France - Loire Day 01 - Auberge de Launay

 We took the train down to just East of Tours and rented a car with GPS (Peugot 3008) and drove to where we would sleep for four nights...Auberge de Launay.

 Its rates are extremely reasonable and their restaurant was one of the top places we ate at in France (posts to follow). So we ate there another night!

 Rooms are well furnished and comfy.

We didn't venture out before dinner that night so we relaxed with a local wine, a Chinon (Rose de Saignie) from Domaine Charles Pain.

France - Paris day 07 - O Chateau Wine Bar

 O Chateau was opened a short few years ago and aims to be not only the best wine bar in Paris but one that educates. They speak English too. This picture is in their basement area for wine tastings with supper.

We had a champagne to start with, a four course meal (Squash soup with chestnuts, grilled veal with braised greens small potatoes, molten chocolate cake) and each course had a paired wine. Each course was made to go with a wine in a different region. That way the wine expert could go over the science and art of wines and wine tasting.

This would have been a better first day or two event but was still a wonderful experience.

*Update: They charged my credit card when I booked it and again when I was there (I forgot I already paid). They did not return my emails to correct this. It was a 200 Euro loss so be careful.

France - Paris day 07 - Louvre Near Eastern Section Part 2 of 2

I liked the geometric pattern on this pottery. I can think of many practical uses, like draining greasy or wet items. 2nd millennium BCE from the city of Mari in current Iraq. This city of the Sumerians and Amorites was inhabited from the 5th millennium until Hammurabi sacked it in 1759 BCE.

7th century BCE from the bath room of  King Ashurbanipal of the Neo-Assyrian empire.

Assyrian ivory from the city of Arslan Tash, currently in Northern Syria, and part of the once Aramean Iron age and Assyrian kingdoms.

A lion made of bricks! around 600 BCE and of Babylonian origin. Around the time of Nebuchadnezzar II.

This is an earring of Bes, the Egyptian god of the household and mothers and such. Eventually became the god of all that is good and enemy of all that is bad. Pretty cut and dry I think. Found in Syria and unknown date.

Two cylinders, one made of jasper with a little gold and the right one of quartz with a little gold.

Royal emblem of two sphinxes, around 510 BCE in the time of Darius the first, from his palace. As third King of the Persian empire he expanded it to its largest size. He is also famous for losing at Marathon for not paying attention to Greek grooming habits. Seriously. The Persians were all set up and when the Greeks came on the other side of the battlefield, when it was near dark, they started to groom themselves. Thinking they were getting ready for bed the Persians did the same. They didn't realize that Greeks believe they look the way they do when they die, hence the Greeks grooming before battle.

Also from Darius the first's palace

One of two creatures that were handles on a vase. 4th century BCE.

This was one of many supports on columns in Darius's palace. So imagine the roof when these were on 10 meter pillars!

Archers also from Darius's palace.

France - Paris day 07 - Louvre Near Eastern Section Part 1 of 2

 So this is the courtyard in the middle of the near Eastern section. Its big because of the huge items from the palace of Sargon the second. He took over Assyria and eventually Babylon, he is regarded as an usurper, from 722 to 705 BCE.

 This is a class of students in front of reliefs showing cedar, probably in current day Lebanon, being felled to make ships.

This is my wife standing beside a genie. In this area at this time period they are depicted as having four wings, very similar to Christian cherubs.

 These are positioned as they would have at the time, flanking a doorway.

 Manistusu, ruled the Akkadian empire from 2269 to 2255 BCE and had this stone carved with his great deeds and purchase of land to expand the empire. Click on it to see the detail.

 The code of Hammurabi. He was sixth King of Babylon from 1792 to 1750 BCE and became the first king of the empire as it expanded its dominance over Mesopotamia.

 He established a code of laws for his subjects to follow, had them inscribed on these stone pillars and distributed to everywhere he controlled in public locations. That way anyone could read and heed (for those who could read) and be judged equally.

 Some of those are: Eye for and eye and tooth for a tooth...if a son hits his parent that hand will be cut off...if a man steels he shall pay back tenfold its worth or be put to death...if someone is accused of a crime and it is found not to have occurred the accuser will be put to death...etc. This stone represents the first open legal system and was one of my highlights of the museum.

 A stellae with the god Ishtar.

A model of a chariot. As you've probably have guessed...I like models.

France - Paris day 07 - Louvre Greek Section

The Greek section is large and extensive. I have not taken many pictures of pottery because I've been to Greece twice (once with my wife) and Italy where there's a lot more and of superb quality. The objects I've posted are ones I have not seen before or that interest me.

3rd century BCE (Before Common Era or BC) pottery.

4th century BCE Macedonian doors.

Pergamon Funeral Vase, 2nd century BCE

The three muses, from 2nd century BCE, found on the Caelian hill in Rome, of originals done before in Greece. It is one of many made in various forms (sculpture, paintings, frescoes) from 3rd century BCE onwards.

2nd century BCE sculpture of Hercules and Telephus found in Tivoli Italy, from originals made over a hundred years before in Greece.

1st to 2nd century CE (Common Era or AD). This kid looks serious in his battle with the duck which makes it even more hilarious to me.

Centaur battling Eros,1st to 2nd century CE. Centaurs normally represent the beastly nature of man, in Greek art. Having the statement that higher love will win over base instinct is one that was embraced by many since early days.

A statue of the god Hermaphroditus sleeping done in the second century CE. The child of Aphrodite and Hermes, and was represented by the fourth day of the month, was a patron god of weddings because of the union of man and woman in one body.

There's the dude and dudette bits.

Spear points from 1230 to 1050 BCE. I was interested in them because I have one very much like the one on the right that I was told when I bought it that it was from the Turkey. That made me believe that it may have been from Xenophon's march of the ten thousand around 400 BCE, which formed the basis of his war journalism book Anabasis. Awesome book by the way. Instead it seems that it is probably from the early days of Greek colonies on the West and South coastline of Turkey.

Venus di Milo. Made around 120 BCE and found in 1820 on the Greek island of Milo, it caused quite the sensation when discovered. The French government had recently returned the Italian "Medici Venus" to the Italian government and after the purchase of this statue, it was praised as being more beautiful and better sculpted. I'll let you be the judge. I think both are good in their own way.

Looking like she's tearing up the dance floor is Aphrodite, made in the first or second century BCE. It is a copy of the original made by Praxiteles who is regarded as making the first nude Greek statue around 360 BCE.

Mars, a 1st or 2nd century BCE Italian copy of the approximatly 360 BCE original.

Athena, made around 1st century BCE, from the Greek original has remenants of where the paint was applied on her eyes and lips. Statues were painted by the Greeks and Romans but little of this survives today.

France - Paris day 07 - Louvre Underground

 The Louvre was built on top of a fortress built in the 1100's and was renovated several times. This is a great model of the last incarnation before it was basically plowed over. to build the current structure.

 Here is the unburied remains of the castle, situated under the current Louvre. This image is taken in what would be the moat.

 Here is the central courtyard and on the right is the center tower base.

 Playing pieces and dice were found during the excavations.

 Here are inner walls and columns.

 This was the parade crown of King Charles the sixth's and was also found during the excavation.

This is a model showing where the old castle sat in reference to the current Louvre and how it would have looked with surrounding buildings back then.

France - Paris day 07 - Cafe Blanc

Cafe Blanc was just around the corner from us and after eating pastries on the go, we wanted a sit-down breakfast. We liked it so much we came back the next day.

 Its diner style and some reviews on trip advisor for lunch and supper were not favorable but we can recommend breakfast for sure as it was the only meal of the day we ate here. The music is random and the waitresses often join in the singing of the main chorus.

French culture is very dog centric and it is the rare establishment, restaurant or otherwise, that does not allow dogs.