Up close with the Mona Lisa

There were already ten people in the queue when I arrived at the Louvre’s Pyramid entrance at 8am, an hour before opening. Without a smartphone, I had little to do but look through pictures on my camera and observe the growing line. When 9am came, I bought my ticket and did a quick overview of the floor plan working out the best route for my mission. Rushing past statues and paintings, I was given a knowing nod by security guards who pointed me in the direction of their star attraction. Then, it was there, and I, an art-lover from the other side of the world, was in front of the ‘Mona Lisa’. 

It was in a spacious room, beckoning its viewers from the other side to come hither. With only a couple of other people I stood in front of the Mona Lisa and took in every detail. I scanned her for depth, brush strokes, and colour. I sized her up. I observed her bewitching smile and moved around watching her eyes.  I got lost pondering her history and fame. And once I was done, I took out my camera for photographic evidence and left for the entrance. Hours later when I had made my way back, I saw her peeping out from the large crowd and I returned her half smile grateful for my earlier visit.