Louvre visit

In the Sculpture department of the Louvre (Cour Marly) I saw a class of 24 students with one guide and two chaperones. With curiosity I watched the lesson:

First everybody sat on their places and did not move for 30 minutes. The Museum teacher/guide gave instructions how to draw "Mercury riding on Pegasus", they got paper and pencils and then started as they were told.

What surprised me, was how well behaved the students were, how they all chose the same suggested object and how they were all involved in careful looking at a sculpture (by Antoine Coysevox from the 17th C).

Looking and then drawing is a powerful tool in understanding works of art. The drawing itself will be a souvenir of the first of many museum visits.

Stockholm visit (3)

It is not necessary to write about the gastronomy in France. But it is time to know about the delicious and inventive food served in Sweden.

One favorite and served everywhere is the: 'Räksmörgås'.

With fresh and hand peeled (kind of hemslöjd) cooked shrimps on buttered bread. Decorated with salad leaves and perhaps cucumber slices, cooked egg, avocado, red pepper, lemon slices, dill .......there is room for the kitchen chef's fantasy.

Here is an explanation for slim Swedes: Two plates and silverware to share one shrimp sandwich. (The American in me took note.)

And then a variation and another favorite: baked warm potato with shrimp and mayonnaise (called 'Skagenröra') on one plate and with one silverware!

Stockholm visit (2)

Weaving and reviving traditional patterns is the theme of an exhibition in the Nordiska Museet in Stockholm. To create something by hand out of different materials has always been popular in Sweden. Think about the long nights during the long winter!

This year the Association for Hemslojd (handicrafts) is celebrating 100 years and everywhere in Sweden workshops, shows, events and activities will be offered. There is great pride in keeping this rich cultural heritage alive.

The toy horse from Dalecarlia has become the most famous Hemslojd object. Being so popular as a souvenir, it is often machine produced to keep up with the demand and a low price.

Stockholm visit (1)

One of the pleasures in Stockholm are the well marked bike paths which lead along the water, over bridges and through parks. The biking for me is like taking a walk while sitting and I take my time to look at the plants and smell the jasmine and the wild roses.

Only rain showers could force me to take the bus because biking with an umbrella needs some

balancing skills and is not too safe.

This June will be one of the wettest since nearly 100 years - but because the days were long, it was possible to take advantage of dry hours.

French Open

From May 27 to June 10 the French Open in the Tennis Stadium Roland Garros is being played.

We live in walking distance to this stadium and notice the congestion of the streets and the filled Metro. Thousand of tennis enthusiasts are in Paris to see some games of this tennis tournament. But tickets are hard to get and they are pricy.

Today when I walked in front of the Hotel de Ville, I discovered that the town installed a "tennis court" with a stand where one can buy something to drink and then sit down at tables to watch the games on a large screen.

When the Finals are being played it will be a full place and fun to be among the spectators.

Ice cream and much more

When it is warm in the evening it is pleasant to take a stroll in the mild air. Walking in Newton Centre at around 21.00 it is quiet because the numerous bank offices and stores are closed.

Yesterday restaurants were still filled with some guests and then we discovered a large crowd at a lit up store front. Remembering a Baskin Robbins in this neighborhood we went there. But coming close we found both a new name and decor and then a long waiting line which turned us away.

Continuing our walk without 'nutty coconut' we were humming:

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! ............ Tuesdays, Mondays, we all scream for sundaes....... sis-boom-bah!

Boola-boola, sarsaparoola, I scream, you scream.....