Last Sunday when I was flying solo, I took advantage of the fact that it was the first Sunday of the month (aka Free Museum Sunday) and got myself to the Musee Guimet. A world class museum of Asian art, the Guimet is one of those places I've always wanted to visit but somehow never seemed to get around to. Excuses no more.
But if you think I'm going to blog about the museum, you are wrong, so wrong. Instead, I want to share with you this photo which I snapped from the rotunda on the top floor. At the moment, it's a cafe/library for the special exhibit on manga. But, as you can see, special exhibit or no, there are some pretty fabulous views from there.
And what did I spy? A construction crew on Avenue d'Iena taking apart this large raised structure on steel girders which for many months as served both as construction office and worker housing for a major renovation of the mansion opposite. It's a big project that has been transforming what was once the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte (Napoleon's great nephew) into the Shangri La Hotel; the opening is set for December of this year. While I'm sure the hotel will be another fabulous five star experience for some, it's the construction structure that's more interesting to me. You see these elsewhere in Paris, wherever there's major work, creating facilities for the renovation without inconveniencing the rest of the neighborhood by commandeering a lane or two of the roadway. Win win, I say.
2 comments:
I loved the Musée Guimet, even though I was so tired I could only manage to navigate the first floor. Maybe I'll do a return visit in Octobre.
It's also nicely air-conditioned, not very crowded and a welcome respite from the crowds thronging the other Paris attractions
CBRetriever
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