Mile stones in life

A friend sent me this after reading this post

As I rapidly approach my 27th birthday I start to look back on the year it has been. For those of you who are not aware 26 was actually a pretty big milestone in my life. Not it the same traditional way that 18 and 21 are, as these birthdays seem to necessitate some kind of large celebration where all your friends and family recognise the apparent significance of your transformation from a teen to an adult.

However the transition from 25 to 26 also carries this same significance but in a more stealthy form, when you turn 26 there are no bigger than normal parties only bigger costs. Yes indeed 26 is recognised in Europe as the age that you no longer are a "youth", no longer are museums free or cheaper and train tickets are full price.
These subtle charges don't celebrate your age but rather seem to imply that you should have got your life together at this stage and should be able to pay full price for things as you should be working in a properly paid job at this age of your life, and worst of all without a big party.

So while I firmly grip on to the tattered rags of my youth I have started to reflect back on this year while considering this transformation from "youth" to full paying adult.
Indeed many things have changed and this has been a great fun filled year with many joys and hurdles. Approaching the ripe old age of 27 does not come without its negative connotations though, at this stage of my life I was hoping to have my life more "together" not by a lot but I was hoping to at least be at the stage where I could afford to live a more comfortable and stable life.

A popular saying says "youth is wasted on the young", looking back however I am quite satisfied. While sometimes I lament my apparent lack of stereotypical achievements that society demands we reach (for example I have some friends with houses (large mortgages), children, cars and a well paid jobs) and other times I celebrate this fact. I have had many great experiences in many different countries and met many amazing people who I am proud to consider my friends.

I am looking forward to what 27 has to bring.

Anish Kapoor - inside the Leviathan

So after many an unfruitful attempt at visiting this exhibition I finally managed to gain entry to the inside the belly of the Leviathan.

The day we went happened to be one of the most unpredictable days weather wise I have ever experienced. One moment the sun is shining down, and the next, usually when you have finally decided to brave the concept of going outside the heavens open up and release a deluge that seem to suggest that god himself is angry with you. 

However this did result in a smaller than usual queue at the exhibition, but this didn't matter as I had already booked and printed out our tickets from on-line

Visiting this time with 2 friends from Ireland, we proceeded to take photos in the spirit of the exhibition.

After a quick stroll around we  entered into the belly of the beast with absolutely no wait, apparently there had been a performance on in the space last time I visited and this resulted in the large slow moving queue. Entering the dark space through a rotating black door you instantly notice your ears popping as a result of the change in air pressure required to keep the large structure inflated. The sound of people tapping and banging the outside skin is also far more interesting from the inside as the noise echo's and reverberates remarkably. 

While I had previously been cursing our fowl luck with the ever changing weather I was now enraptured with what seemed like a veritable performance from the sky, one moment the sky being cloudy leaving the Leviathan dull and dark

inside

and the next the sunlight piercing through the clouds creating dramatic cast shadows and a series of ooohs and ahhs from the enveloped crowds. 

After enjoying the internal experience of the Leviathan as well as the now obligatory posing we proceeded to go back out to the rest of the exhibit have a further look around the beast.

speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil

A browse through the book shop was required in order to escape the fresh shower that had just started, but after another series of funny poses we were more than satisfied and happily on our way. 

 

For those of you still interested in going the exhibition finished on the 23rd of June. Sorry

A month of museum madness

So in preparation of my last month as a 25 year old I have decided to take full advantage of my youthful benefits and “en profitez” of all the museums I have access to for free for the next month. Lets be fair here, I've already visited most of the major museums here in Paris but there is something in me that just will never pay €6.80 to visit the “Museé D’art et d’histoire du judaisme”. Not that i might not enjoy it, but lets just say that just that it doesn't interest me enough. Actually that is not the worst of it, how about €8 for a trip to the Arc de Triomphe, I mean there isn't even an exhibition. unless you count the very entertaining traffic that circulates one of the most dangerous junctions in Europe.

Anyway, the one month left countdown has begun. So I have decided to visit the following 28 museums. I haven't worked out the exact days and timing of all of my visits, and I will have to factor in closing days and other such things. Anyway here is the complete list of what I hope to visit.

1. Arc de Triomphe*
2. Musée de l’armée – Tombea de Napoléon 1er
3. Centre Pompidou*
4. Musée national des Arts Asiatiques – Guimet
5. Les arts decoratifs
6. Musée des arts et Métiers*
7. Musée du quai branly*
8. Chapelle expiatoire
9. Conciergerie
10. Musée National delacroix
11. Museé D’art et d’histoire du judaisme
12. Musée du Louvre*
13. Musée national de la Marine
14. Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine- Musée des monuments francais*
15. Musée gustave Moreau
16. Musée de cluny – Musée national du moyen age
17. Cité de la musique – Musée de la musique
18. Tours de Notre- Dame
19. Musée National de l’orangerie*
20. Musée de l’ordre de la libération
21. Musée d’orsay *
22. Panthéon*
23. Musée des plans- reliefs
24. L’adresse musée de la poste
25. Musée Rodin
26. Sainte Chapelle*
27. Villa Savoye*
28. Chateaux Versailles*

Okay so that brings it to a grand total of 28 museums, which while technically achievable is not very realistic considering things like sleeping in, hangovers, shopping and just life in general. Now there might be some hope as I have in fact already visited all the ones with this symbol *, twelve in total, so that brings the grand total to like 16, and considering that some of these museums are visit-able in like a few hours it might mean that fitting in 2-3 things in on my more “active” days is possible. 

Also before the final bell tolls I hope to sign up as a member to the Louvre and the Pompidu Centre. The cost of a years youth membership to the Louvre is only €15, definitely worth the cost if you ask me, especially seeing as this gives you the right to enter the museum via the priority queue, aka not queuing for 2 hours to get in and then another hour to get your ticket. The Pompidu Center one is slightly more expensive at €22 but this also gives you a 5% discount in the bookshop, so it basically pays for itself if you buy enough architecture books, as well as all the priority queue stuff. 

Seeing as today was the first day I had told myself I was going to start this mission I headed out to the worlds most renowned museum The Louvre, granted it was a little late by the time I had finished making some unexpected and impulse purchases at H&M, but none the less I was convinced that it was open until 10pm. After strolling leisurely into the entrance Pyramid my sense of satisfaction soon got a swift kick in the balls when I realised why there was no queue or security check.... the exhibition rooms due in fact close at 6pm, and it was now about 7.30. Ahh well just my tough luck. 

As I now know, the museum closes on a Tuesday and late night openings are Wednesday and Friday. Noted. 

Not in the least discouraged with with this setback I decided to visit my most favourite of museums, the Pompidu centre, which I know for sure is open until 10pm. While I have been to this museum hundreds of times before, I still enjoy it and to be honest didn’t want to get the month of museums started off with excuses and setbacks. 

It was a quick but enjoyable visit, here are some of the high lights. Specifically mentioning the special section on colour and decorating, which I particularly enjoyed.

The melty bicycle also gets a special mention .

As for tomorrow, I guess the Tomb of Napoleon seems like it might be with a visit.