decide?!

Cloudy, rainy day at Sacre-Coeur

View of Paris from Sacre-Coeur

Art in the Centre Pompidou

Additional pics…took lots of pics here!

Ok, I have to admit...I was feeling a bit like Alice in Wonderland with this one! = )

In the National Museum of Modern Art

Sculptures in the Modern Art Museum (rooftop)

Pics from the Musee National d’Art Moderne (National Museum of Modern Art) in the Centre Pompidou. Some interesting stuff in there…

Painting by Picasso -hmmm...interpretations welcome : )

Escalator in the Centre Pompidou

One view of the Centre Pompidou

I remember visiting this place 28 years ago on my first trip to France. I seriously can’t believe it has been that long ago since I was here for the first time!!!! Where does the time go??? By admitting that I was here that long ago…I guess that means I can no longer lie about my age either…sigh! ; )

It is currently raining (actually pouring) outside as I look out my window, so I guess that gives me a while to post some pics and get some work done.

So this is what I know about the Centre Pompidou…it reopened in 2000 after much restoration. In the 70s it was considered “the most avant-garde building in the world,” and was the dream of former president Georges Pompidou. It has unique exoskeletal architecture. You will see the brightly painted pipes and ducts on the outside of the building – green for water, red for heat, blue for air, and yellow for electricity. It houses five attractions: National Museum of Modern Art, Public Information Library, Center for Industrial Design, Institute for Research & Coordination of Acoustics/Music and the museum’s forecourt which is basically a free entertainment center. You will see musicians, mimes, dancers, etc., here all day long! It is a very interesting place to visit but remember…it is modern art!

Opposite side of the Centre Pompidou

Another view of the Centre Pompidou