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| La Musee National de la Légion d'honneur |
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| Inside the Museum |
If someone asked me if I liked writing or photography better, I'd be hard pressed for an answer. The fact is that I really cant decide .
It goes without saying that I love my cameras a great deal too and cant imagine going anywhere with at least one, if not two of them.
Continuing in my series of Sights and sounds that linger, here's another one which Id truly classify as 'unforgettable'
It was my 9th day in Paris and I'd clicked hundreds of photographs. Many of them had already been downloaded onto my flash drive but the last couple of days pics hadn't. Add to it, the wonderful photographs that I'd just managed to click at the Musee' D' Orsee, including original artworks by artists like Van Gogh , Monet and Rembrandt and you will get the picture.
I'd just stepped out of the Muse D Orsee when I saw this interesting looking building. A closer inspection revealed it to be another museum and I briefly debated- should I, shouldn't I ? You see, I'd planned to walk to Notre Dame for the evening mass and it was already 430 pm and it was a longish walk.But then I decided to take a quick look around because I didn't want to lose the opportunity.
I'm so glad I did because the experience was just wonderful!
The permanent collection of the National Museum of the Legion of Honor includes decorations and medallions awarded to military officers and civilians from France and other countries, hundreds of paintings displayed in a portrait room and ephemera dating back to the Middle Ages. The museum explains protocol that dictates how, where and when badges, ribbons and medallions shaped as fleurs-de-lys, rosettes, stars, crosses and other medallions are worn. Only the president is permitted to wear the Royal Collar and, in fact, it is a crime in France for anyone other than the owner to wear any of these
Looking at the time, I realised that it was high time I started walking towards Notre Dame otherwise I'd miss the mass. Heading towards the cloak room, I freshened up and briskly started the walk. Halfway there , approaching Rive Gauche, I decided to click some shots of the majestic auction houses that displayed beautiful stuff in their show windows and that was when I stood horror stricken as I realised that I didn't have my camera on me!In the very next moment I realised that I must have left it in the cloak room and felt a rush of tears well up..But I also knew that I had to make dash back there and hoping against hope I did just that!
I haven't run or jogged in many years but that day I did it. It was cold and windy and I was tired but I guess fear lent me wings. I covered that distance kin about three minutes whereas the walk so far had taken me 15.
I entered and headed towards the counter and the Concierge there just smiled and held up my camera . "Is this what you are looking for? he asked and I almost burst into tears of sheer relief. Apparently, another lady had used the rest room and having discovered my camera, had handed it over to the desk immediately.
I thanked him and the other concierge also came up and handed me a bottle of water. All he told me was that one really didn't need to worry in Paris, anything lost usually got found.
I walked out into the cold air with a smile on my lips and a song in my heart, I reached Notre Dame in time for the service as well. But that is another story ..
For another day...
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