Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Visiting Paris - A First Time Paris Itinerary

Paris is one of the best places I've ever been on to. It is not only one of the most active tourist destinations in Europe but, the loveliest of them all. Paris is full of museums and very lively attractions which can keep you busy for hours and hours at the end. 

This is probably the main reason why people keep going again and again to Paris. It simply is the best place you can ever visit in Europe. While I have visited many places in Europe, as Barcelona in Spain, and many other major European cities including London. I've never returned to one place for so many times repeatedly even during the credit crunch where the Euro has become very expensive compared major to all other major international currencies. 

Paris Musuem

Compared to other European cities, Paris has a lot of culture. Paris is not only about its ever famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower, but about living culture as well. It is full of many famous landmarks and museums. You can not only have a jolly good time in Paris but you can learn the language and culture as well. As a nation French are very nice, hospitable people, at least the ones I met. 

Visiting Paris - A First Time Paris Itinerary

What are the must see places in Paris?

It's very difficult to select, there are so many things to see. This question is probably like asking which of your children you like the most. If it's your first visit then you have to pick and choose the most popular destinations. One of the best ways of doing this is by buying tickets and joining a tour bus. This is a great way to see most of Paris. The only drawback is that you have to pay for tickets (not very significant amount) and the scenery depends on the tour bus service that you select. 

There are so many things you must plan for before visiting Paris. This is especially true if it's your first visit. What most of the first time visitors do is make a comprehensive plan or an itinerary for their first visit.

Visiting Paris - A First Time Paris Itinerary Dior spring/summer 2011 at Paris Fashion Week Tube. Duration : 3.58 Mins.


John Galliano sets sail for the south seas with this Polynesian inspired spring/summer 2011 collection for Christian Dior.

Keywords: Paris, christian, Dior, fashion, week, spring, summer, 2011

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Famous Castles in France Chateau De Chantilly

There are actually quite a few castles and chateaux situated around Paris and of course the most well known of these is the Chateau de Versailles, but we thought we would take a look at one of the lesser known palaces called the Chateau de Chantilly, which is also on a grand scale with phenomenal history and remarkable museums.

Not sure if you realised, but this was one of the settings for the James Bond film called A View to a Kill starring Roger Moore, along with other places in Paris that were in the film such as the Jules Verne restaurant at the Eiffel Tower and being only an hour away from Paris it has made this place popular with tourists.

Paris Musuem

But getting back to the chateau itself, it is a beautiful castle that is situated in one of the largest forests, with the estate covering an area of approximately 7,800 hectare, plus it has a park of around 155 hectares.

Famous Castles in France Chateau De Chantilly

From the Middle ages when construction started on this chateau, it passed via inheritance from person to person through different branches of the same family and each heir had improvements and new structures built. That is, until it came to the Conde family who eventually bequeathed the estate to the Duc d'Aumale, but this is where the legacy came to an end, as both his Son's had died in battle.

Because of this, the Duc d'Aumale bequeathed the entire estate of Chantilly to the Institut de France on the condition that it was opened to the public as a museum, which happened a year after his death and it is home to one of the finest museums of historical paintings in France called the Conde Museum. In fact, not including the famous Paris museum called The Louvre, it is the only museum in France to have three Raphael paintings.

Within the Chateau de Chantilly there are numerous rooms housing a wonderful collection of antiques, not just paintings, such as the Salon d'Orléans, which holds a rare collection of Chantilly porcelain, plus there are the private rooms from the Duc and Duchesse d'Aumale, known as the Petits Appartements, that you can view just as they were. You can also visit the Cabinet des Livres or book room, which is a magnificent library that contains around 30,000 volumes and also includes about 1,500 manuscripts including around 200 medieval manuscripts and the oldest one, which is the prized possession, actually dates from the 11th century.

Within the grounds of Chateau Chantilly that were designed by Andre le Notre there are the Grand Stables, which is where you will find the Musee Vivant du Cheval also known as The Living Horse Museum. The 31 rooms of the Musee Vivant du Cheval, spanning over a surface of 4,000 square metres and having an 800 metre track, this museum is one of the most visited equestrian places in the world, plus, they hold equestrian shows and demonstrations every day of the week except for Tuesday, which is when the whole of the Chantilly estate is closed.

You can admire the beautiful fountains and the canal, and the grounds are a great place for a stroll to watch the swans, birds nesting and lots of other wildlife. But also in the grounds there are other buildings such as a chapel and you can see the Jeu de Paume, which was a real tennis court and one of the last to be built in France when construction began in 1756, but this is now a museum room holding some very large paintings that would not fit anywhere else!

As previously mentioned Chateau de Chantilly is open every day except for a Tuesday, yet opens later in the evening during the summer months and to fully appreciate this incredible castle, you really need to make a point of spending a whole day out with all the family.

Famous Castles in France Chateau De Chantilly Colors Notebook - School of Architecture and Design at American University of Sharjah Video Clips. Duration : 4.35 Mins.


The work of 52 students from the School of Architecture and Design (SA&D) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) is part of a dynamic travelling exhibition entitled Colors Notebook that has made its way from major world cities to the Museum of Applied Art (MAK) in Vienna, Austria. Sponsored by Fabrica, Italy, the exhibition is the fruit of a project launched by COLORS magazine in collaboration with the Pompidou Centre, Paris, and Reporters Without Borders, the association that sustains freedom of speech and defends journalists across the world. The work selected was done in SA&Ds Critical Discourse in Design class taught by Shoaib Nabi Ahmad, Associate Professor of Design. I am really happy to see the work done by our students selected for such a vibrant and truly international exhibition. It only goes to prove that the talent and potential of our students is second to none and that work done by our school continues to win international acclaim, said Ahmad. The making of these notebooks on many level address the subject of IDENTITY in a multi-cultural, multi-diversed, multi-lingual society. These short films are made by students to capture the collaboration that happens on multiple levels. I find them as an honest mode of of self expression.

Keywords: Shoaib Nabi Ahmad, American University of Sharjah, Museum of Applied Art, COLORS, Colors Notebook, Identity, Fabrica, Pompidou Centre, worldidentitylab, world identity lab

Friday, May 25, 2012

4 Reasons Why You Should Visit Paris

If you haven't yet figured out why many people have made it a point to visit Paris, France's capital city, it is likely that you haven't gone to Paris, the "City of light" yet. If you are thinking about going for a much needed vacation from your work's stresses and pressure, or you have thought about visiting other places, why not decide on going to Paris then? Here are a few reasons why you should visit Paris:

Visit Paris to see and explore world famous landmarks. Paris is known to have iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower which was originally built in 1889 as a temporary construction but remains standing to this day and became the ultimate symbol of Paris. Other world famous landmarks that can be seen and appreciated in Paris are the cathedral Notre Dame de Paris which was built in the 12th century; and the Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe. These world famous places and landmarks can only be seen and appreciated in Paris.

Paris Musuem

Visit Paris to have a glimpse of the past. One can have a glimpse of the world's past by visiting historical landmarks such as the 13th century Sainte Chapelle, and the Palace of Versailles. In addition to this, arts and artifacts made during the middle ages are available at the Musée Cluny and those that have been created during the impressionist eras are at the Musée d'Orsay. You can also visit Invalides museum, the burial place of one of France's most famous personalities and one of the World's most successful conquerors, Napoleon Bonaparte.

4 Reasons Why You Should Visit Paris

Visit Paris to see famous works of established painters and artists. The city houses the Louvre museum, considered as one of the world's most important museums and which is home to the famous Mona Lisa and the Last Supper of world renowned genius Leonardo da Vinci. The Louvre reportedly hosts up to 6 million visitors a year who are eager to see the world's most famous paintings and works of art. You can also see the works of Pablo Picasso and Rodin in the Musée Picasso and Musée Rodin respectively.

Visit Paris to experience the world's best food. Paris is known to be home of the finest foods and drinks in the whole world. Take a sip of the Parisian coffees and have a taste of world famous Paris gourmet and pastries. By visiting Paris, you will understand why Paris caters one of the world's finest foods and drinks.

The next time you are planning a well deserved vacation, make it a point to have Paris as one of your destinations. You will not regret visiting a world class city with the elegance no other places in the world can bring.

4 Reasons Why You Should Visit Paris Egipto; Los herederos de Champollion 1/4 (Egypt; Champollion's heirs) Tube. Duration : 14.73 Mins.


Jean-François Champollion, que devolvió la vida al antiguo Egipto al descifrar los jeroglíficos a partir del estudio de la piedra de Roseta, se encuentra en el origen de la gran tradición de la egiptología en Francia. Este documental alterna extractos del diario del famoso egiptólogo con escenas del actual montaje de la sección egipcia del Museo del Louvre, de París. Jean-François Champollion, who returned his life to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics from the study of the Rosetta Stone, is at the origin of the great tradition of Egyptology in France. The documentary alternates excerpts from the diary of famed Egyptologist with scenes of the current assembly of the Egyptian branch of the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Keywords: egipto, egypt, los, herederos, de, champollion, Champollion's, heirs, documental, documentary, cultura, culture, historia, history, arqueologia, arqueology, jeroglificos, museo, del, louvre, museum, of, piedra, rosetta, francia, france, paris, egiptologia, egyptology, cultural

Monday, May 21, 2012

7 Interesting Facts About the Mona Lisa

o The name the painting is most recognized by is Mona Lisa but that only came about because of a spelling error! The original name of the painting was Monna Lisa. Monna, in Italian, was a common Italian shortening of Madonna, meaning "my lady."

o Most people know that Leonardo da Vinci is the artist, but many believe that the woman's identity is unknown. Some even think that it's him - Leonardo da Vinci himself in the female form. The most commonly believed theory is that the woman is Lisa Gherardini, born in 1479. She was 24 years old and the mother of two sons when she posed for the painting. Why he chose her is still a mystery.

Paris Musuem

o The painting actually has a recent imperfection. In 1956, a man named Ugo Ungaza threw a rock at the painting, which resulted in a small patch of damaged paint next to her left elbow.

7 Interesting Facts About the Mona Lisa

o The unrivaled fame of this work is partially because it was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris in broad daylight by an employee in 1911. It was quickly recovered two years later.

o The painting resides in its own room in the Louvre Museum in Paris and is protected in a climate controlled environment and encased in bullet proof glass. This room was built especially for the painting and cost the museum over seven million dollars. The painting is considered priceless and cannot be insured.

o It is rumored that the reason she has no eyebrows in the painting is because during one of the first times they were trying to clean and restore the painting an error was made and the eyebrows were accidentally removed. Other thoughts are that Leonardo, who was the consummate perfectionist, never finished the painting, as most of his paintings were left unfinished.

o Recent extensive studies show that there are three different versions painted under the presently viewed version. One version has her hands clutching the arms of the chair instead of in front of her.

7 Interesting Facts About the Mona Lisa orient express from Paris to Istanbul Tube. Duration : 2.88 Mins.


orient express in Parvomay

Tags: orient, express, eurotrain, paris, istanbul, bulgaria, parvomay, adventure, cityscape, cruise, culture, destination, events, museum, landmark, travel, log, nature

Friday, May 18, 2012

YIIE 16 - Italy: Rome, the Vatican, and Castle Gandolfo

YIIE 16 - Italy: Rome, the Vatican, and Castle Gandolfo Video Clips. Duration : 9.28 Mins.


Yankin' it in Europe: An American Guide to Studying Abroad. Rob, Joe, and Elliott take a 15 hour night train from Paris, France, to Rome, Italy. There they visit the Coliseum, Constantine's Arch, the Roman Forum, travel the Roman subway system, and Trevi Fountain. Then they go to Castle Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence and home of the Vatican Observatory, where they get a tour from Br. Guy Consolmagno. Then they visit the actual Vatican itself, Rob has too much fun with the boarders of countries, and hilarity ensues.

Keywords: American, study, abroad, London, England, Great, Britian, GB, United, Kingdom, UK, Paris, France, Rome, Italy, Coliseum, Constantine, Arch, Roman, Forum, Trevi, Fountain, Vatican, Observatory, Guy, Consolmagno, Museum

Saturday, May 5, 2012

MICHAEL JACKSON - GREVIN MUSEUM - MUSÉE GREVIN - PARIS

MICHAEL JACKSON - GREVIN MUSEUM - MUSÉE GREVIN - PARIS Video Clips. Duration : 1.77 Mins.



Tags: MUSEE, GREVIN, MUSEUM, MICHAEL, JACKSON

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

"Jeu d'échecs" avec Marcel Duchamp ,1963 / excerpts

"Jeu d'échecs" avec Marcel Duchamp ,1963 / excerpts Video Clips. Duration : 5.50 Mins.


This film records an in-depth interview with French artist Marcel Duchamp [1887-1968] which took place five years before his death, at the time of his first ever one-man show (at the Pasadena Art Museum). It records for posterity Duchamp talking about his life, his ideas on art, why he chose to continue living in America after fleeing France in 1915, and why he virtually abandoned his work as an artist in 1923. While he is most often associated with Dada and Surrealism, his participation in Surrealism was largely behind the scenes, and after being involved in New York Dada, he barely participated in Paris Dada. An engaging dialogue takes place between Duchamp and film-maker Jean-Marie Drot as they go around the Pasadena show, with the artist commenting on the exhibits and using them to explain the various stages of the development of his work. This is punctuated by the games of chess, which were for Duchamp a passion and a metaphor for the mental discipline he applied to his art. In this film we gain a rare glimpse of him talking with humour and insight about his ideas, and living up to the myth of the artist-philosopher that has grown up around him. Jeu d'échecs avec Marcel Duchamp was filmed late 1963 in Pasadena and New York for the Radio Télévision Française (RTF); first broadcast on 8 June 1964 and then shown at the International Festival of Artistic Films and Films of Art (Bergamo, 19 September 1964). A videocassette was issued by Public Media, Chicago 1987 (Marcel ...

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