Manned spaceflight

As a child, I dreamed of being an astronaut. Alas, being a myopic female, non-pilot, non-scientist ruled out any possibility of achieving that dream. And I don't see any space travel in my future as a tourist. Sigh. However, that hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for all things related to space.

You can imagine my happiness in Washington D.C. when we visited both locations of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

The star exhibit at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (near Dulles airport) is the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Apollo 11 lunar lander

floating in space

Washington D.C.

Government, History, Art, and Science. We are pumping our heads full of information this week as we take advantage of some of America's finest museums. So far we've visited the White House, the Capitol, the Library of Congress, the Lincoln Memorial, the American History Museum, the American Indian Museum, and of course, the Air and Space Museum.

Lincoln Memorial

Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington Cemetery

The Capitol under a full moon

Packing

Patrice and I are leaving on Tuesday morning for a three-month trip to the U.S. First stop - Washington DC. After that, Denver, CO. Stay tuned for photos of our trip.

In the meantime, here's what things look like at home in Paris . . . .

Fire dancers

Each evening in the summer, weather permitting, a group of fire jugglers perform in front of Notre Dame. Last night I finally had the opportunity to watch the show.

Vaux-le-Vicomte

Vaux le Vicomte is a château built and decorated by Nicholas Fouquet (1615-1680). Fouquet created a sumptuous estate using the top talent of the time:  architect Louis le Vau,  landscape artist  André le Nôtre, and painter-decorator Charles le Brun.

 

Interior paintings by Charles le Brun

Gardens by Andre le Nôtre

Acting as Superintendant of Finances, Fouquet supplied King Louis XIV with plenty of money, while realizing great personal profit. Fouquet's actions were not appreciated by his rival, Colbert, who convinced the young king of Fouquet's misdeeds. The final straw came in August, 1661 when Fouquet invited Louis XIV and his court to a sumptuous banquet at the Château Vaux-le-Vicomte.
 
The King, incensed to find Vaux-le-Vicomte much more grand than his own palace at Versailles, decided to arrest Fouquet and throw him in prison. Following a long trial for financial misdeeds, Fouquet was sent to prison for life. His chateau and its works of art were seized by the king.  Louis XIV later used the architect, painters and landscape artists from Vaux-le-Vicomte to embellish his palace at Versailles.

The Château Vaux-le-Vicomte is now in private hands and offers both daily visits and once-a-week visits by candlelight.

100°F in Paris

We're having a couple of record-breaking hot days in Paris. Almost 38°C (100°F) for two days in a row. However, it's nothing like the terrible heat wave (canicule) during the first two weeks of August, 2003, when there were an estimated 15,000 heat-related deaths (mostly among the elderly).

Patrice and I feel very fortunate to have air conditioning in our apartment - a rarity in Paris because it's not often needed.

Happy Birthday Patrice

Yesterday was Patrice's 68th birthday. We celebrated with a champagne cruise on the Seine.

 Followed by dinner at Sébillon.

Leg of lamb carved tableside

Baba au rhum for dessert

But the best present from Elaine? A new Kindle for storing lots of books for our upcoming trip to the U.S.