THE LOUVRE
Situated along the famous Rue De Rivoli, the photo above is but perhaps 1/4 of how magnificent it really was. Took me 3 FULL days to fully explore it. It was a total sensory overload, from Greek mythology to egyptology, from Mecedonia history to French art, from Louis David to Giuseppe. The creativity of humankind was resurrected right before me...
My favourite painting of all times:
"SUCRE de NAPOLEON ler a' NOTRE- DAME de PARIS par le PAPE PIE VII"
The painting is almost two and a half stories in height and spans about fifteen metres. The pure majesty of it awed me into humility. Each individual in the painting had their own expression. It was almost as if I was drawn into the painting itself, becoming part of it, participating in the grandeur of Napoleon's coronation.
Oh Yes, THE Mona Lisa
One does not come to the Louvre without taking a photo with Mona. It was in Denon, ( there are 3 sections: Sully, Richelieu and Denon) amongst the Italian Paintings of the 13th to 17th century. In spite of its reputation, it was a little small, measuring maybe around 18 inches by 30 inches ( approx.) I was actually disappointed by its size. I kindof expected a huge painting. At least life size, like " Watteau" or " Vermeer".
As i stood around Mona, group upon group of herded tourists were led straight to Mona, given five minutes to take photos before they were hurried like sheep to their next photo opportunity, thus reaffirming my belief to never join any tour group if i can help it.
I just couldn't resist the temptation. I took a photo.
I call it " The Feeding Frenzy"
I am sure the picture is self- explanatory. Sad, but true. And honestly, I do feel that Mona, despite her history and all, was the most overrated painting in the Louvre. No offense to anyone.
After the Louvre, I was poofed from all that walking. So I headed back to the hotel for a snooze, not before watching CNN and BBC ( the only two English channels) reporting on the devastation of New Orleans. I was truly saddened by the fact that the supposedly most powerful nation in the world needed four to five days before they can even get their act together. So much for Team America. You go, Bush.
The rest of Paris was lovely, the Eiffel Tower, Champs -Elysee, Seine river, Concorde Square etc. Truly the City of Lights. If only I spoke French....
NICE, St Tropez
Funny how many Singaporeans pronounced it as " nice"when It is actually " Neee-ce". Reminded me of the time when some guy asked me for the location of " Hotel ren-des-ves". I had to ponder momentarily before I realised that he was referring to " Hotel Rendezvous"! Still never failed to make me snigger.
And in the same way, St Tropez, I've learnt, is pronounced as " Saint Trok- pay". The " trok" being read as though you are trying to clear your throat in the ah- beng fashion. So imagine it would be like " trooo.... RooccKk- pay"
There you go. 3 minute French. Go figure.
Now , the REAL reason why I was in France.
I was invitedby TAG HEUER to participate in a F1 driving course at the AGS Formule 1 Driving School in Luc-en- Provence, at the heart of the Var region in a triangle bordered by St Tropez, Nice and Aix.
With a 2.2km track that allowed drivers to reach 290km/h at maximum speed, corners requiring multiple gear shift and hard braking. Especially corners like the AGS corner, where one has to slow the car from 280km/h on 6th gear, to a neckbreaking 90km/h on 2nd gear within 150metres. The track, can be VERY challenging to the drivers who like to push themselves to the max.
Before I begin to sound like a tour brochure or a travel programme, I guess the best way is to let my pictures show you just how awesome the trip was.
The Race Track
Imagine tearing down this straight at 285km/h. Trust me, time stop. So does your heartbeat. At that moment, nothing else exists, except the blur of everything passing by you, and the roar of the V8 engine.
The Man and the Machine
I pondered upon the possibilty of cornering at 180km/h. Will I be able to do it? Will the car be able to do it? Spinning off the track at that speed will certainly put me in the wall, not to mention my brains in my helmet.
Deeeeep breath.
I decided to focus on all the techniques that I have learnt. The gear changes, the braking, oversteer, understeer, apex, racing line.
Heart rate increases.
Patrick, the chief instructor shouted over the deafening engine, even at idling: " You already know everything you need to. So let your body take over."
I could only nod. I wish I could.
V8
650BHP
100kmh- 200kmh in 2.5 secs
2nd gear, clutch down
good to go
release clutch........................ BLISS
But only for 2 seconds, because once I pushed the throttle downwards by a mere 3mm, the engine roared into action and I was flying. I changed up to 3rd gear, 4th, then 5th, before I was at the braking point for the first turn. I braked hard till I got to the downshift point and shifted to 2nd gear for the turn....
The car on slick tyres stuck to the ground like it was a train running on tracks. As I drove into a series of lefts and rights, the G- force rattled me body and head around the cockpit like a rollercoaster, only much,much much worse. I realised that I was heading into the AGS corner... at 280km/h.
I needed to brake hard, slow the car down from 6th gear at 280km/h to 2nd gear at 90km/h, and take the corner. When I got to the braking point, I stepped on the brakes hard as I could, my eyes nearly popping out of my sockets and the four point harness ripped into my body, crushing my lungs of its air. I managed to reach 2nd gear and the desired speed without spinning off the track and turned into the straight home run. Its time to let it rip.
I red-lined the engine as I surged forward, the acceleration nearly ripping my head right off my neck. My body was crushed into my seat and I could not breath. My hand were numb and I could not feel my legs......... I loved it..... Lap 1 completed.
The rest of drive just got better and better as I felt more at home with the car. And when I finished I was grinning like a maniac :) I couldn't help it. It was almost sexual..
Driving will NEVER be the same again.
