March 16th Today, I am...

...this mysteriously strange gypsy caravan!

I am a gypsy waggon or a vardo, caravan or living wagon, which is a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by British Romani people (Romanichals are thought to have arrived in England in the 16th century, they are an ethnicity of Indian origin) as their home. It is very common for us to be highly decorated, intricately carved, brightly painted and even gilded. It's a high cultural point of both artistic design and a masterpiece of woodcrafters art (today, even the simplest ones cost about $15,000). The heyday of the living wagon lasted for roughly 70 years, from the mid-1800s through the first two decades of the twentieth century. Not used for year-around living today, they are shown at the Romanichal (British Romani) horse fairs held throughout the year, the best known of which is Appleby Horse Fair.

here is a sketch with every vardo characteristic:

other gypsy caravans:

interesting Gypsies facts:

* there are two types of Gypsies – Roma Gypsies and Irish Travellers; both have a nomadic lifestyle but are separate ethnic groups
* large families are still very much the norm, with some couples having over 10 children
* as a nomadic people, the Romani didn’t write books or attend school to learn to read and write; instead, they’ve long maintained an oral tradition where poets and singers tell stories about the Romani and their culture
* the Romani have a rich musical heritage; their music has influenced jazz, bolero, flamenco music, and many classical composers including Franz Liszt
* Gypsies are not dirty; their culture is built upon strict codes of cleanliness learnt over centuries of life on the road
* most Romany girls are expected to get married between the ages of 16 and 18; according to tradition, a girl shouldn't have more than four boyfriends before getting married, and if a boy asks a girl out, she should refuse at least twice before finally saying yes
* traditionally, groups of extended families formed kumpanias (bands) which traveled together in caravans; each kumpania is headed by a voivode (chieftain) who makes decisions after consultation with a council of elders and the phuri dai (senior woman)
* many Roma women wear bracelets and necklaces made of gold, and headresses are decorated with coins; the display of prosperity and generosity towards others are considered very honorable
 
(facts found at Lifestyle, FRUA, and GRTHM)

February 25th Today, I am...

...this beautiful carving!

I am located at Musée du Louvre, Paris, which is one of the world's largest museums (60,600 square meters; not quite the largest but has the most visitors) and a historical monument. The museum in its classic baroque style is a part of the Louvre Palace complex, originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century. Louis XIV from the Palace of Versailles chose the Louvre as a place to display the royal collection in 1682. Inside, you can find around 35,000 pieces of art from prehistoric era to the 19th century. The most comonly known amongst them is defenitelly Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, also The Wistler's Mother (which you can remember from a Mr. Bean's episode), Venus the Milo, The Coronation of Napoleon and other remarkable paintings and sculptures. In 1983, a new design for the entrance was built (the Grand Louvre) as an underground lobby and modern glass pyramid structure in the courtyard. It is impossible to see all of its sights in one visit because it's so big.

other sculptures and carvings of Louvre:

interesting museum (in general) facts:

* the Museum of Death in Hollywood includes a head severed by the guillotine in France and Liberace’s stuffed cat
* the Phallological Museum in Husavik, Iceland, is the world’s only museum of penises
* the Garbage Museum in Stratford, Connecticut, closed in 2011 after 16 years exhibiting rubbish
* there is a dog collar museum at Leeds Castle in Kent

(all facts found at Express)