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Louvre - Paris (France)

24/4/2021

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​I should have been in Paris this month, unfortunately with the confinement I changed my plans but that doesn’t prevent me from showing you more of this magnificent French capital which is full of countless treasures.

I’ve chosen for this week one of the gems of France, which I had time to appreciate during my Honeymoon 2, last year.

Let's be honest, the Louvre Museum is huge, spread over nearly 250,000m2, of which 70,000m2 are devoted to exhibition, with 403 rooms, and 35,000 artworks out of the 500,000 preserved.

It’s also the largest museum in the world (in terms of exhibition area), in addition to being the most visited in the world.

So, I won't be able to show you everything at once, but today I'm going to talk about some legendary pieces of art.

First of all, the Louvre surprises with its architecture.

From one room to another, atmospheres are different, we travel in time and space, we discover all the styles of decoration, but also the history of France, and the history of its different owners of Philippe II to Napoleon III, via Henri IV or Louis XIV, but also more recently the French Presidents.

No less than 800 years of construction, transformation, and renovation ...
After my articles on the Palace of Versailles, the Garnier Palace, the Pantheon, the Louvre is a magnificent palace to discover.

It became a museum in 1793, the majority of the artworks coming from the Royal Collection, which became national property during the French Revolution.
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It survived the changes of power and the 2 world wars, and continues to this day to acquire and protect artistic treasures.

Even without the artworks, I’d spend hours admiring and exploring every nook and cranny from floor to ceiling!

As you know, the Louvre is full of sculptures and paintings from all eras, and I’ll show you many of them in different articles.

But this time, I present to you my favourite sculpture: the Venus de Milo.

Magnificent marble sculpture dating from 120 BC, it’d represent Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty (Venus for the Romans).

Obviously, you know my attachment to Greece since My Solo Wedding in Santorini, and this masterpiece of Greek sculpture adds to the wonderful creations I’ve shown you previously:
  • Rainy day in Athens
  • Cretan Pottery
Discovered in 1820, by a Greek peasant on the island of Milo, island of the Cyclades, it was acquired by a French ambassador who offered it to Louis XVIII, and the latter donated it to the Louvre in 1821.

She was hidden at the Château de Valençay during the 2nd World War.
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Today, she stands almost alone in the Galerie des Antiques, surrounded by red marble from the time of Napoleon I.

As I already explained in my article Honeymoon 2, I had never been able to have a picture taken with her before, for the good reason that there were always too many people.

This time, I had all the time and the opportunity to have a tête-à-tête with Mona Lisa, a moment of pure happiness and emotion.

In 1518, Francis I bought the painting from Leonardo da Vinci, and joined the collection of the Louvre during the Revolution.

She was moved too during World War II, like almost the entire Louvre collection, but her hiding place, the Château de Chambord.

In 2005, she was placed in the centre of the museum's largest room, protected in an air-conditioned display case due to its fragility, as it’s an oil painting on a poplar wood panel.

I'm going to show you something you don’t necessarily think of with the Louvre Museum and yet, the Crown Jewels!

It’s true that we got rid of Kingship a long time ago, and we’ve forgotten that incredible pieces of goldsmith's work, crockery, furniture and jewellery were created in the past and represent an incredible richness of craftmanship and luxury.

And to present them with dignity, nothing better than the Galerie d'Apollon created at the request of Louis XIV. Rich in gilding, painting and sculpture, it easily recalls the splendour of the Palace of Versailles, no wonder since the same artists took care of the Hall of Mirrors. Above all, this is the room that for the first time, Louis XIV associated his power with the symbol of the sun.

Today, among other things, we discover the Regent diamond of 140 carats, bought in 1717 by Philippe d´Orléans, Regent of France, and which Louis XIV had refused in the past because it was too expensive.

Along with Louis XIV's Blue Diamond, they were stolen during the Revolution, a burglary at the Hôtel du Garde-Meubles where they were stored.

The Regent was found a year later, however the blue diamond was lost and transformed to become the famous Hope Diamond (exhibited at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington USA).

If the Mona Lisa is the most visited work of art in the world, the Hope diamond is in second place, our Kings of France certainly had great taste.

By the way, these magnificent jewels remind me of my article Kensington Palace in London.

And if you’d like to know the full history of these jewels, don't miss the fabulous discussion at the Ecole School of Jewelry Art - Van Cleef & Arpels, which will take place on May 5 & 6: Link for registration (free event).

I described this wonderful school in my article:
Bird Paradise

I never tire of learning and discovering with them the incredible history of stones, metals and jewellery and I encourage you to visit their website: link.
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Check my Previous articles about Paris:
  • Christmas in Paris
  • Disneyland Paris
  • My Birthday in Paris
  • Time travel
  • In the air
  • Bird Paradise
  • Louboutin
  • Tutankhamun
  • Honeymoon 2
  • Eiffel Tower
  • Garnier Palace
  • Pantheon Paris
  • Versailles
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And I invite you to watch the little video at the end of the article, which shows the successive constructions of the Louvre Palace, it's fascinating ...
 
 
Have a fantastic week everyone!
 
Love & Joy,
L.
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Moral of my Story

17/4/2021

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May 27, 2017, Santorini, Aegean island (Greece). I am about to go down the magnificent stone stairs holding my father's arm, to participate in the wedding I have been waiting for, and preparing for a year and a half. The guests are seated. The weather is capricious. However, this ceremony is special, the groom is not here. He left the marital ship three months before, and I took the decision to marry without him, to marry myself!
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This week, my article is dedicated to my book My Solo Wedding in Santorini.
I'm still looking for an agent and a publisher, but if there are two qualities that are rooted in me, they are determination and persistence.

All the decisions, actions I take, no matter how difficult or how long it takes, I always go to the end with conviction and confidence.

And while waiting to be able to make you fully enjoy this book, testimonial of my unusual wedding, all the details and especially the reason for my decision, the Book page (at the top) has been updated 😊.

You’ll find all the excerpts I’ve already shared with you, in previous articles as well as videos.
And of course, the reason for this literary adventure: Why a book?

Most of all, I wanted to thank you for all the love and support you’re giving me on this crazy adventure. You’re the ones who prevent me from giving up, I’m infinitely grateful...

And to show my affection, I decided to share one of the most important chapters of my book.

My story gives some hope & courage. As for the moral, I let you discover it below (entire chapter).

(For your understanding of the excerpt, know that my ex-fiancé is called E)
 
 
Enjoy,
​
Have a fantastic week!
 
Love & Joy,
L.

My Solo Wedding in Santorini or How I Saved My Life
by Laëtitia Nguyen

Chapter: Moral
"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." -Confucius

I am often asked how I felt on the wedding day, and if I thought of E, if I had regrets or sorrow. Yes, I thought of him when I got up that morning, I thought that he had made the mistake of his life. I felt deeply lonely at that moment, but absolutely convinced that marrying myself was the right thing to do.
 
Planning a wedding is extremely enjoyable, even if stressful because we want to do our best and satisfy everyone. Being able to project myself into a happy and hopeful event, this is what helped me to cope for three months. All these beautiful services reserved, this extraordinary place, my outfit with so many wonderful accessories, this was what made me get up every morning.
 
“How are you staying positive?”
“I have no other choice ...”
 
Having a purpose is fundamental after a breakup, especially do not give yourself time to feel sorry for yourself, it does not prevent pain or tears, but it helps not to collapse. Some people take refuge in work, I preferred to focus on myself only. My personal life had just crumbled, I had decided to devote fully to myself for the rest of the year. I was going to put my energy to the benefit of my quest for happiness, all those things that I wanted to accomplish and that I kept postponing. Taking time for me, thinking about what I really expected from life, what would make me happy again, the things I was dreaming of, but also what I would like to do in the near future and more distant, either personally or professionally. Above all, listening to my heart and asking what it wanted, taking time for my feelings, letting my emotions express themselves. Then, to this year I added twelve more months, and a few more ...
 
James Arthur's "Recovery" describes how alone one is to rebuild oneself, one must seek strength within to recover. Healing is up to us.
 
I did not have a predetermined to-do-list, first I needed to rest, to relax, to meet new people, to enjoy life for sure, with even more fear attached to the heart, but this unwavering determination, that I will know how to stretch my limits again and again. You must already know yourself and understand your expectations before taking decisions. A wonderful period of introspection began, writing with.
 
I had lived many years away from my family and friends, I wanted to spend time with them, see their children growing up, create new memories, make tons of photos. More than ever, love from my loved ones was vital to go through this period of grief.
During the press interviews I kept saying how much life was a gift and that we had to enjoy it. There are always several angles to see things, and I learned to look from every angle and choose the most positive of them. In addition, when we think about it, there are a lot of little things that make us smile every day, you just must learn to open your eyes and your heart.

​I have always been naturally optimistic, but to tell the truth, it was a trip that resolutely converted me to the half-full glass vision. I have been to Thailand several times in my life, one of my friends lived in Bangkok. I am used to be interested in community and charity projects, including when I travel, the result of an altruistic firefighter father. I try as much as possible to give some time or money for causes that speak to me, both in the field of medicine and art. Years ago, I went to a centre near Bangkok that takes care of people with AIDS. I was made to visit the premises, explained the concept, and then they asked me if I would like to go to the building with patients in their final stage. All these persons at the end of their life, men essentially, one is never prepared for death, whether strangers or relatives, being human means compassion and fear. A man wanted me to approach and sit next to him, he spoke English, we exchanged banalities, I do not remember exactly what, it was a long time ago. When I left, I politely said goodbye to him, what to say to someone who only has a few days to live? He concluded our conversation by saying that my smile had illuminated his day. This man has taught me my greatest life lesson, the important things are not always the ones we believe, a smile is sometimes the only thing we need. So since then, I smile every single day, no matter what. I smile at people, I smile at life and at myself!
 
“By being happy, we anonymously spread the good in the world.” Robert Louis Stevenson.
 
I know why I wanted to marry him, even if I followed my heart more than my reason. He often said that there were only two women on earth who knew him, his mother and me. And it was true. I accepted him entirely, with its great qualities but also his shameful flaws. I did not lie to myself, I agreed to take the risk, for love. That is why I do not regret anything. For months I thought I would never love again, I knew it was not true, but the pain was too big, too deep. There were ups and downs ... When I was crying, I was saying that my tears were tears of courage and determination. In my darkest moments, I kept telling myself how beautiful and incredible I was. Yet, most of the time I felt like dead inside. I have long believed that in marrying someone I would lose my independence, in fact I used it as an excuse not to commit, I was afraid of being disappointed and hurt. I had built a wall to protect myself, it was easier. I realised with my solo wedding, that getting married was much more than a commitment, it was a promise to oneself to be happy. Life is full of opportunities, even if during hard times it is difficult to see them, it is nevertheless necessary to know how to seize them at the right moment. Like a phoenix, I had to reborn from my ashes to start all over again and fly with my own wings.

In my childhood, I was an overweight and shy mixed-race girl. All the ingredients to be bullied and a victim of discrimination at school. Add to that my hypersensitivity and emotivity, and you get a kid who cried and blushed over any little thing. It was not easy to build an identity in these circumstances. And yet, locked in my bubble of survival, I took refuge in my imaginary world, I prepared myself for the battle, like a Trojan horse, it is from within that my strength would spring. This was in this bubble that I went back, to find myself again, some time less to gather my strength than to find calm and serenity, to let my sorrow dilute. I will rise stronger than ever by the force of my courage and determination, I was going to dream bigger and fight to realise my dreams, my recovery was near and happiness in my hands.

Life is precious and we only have one, we must make good use of it. What has happened is profoundly dramatic and it will affect my life forever. It is up to me to make sure that my future is positive and bright. I know it is not always easy, but I must force myself, happiness is built, it does not appear by magic. Being positive does not mean that I was not afraid, oh yes, I was scared, I was even terrified, I had spent five years planning projects for two, inventing dreams together, building solid foundations for our future. And now, not only was I alone, but I had lost everything: my life, my dreams, my future. How to rebuild, reinvent myself? Everything was going to start with my solo wedding. My personal fight began and I refused to surrender.
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Basilica St Remi (France)

3/4/2021

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And yes, it's Easter weekend, and while some of us thought of celebrating it with our family (me for example!), France is re-confined just before the school holidays ...

But let’s not lose our enthusiasm nor our faith in a better future, and that’s why I’m taking you today to visit the Basilica of St Remi in Reims.

After my Solo Wedding in Santorini, I’ve spent a lot of time in this beautiful region of Champagne-Ardennes, which includes the city of Reims, and I’ve already introduced you to some great attractions:
  • Reims Cathedral
  • Rainy day at Epernay

And especially:
  • Champagne!
because this famous alcohol is produced here ...
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St Remi Basilica is almost as tall as Reims Cathedral, 413ft long (126m), like Notre-Dame de Paris and 190ft wide (58m).

It was built in the 11th century, but more construction occurred for several centuries until the 19th century, and its golden age happened during the 12th century.

It was largely destroyed during the 1st World War, and 40 years were necessary for its reconstruction (20 for the Cathedral of Reims).

Roman and Gothic in style, its volumes are very impressive and make the place very solemn.

Many items of furniture and decoration were destroyed and ransacked during the French Revolution.

However, some sumptuous elements are still present and distinguish it from other religious buildings such as:
  • The Crown of Light is the symbol of heavenly Jerusalem, the ninety-six candles of which evoke the lifespan of Saint Remi.
  • The organ replaced on several occasions, including one burnt during the First World War, was finally replaced in 2000, 21ft (6.5m) of pipes integrated into a 38ft (11.5m) wood structure!
  • The display of a slab with lead inlays from another church, which depicts scenes from the Old Testament, including Pharaoh pursuing Moses and the Jews.
  • And statues ...

Let's admire now the classic stained-glass windows that have withstood ages and wars, accompanied today by contemporary stained glass windows created between 1950 and 1980.

But what makes this basilica unique is that it keeps the relics of Bishop Saint Remi, the very one who baptised Clovis, the first King of France. This is the reason why it was originally built.

His tomb is majestic and beautifully displayed, although this is only a 19th century replica, the original being looted and vandalised during the revolution.

Moreover, the basilica is decorated with many chapels including the chapel of the Virgin of the Vow, and an ambulatory to accommodate the many pilgrims.

A video to watch at the end, unfortunately it's in French,  but you can still enjoy the beautiful images...
 
Don't hesitate to re-read my articles from previous years:
  • Chocolate - that you're certainly enjoying right now 
  • In the air
  • Happiness
  • Pyrgos
  • Thank you
  • Reims Cathedral
  • Paris Pantheon
  • Almudena Cathedral​
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No article next week but you can continue to follow me on my social media ...
Next Post: April 17, 2021
 
 
Happy Easter!
 
Love & Joy,
L.
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    Author


    Confucius said nature makes men identical, life makes them different.
    I think that everything happens for a reason and every moment helps to build our personality.  I don't like rules, I follow mine. It is time for me to share my unconventional life and my unusual experience...


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