Paris-Day 1

Hello beauties!  I miss all of you so much.

Sorry it has been so long for me to write to you, I’ve been in Paris and Barcelona on spring break!  I’m going to beak up the trip into a few posts, because there is a lot to cover.

So lets start with Paris.   We got there late at night and crashed at our hostel.  The next day we woke up early and went to Notre Dame!  We were actually there on a Sunday morning and were able to experience Mass, which was beautiful and moving.  Lots of people, singing, chanting, incense, candles, the whole nine yards.  It was a really cool experience, and a lot better than the masses I’ve experienced in Florence.  The cathedral was full of people too-which I have yet to see in Italy. 

After we explored the interior of the Notre Dame we climbed to the top!  (But first we had crepes, and I’m pretty sure that my life changed when I took that first buttery, sugary bite.)  We got to chill with some gargoyles and see the Parisian skyline.  The Gargoyles are so interesting.  There is one guy who is sticking his tong way out.  And another one who is looking greedily below.  And yet another whose face had been so worn by time that you cannot even see details.  But my favorite is this guy who is munching on a bird or a sheep or a goat or something.  He is taking a HUGE bite.  It’s pretty funny.  And its pretty awesome that they are all different, that the time was taken to make each one individual, despite the fact that they are so high up that they can hardly be seen.  The guys who were sculpting them, I think they were having a good time.  Check out my flickr to see some shots of them!  www.flickr.com/linepainterj

We also got to climb up into one of the bell towers!  There were all these quotes from Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame hung up all over the whole structure, which helped to bring me back to the past and history of the building.  And made me wish Quasimodo would appear out of the shadows. 

After we climbed down we checked out the Louvre (but didn’t go inside, that will be a post in and of itself), and relaxed in the Tuilleries garden.  We watched children play with sailboats in a little pond.  The man who rented out the boats was older and had such a kind face; he seemed so excited to see every kid.  He must see so many children everyday, and to still have energy for each one is pretty cool.  I wonder, and hope, he is the one who makes the boats. 

In the evening (this is still just our first day!) we went to the Eiffel tower, which is lit up at night in such a magical and spectacular manner.  Oh my gosh!  Sometimes lights sparkle and dance across it and it is magical!  I felt like such a little girl underneath it, wrapped up in a dream.  I know it seems silly and cliché, but all I could think about was my sister and our childhood and the magic of that and how that magic was happening for me once again. 

Emily