PARIS!

Wow, whirlwind adventure! We are leaving Paris in 15 minutes! So I have to be fast but it has been so much fun and so crazy. We weren't able to do everything...guess I have to come back! But in the past two days I have:
Eaten crapes (strawberr, chocolate w/ banana) SO GOOD
Seen the Effiel tower...sparkle at night as well STUNNING
The Louvre
(I actually got separated from the group right before our Louvre appt and almost missed it, but that is a long exciting story. So for everyone wanting my getting lost story...its pretty good)  Tell ya later :D
The Orsay
The Rodin museum (saw the Gates of Hell)
Notre Dame
Learned how to ride and navigate the Metro (I'm actually pretty good at it now)
Attempted to order in French (Epic Fail, but our waiter was super fun and nice and spoke English)
AND SO MUCH MORE, Sorry this is kind of just a log but I really don't have much time, hopefully soon I can actually tell you more about the adventures. But now we're off to Northern France and then crossing over into England.

Love ya! Hopefully I can post in London and I can tell you more!

The Master's Hand

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit the Carl Bloch exhibit in BYU-Provo. It was spectacular. Although I am familiar with many of his paintings, seeing the originals I gained a new appreciation of the magnificence of Carl Bloch's work. The copies (even the large scale ones at the new BYU-Idaho center) do not begin to compare to the grandeur of the originals. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to visit this exhibit. This is the first time those paintings have left Denmark! And I got to witness this grand occasion. And what an experience, I get to start my adventure of European art by seeing Carl Bloch!
The New Favorite:


I am familiar with several Carl Bloch's and I thought my favorite was the Woman at the Well. I love the symbolism surrounding that painting.  It is amazing how Carl Bloch depicts biblical scenes differently than his contemporaries and even those before him. He was a revolutionary artist, and yet so spiritually sensitive.

But on Thursday I spent the several hours with an old religion professor, Brother Allison. He showed me where small churches with secret treasure, such as Caravaggio paintings, were located (so when I get to Rome I'll have amazing stories!). But then we also got on the topic of the Carl Bloch exhibit, which would be held in Provo, UT. He told me to look for the one of Christ in the garden. He said it is not used frequently by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints because the angel is depicted with wings. He mentioned that it is one of the tenderest depictions he's ever witnessed. And with that I completely agree.

As I sat in front of this magnificent piece I was taken back, reflected on my relationship with my savior. The longer you spent with the painting the more you learned. How I wish that night had never ended. The scale and tenderness in this painting reminded me of how much Christ suffered for me. He had everything, and yet was willing to submit and humble himself for me."We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive the full import of what Christ did in Gethsemane." (Bruce R. McConkie). I absolutely love this painting! A picture is truly worth a thousand words. The longer you reflect, the more "words" and meaning you find. This will be something to remember as these adventures begin!


http://www.carlbloch.org/ (see Christ at Gethsemane I and II)
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1985/04/the-purifying-power-of-gethsemane?lang=eng