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| Mona Lisa |
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| Hermes |
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| Venus de Milo |
I was very excited to visit the Louvre Museum, particularly for the Mona Lisa. Going inside the Louvre is a big deal because you have to pass through security. Once inside we followed the signs for the Mona Lisa. Finally, when we reached, there was a huge crowd, but that wasn't surprising. I was very happy and waited for my turn in the front. The Mona Lisa was shielded with glass for protection. After viewing the Mona Lisa, we walked around and looked at other painting and sculptures. In 1190 "King Philippe Auguste builds a massive fortress on the site of the current-day Louvre in an effort to protect the cité from invaders"(About.com). Today, the medieval foundations of the Louvre can be visited.
What I Learned: Before the Louvre was a museum, it was a chateau for Francois I.
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| Shakespeare and Company |
Later that evening, some students decided to find Shakespeare & Co. Inside, there were a plethora of books. I decided to buy " To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. It was nice to have the inside cover of my book stamped with the company's logo. The first bookstore was opened by Sylvia Beach in the 1919 but later closed due to the German Occupation. The bookstore today is not the original, but it was moved and rebuild by George Whitman.Today, it is a regular bookstore and as a reading library, specializing in English-language literature.
What I learned: There are many American students who work at Shakespeare and Company. They are serious about becoming writers and some actually live there.
