When I first walked in I was already overcome by how much was actually in the museum. I had always known that it was large and extensive, but I am completely serious when I say that I really don't think they could fit another single painting into it. It is completely maxed out. So as such, I set up my strategy to see my favorites and then whatever I could on top of that, but I kept in mind that it would be impossible to see everything. I think that's the best mind-set to start with. I guess I'll just have to come back again some other time! :)The first of my favorite pieces that I saw is shown in the picture below. It is called Winged Victory and it is likely from the early 3rd to 5th century (they don't know an exact date for it). It was adorned to the bow of a war ship (probably viking) and the likeness of the ship that it was probably on is replicated below it. Even though it doesn't have its head or arms anymore, it is still such a powerful image. I'm inspired by what it represents and the power and beauty of the human form (although in a magical realism portrayal) that it suggests.
And of course, I had to see the Mona Lisa. I'll be honest when I say that it's not my absolute favorite painting (I prefer other works by Leonardo better), but it was fascinating to see the crazed crowd of people around it. It's also amazing to see a painting that revolutionized the way we understand art and the way we portray the world around us. This painting, for me and I'm sure others, is significant not because of the portrait, but because of the genius of what is happening in the background. This is one of the first times that Leonardo demonstrated atmospheric perspective (the idea that layers of atmosphere build to obscure the details of what is in the distant background. Traditionally, painters would just portray everything, including those far away things, in vivid detail which made it look cartoon like an not very realistic. By taking into account the humidity in the air and how it obscures the light, this technique makes the painting incredibly more realistic) and it shook the Renaissance world.
Next up on my favorite art works is the Venus de Milo. It was discovered a relatively short time ago by a farmer in Milo, Italy (hence, de Milo). And it was named "Venus" based on the Greek mythology that it suggested. This sculpture is important because of its attention to detail and accurate portrayal of the human form. Just look at the abdomen. It was even more incredible in person, but even in the picture, I think you can get the sense that it looks like a real person who has just turned into marble.
Here is a photo from inside the museum, looking up at the glass pyramid. I thought it was a visually interesting photograph, so I included it for no other reason than that. Also in the picture is a sculpture by a contemporary artist whose name slips my mind. It is constructed of wood, but gives the appearance of sandstone or something very desert like (at least I think so).
Finally, here's a photo of me standing next to the museum entrance sign.
Next up on my tour of Paris was Notre Dame Cathedral (which, from my French class, I have learned means "Our Lady"). It's an impressive building, especially from the outside. The inside was a bit less ornate than the outside, but it was still beautiful. I loved its Gothic architectural styling.
Here's a picture that I took which I absolutely adore, for many reasons. For one thing, I think it really portrays the Gothic structure that I mentioned especially well (check out those arches!) and I love how striking the lighting is. The only thing that would make it perfect is if there weren't a television screen in the lower right hand corner. Technology always seems to interfere...
This is another angle of Notre Dame, from the right hand side of it. This also give a better idea of what the whole cathedral looks like as a whole since my first photo
This is just another photo of Notre Dame, taken from the very back. It was the only part of the rear of the building which wasn't obscured by trees or bushes or vines or something. I was surprised that with such intricacy and beauty that they would allow the plants to overtake it's view from the outside.
After leaving Notre Dame, I walked over several bridges and noticed this strange thing. All the fences along the bridge (and as it turns out, other places as well) there were thousands of locks with inscriptions written on them. In the picture below, there aren't as many locks, but some of the fences had so many that locks were locked to other locks and the fence was warped under the weight. I thought it was amazing and really pretty. A very interesting alternate take on graffiti.
This next photograph is a picture inside the Concierge which was a prison where many people during the French Revolution were held, tortured, and indeed, killed. But for all of that grim activity that occurred in this place, the building itself was beautiful. (I love the arches! Again, Gothic.) Back during its use, it only had a few small windows and the rest of the room was lit (and heated) by four giant fire places. I think it would have looked even more beautiful (and I suppose ominous) with that sort of lighting.
This photo is also inside the Concierge, and it is of a spiral staircase that I just found visually interesting.
Being an engineer, I couldn't very well go to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower! So the next several pictures are my favorites of the dozens that I took throughout the day. When I was there I learned that at one point, the French were going to simply tear the tower down, since its only purpose was to be an exhibition at the world fair. I'm glad that that never happened! I also found that around the first tier of the tower, Eiffel inscribed the names of the prominent French mathematicians and scientists of the day. It was exciting to see all the names, my favorite of which was Leibniz (who discovered Calculus around the same time as Newton but wasn't credited).
This picture was taken from quite a long walk away, and I love how beautiful the sky looks. It had started off as a fairly overcast day, and I was disappointed that I wouldn't get any blue in my pictures. But the sun finally broke through, and I got this lovely shot.
This picture is from a bit closer and the other side (the side that has a long mall, which you can see in the picture).
This picture is of me and my fiance, Jason, who came with me on my travels. It turned out to be a lot more artistic of a picture than I had intended, but I'm glad it came out so well.
This is a photo of the tower up close and at night (obviously) when it was all lit up. I took this right before we went up to the top.
This is one of my pictures from being on the top of the tower. The city looks beautiful at night, and I was glad in the end that I had decided to go up to the top (I was thinking that maybe I didn't want to). I love the lights on the bridges spanning the river and the different buildings lit up around it.
After getting back down, we walked back down the mall and I took this picture, which turned out really well, I think. I'm not sure what exactly the bright spot in the night sky is. I didn't doctor it, it just turned out that way. My best guess is that it is a cloud that was illuminated by the city lights. I like to think that whoever wanted to tear it down saw the tower like this and then decided that it couldn't be done. How could you ever even consider destroying something so beautiful?
After seeing the tower at night, we hopped on the Metro and went over to see the Arc de Triumph. The famous arch in Paris. I've seen in in movies and photos a million times before, and seeing it in person was simply surreal. Amazing, but surreal. 
Then, since it was only one more tube stop away, we went to take a picture of the iconic Moulin Rouge. It turned out to be a lot more touristy looking than I thought it might. The guide books made it seem like it'd be really authentic and this wasn't what I expected. But the picture is really pretty with all of the neon lights at night.
The last day that I was in Paris, I went to the Rodin museum. This was almost more exciting for me than seeing the Louvre, because Rodin is my all time favorite sculpture (and maybe artist, but I'm not sure if I can commit to that). Here is a picture of a telephone pole which had been covered in stickers that the museum gives. I just like the colors.
When I went to the museum, I was really disappointed that it wasn't more crowded. I was really expecting more people to be as excited as I was, but that just wasn't the case. The museum was housed in a mansion that Rodin lived and worked in during the later parts of his life and includes an expansive French-style garden. This first picture is of 'The Kiss' my favorite sculpture. It seemed so strange to be standing so close to something so incredible. It was also strange that it wasn't in a bigger more distinguished display room or something. Instead it was just placed into one of the rooms in the mansion just like everything else.
This next picture was taken in the garden area and is of Rodin's 'The Gates of Hell' It was intended to go onto the front of a cathedral, but you might imagine that something called the "Gates of Hell" might not go over so well for that type of setting. But even so, it is a beautiful (although grotesque) piece and it's a shame it didn't ever get a 'home' other than the museum. The Gates feature several of Rodin's most famous sculptures which were recreated in more detail and larger later. These include the Three Shadows (seen at the top) and The Thinker (just under the Three Shadows). The Gates were based tightly on Dante's Inferno and includes hundreds of individual and unique sculptures of the human form. 
Here is a photo of the enlarged sculpture of the Three Shadows. It is three copies of the exact same figure but oriented in a different way which makes it appear almost as if it is three different figures. In the background is a portion of the mansion.
This photograph is of the iconic 'Thinker' which is also a larger rendition of the sculpture on the Gates of Hell.
Here is a picture of the French-style garden stretching out toward the mansion (now museum) in the rear.
Finally, this is a picture of the mansion that Napoleon resided in during his rule. I didn't have time to go inside, but this is a picture of a small portion of it. It was huge!
All in all, Paris was a whirlwind adventure through a lot of art that I had always dreamed of seeing in person. I am so happy that I got to go, and I'm excited to go back the next time I get a chance.
Now, onto Venice!
