The Heart of France

*I wrote this blog yesterday with the intention of posting it yesterday, but I never got around to it. Here it is today, though!

C’est manifique! Inner-city Paris was like a dream. We stepped off the metro, and felt as though we were stepping into a movie scene (though the movies do NOT do Paris justice, you really just have to see it with your own eyes). As we walked through the busy streets, we passed by several architecturally breathtaking government buildings trimmed with gold fences and statues. Our first stop on our daytrip was the majestic Notre Dame. The song of the church bells greeted us as we made our way inside (not quite sure if it was played by a hunchback or not). My breath was taken away by the high, arching ceilings, the endless array of stained-glass windows, and row after row of golden chandeliers. Every object, every wall, every column was a work of art, ornate and unique from everything else. I wished I could have heard the giant organ silhouetted against the rose window before I left. I know I said it about Le Sacre Coeur, but I’d love to attend mass at the Notre Dame. I thought about my mother’s exercise friends as I walked through the cathedral’s great halls, and how they’ve been praying for my health and well-being for a long time, and so I decided to light a candle for them at one of the altars for their health, well-being and happiness. After Notre Dame, we took a very long walk along the Seine all the way to the Musee d’Orsay. There, we saw the impressionistic works of Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gough, and many others. What superb works of art! I wished that we could have stayed longer. It’s so difficult to take in a museum of that size in one day. Of course we didn’t get to see every exhibit there, but we saw as much as we could. Afterwards, we went to lunch at a local Greek restaurant in the Latin quarter, and wandered around a bit longer. Eventually we made our way to the Pompidou Museum of Modern Art, where we took the outside escalators up to the top to take pictures of the view of the city. The modern art was a little too modern from us, so we went back to Montmarte to rest for a while. We decided to make our own dinner, so we bought baguettes, prosciutto, butter, brie, and pickles to snack on all evening (a MUCH cheaper dining option). Afterwards, we went back to La Tour Eiffel and the Seine and sat on a bridge, admiring the view and drinking wine. We were even fortunate enough to see the Eiffel tower start to sparkle and glitter! It was magical. Thanks to a friendly Parisian, Anzo, we were able to find a discotheque, and we had a blast singing and dancing the night away. Till next time!