Parisian beauty is in the eye of, in this case, me

You may be asking yourself, how long is she going to milk a seven-day vacation for blog posts? Well, the short answer is... probably a couple more. We're in the process of preparing to move into our we're-never-moving-ever-ever-again house, so I'm surrounded by boxes, using most spare minutes to put things into even more boxes, and I need to stop every once and a while to look back at photos and reminisce about this literal trip of a lifetime.

When I've scrolled through my photos up there in the Google cloud, I've tried to come up with themes to tie big groups of pics together. For this one, I think the glue is simply beauty. Yes, it popped up in the suspected places, most especially amidst the art and architecture, but I also want to acknowledge those pics I took because, for that one moment, the sight was just lovely.

Here you have the beauty of Paris as I wish to remember it.

My first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower from afar is a memory and a vision that I hope I never forget. It made it all feel so real, even though I was walking around in disbelief.

A gargoyle on Notre Dame Cathedral that both intrigued and mildly repelled me was still an image of beauty.

Our arrival coincided with the tail-end of the release-all-the-pollen phase of the trees, apparently, and the sidewalks were lined with white fluff for days, blowing around and looking like surprise snow.

While the rational part of my brain did win over the romantic realm and we did NOT apply a "lock of love" to any bridge or other structure in Paris, I couldn't help but see this view as one of beauty and hope, albeit ignorant of structural integrity and respect for public property. 

Hana and Zeena, I hope your love lives eternally.

Narrow side streets provided gorgeous perspectives with just a turn of the head.

Bookstore displays always draw me in, and this colorful one was undeniably delightful, regardless of my inability to read some of the titles.

Though much of the lower part of the Colonne de Juillet (July Column) in the center of the Place de la Bastille was under construction, if you looked up toward the sky instead, especially in the fading light of the late evening, the view was breathtaking.

The gardens of Versailles were awash in beautiful pieces of art, but some sculptures spoke to me more than others. 

There's something about this one... ;) 

Natural beauty abounds at Versailles, as well, and this purple iris was the most perfect I've ever seen, and I went to a college obsessed with purple irises, so I've seen many!

What's not to love about this floor in the Grand Trianon Castle at Versailles? The marble everywhere blew me away.

If Hubby took a ridiculous number of photos of Notre Dame, I may have matched him with my photos of the Eiffel Tower. As we walked under its shadow for the very first time, I couldn't stop myself, and I have dozens and dozens of pics from different perspectives from the whole week. 

How often is the exterior of a museum as eye-popping as its contents? Centre Pompidou takes the cake.

I may not be a huge fan of modern art, but this Henri Matisse piece, "Polynesia, The Sea" has the perfect shades of blue contrasted with bright white that I just fell in love.

A Picasso sculpture, "Glass of Absinthe," got me excited to try it for myself!

I don't remember the name or artist of this sculpture, but a huge stack of type set letters? Win.

Whimsy and beauty go hand in hand, and this sculpture in the courtyard outside of the Pompidou is proof.

If we ever have the good fortune to return to Paris, I hope that we can sit and enjoy the views in the Nelson Mandela Garden.

The "Winged Victory of Samothrace" at the Louvre was simply stunning.

A ceiling in the Louvre might be the most gorgeously intricate thing in the world. 

Oh, how I wish I had photographed the info plaque for this sculpture at Musee d'Orsay. If you know the title or artist of this, please let me know! This is pure joy.
ETA: My dear friend, Mindy, who has an incredible memory AND access to her college textbooks, recognized this delightful sculpture and provided the name and artist- "Aurore" by Denys Puech. 

Another phenomenally beautiful sculpture, La jeune fille de Bâ Kongo (The Young Girl of the Congo) by Herbert Ward kept my attention for a long time.

What we wish motherhood was like all the time, simple and pure.

Vincent Van Gogh's self-portrait. Right in front of my eyeballs. 

Van Gogh's "Bedroom in Arles" (third version), also so close that I could touch it.
I had to stop myself from touching it.

Sometimes beauty is in the emotion, not so much the physical appearance, such as my puffy-eyed selfie with Monet's "Le bassin aux nymphéas, harmonie verte" ("Waterlily pond, green harmony"). I sat in front of a wall of Monet paintings and stared through my streaming tears, absolutely overwhelmed by the beauty.

I think Renoir's "Portrait of Alphonsine Fournaise" was one of the paintings featured in a game I had as a kid, that served as my introduction to classic art. I love the happiness it conveys.

I don't know the story behind this piece, but notice there are five names, but only four images. Beauty in both love and loss.

Not even my new fancy phone's camera could truly capture the glory of this window in Notre Dame Cathedral. I'm in no way a religious person, but the beauty of this space is remarkable.

When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drum, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes.
(Sorry, I know it's not the revolutionary flag, but seeing this HUGE French flag flying under the Arc de Triomphe made Les Misérables play in my head!)

I told you! But don't worry, I'm only posting two Eiffel Tower pics instead of dozens. Isn't that a sight?!

An old rail station became Musée d'Orsay, officially my favorite museum ever. Even the building itself is a work of art. (See what I did there?)

The doorway to Shakespeare and Company, in its vivid colors and writing, reassured me that I would find nothing but beauty inside.

Classic children's literature characters hanging out above a doorway in this incredible bookstore.

A children's reading nook and display most definitely caught my eye. Shocking, right?

Technically, this is a picture of a sweeping view of Paris, NOT just the Eiffel Tower. The view from Montparnasse Tower was impressive and made my heart race. 

Beauty on the side of a bus? When it's covered in images of Monet's works and is about to take you to the most verdant and lush setting, then absolutely yes. But, we'll get to that next time.

I know I've been repetitive in these descriptions, because I can't find enough unique words to convey just how enchanting this city was, as there truly was beauty all around. And, I was in the perfect mindset to be able to see and appreciate it at every turn.