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La Seine
The Seine (river) flows through Paris, separating the Left and Right Banks
37 Bridges cross the Seine within Paris
It eventually empties into the English Channel
The islands in the Seine were important in the settlement of Paris
A Celtic tribe call Parisi built a fortified settlement on the Ile de la Cite (island city) where Cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris is currently situated
A Brief History of Paris
seine means fishing net
Statue of Seine at Versailles
(the name Seine comes from the Latin Sēquana, the Gallo-Roman goddess of the river – Wikipedia)
Macarons
I am skeptical of Macarons
They look so nice
But sometimes that’s where it ends
The outer crisp rounds are not always crisp
The flavors (oh, I expect these wonderful French Flavorings) are sometimes overly sweet
I heard of Giant Macrons at Bouchon Bakery in NYC filled with buttercream frosting
(why would you want that much sugar? – even so, I am interested)
Chicago Versions of Macarons (at the French Market Place)
Looks wonderful
They were packaged in a beautiful box
but they tasted old and stale
In Paris at Eric Kayser
The Macarons are delicious, but why they are in short supply?
They store them packaged in the freezer, which guarantees they are fresh
but the package have a ‘lame” selection of brown and beige macarons
I am in Paris, buying Macarons “blocks” from the Louvre . . .
(I expect “amazing” french flavorings and colors, but was a little disappointed)
Louvre History
Louvre Palace le Louvre wasn’t always a museum
The Louvre, in its successive architectural metamorphoses, has dominated central Paris since the late 12th century. Built on the city’s western edge, the original structure was gradually engulfed as the city grew. The dark fortress of the early days was transformed into the modernized dwelling of François I and, later, the sumptuous palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Here we explore the history of this extraordinary edifice and of the museum that has occupied it since 1793.
http://artknowledgenews.com/201001239682/2010-01-22-19-22-37-the-louvre-acquires-17th-century-painting-saint-peters-denial-by-private-donors.html
Marianne, the symbol of republican France
Marianne, who appears in Delacrox’s most famous painting at Le Louvre is also the subject of the statue at Place de la République
