Happy Easter from Paris!
I feel my day is best summed up by what I ate:
- Crepe #1 - Banana Nutella
- Communion Wafer
- (French) Onion Soup
- Croissant and Pain au Chocolat
- Crepe #2 - Banana Chocolate
Crepes
The goal was to get to Notre Dame about an hour ahead of time to ensure that we got seats but we got there about fifty minutes early because we stopped for Crepe #1. When we got to Notre Dame the line was massive but we got in, hoping that there would be room for us in the church. We waited in line quite a long time until we were about 20 people from the front and it stopped moving. I was getting anxious because I had yet to see the inside of the cathedral and didn't know if I would have time otherwise but at 11:15, just 15 minutes before the service, the doors opened and the pushing began. You would think people going to church on Easter Sunday would take the Christian approach and not push but that was not the case. Poor Laura was getting pushed even though she was on crutches. I got separated from Laura and Brittany but was still with Stacy and we were lucky enough to find seats.
The service itself was what I expected (I had already been to an Easter service at the Basilica de Notre Dame in Montreal which was also in French). The choir was great and the organ was absolutely amazing! Stacy and I even went against our Protestant upbringing and took communion at the Roman Catholic Church, and Stacy actually got in trouble by the usher for walking away with her wafer (at least that's what she thinks the problem was; she doesn't speak French).
Britt and Laura left service early so Laura could avoid any big crowds and headed to a cafe while Stacy and I waited out the service. We had actually been separated during communion but on the way out of the cathedral we were reunited. We took a quick detour on the way out to see the stained glass.
Side Story: When my great-grandmother died we got one of her books which was a Reader's Digest World Book that had various articles about various things. One of the articles showed a picture of the stained glass in Notre Dame and I remember thinking at age 5 that this must be the most beautiful stained glass in the world if it was in this book. It was just one of those things that has stuck with me and I was very excited to see it in person after fifteen year of waiting. It did not disappoint and when Grace and I return to Paris I need to go on the Notre Dame tour.
Stacy and I met up with Britt and Laura and we decided to head over to the Champs-Elysees and see the Arc du Triomphe along with the eternal flame and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We took some pictures there and then walked up and down the Champs-Elysees a little. After that we headed over to the part of town that the Louvre is in and got some lunch at a small cafe. After that went we on a hunt for some delicious French pastries and found a small bakery called Phillippe Gosselin's (I think). It's one of those places that you just want to have a toothpick and sample a little of everything. I just got a croissant and pain au chocolat while Stacy got ambitious and ordered a cake-like thing which she just took a picture of and showed the person behind the counter. Clever!
Stacy had to catch a flight that night so we all headed back to the hostel. Once we got there we realized how tired we were and Laura decided that she was going to stay in for the night. Brittany and I decided to take a quick nap which did me a lot of good. After about an hour in the hostel we decided to try and get up to Sacre-Coeur that night.
The Scare-Coeur is a giant basilica located on a hill that overlooks Paris (and we had to take three subways lines to get there). The views were great from there and Brittany and I even got to see the lights twinkle on the Eiffel Tower at 9 o'clock. I also called my mother and father while up there to wish them a happy Easter and they passed the phone around the table so other people could talk to me. Then Brittany and I went into the church to look around for a bit.
When we got out of Sacre-Coeur we decided it was time to purchase a mini Eiffel Tower that Brittany had been eyeing. I took the opportunity to haggle and bought two for half the price that he offered (which was still probably a rip-off). The vendor next to him did say that I was a smart girl for haggling. I just wish they were this receptive to haggling at Macy's.
Riding the high of getting a cheap souvenir I sought out some crepes and was successful at getting Crepe #2. The area up there was really cool and there were all sorts of artists drawing, as well as a performing mime that was more scary than entertaining. I really enjoyed that part of Paris and am bummed Laura could not enjoy it with us.
Crowd outside Notre Dame
The service itself was what I expected (I had already been to an Easter service at the Basilica de Notre Dame in Montreal which was also in French). The choir was great and the organ was absolutely amazing! Stacy and I even went against our Protestant upbringing and took communion at the Roman Catholic Church, and Stacy actually got in trouble by the usher for walking away with her wafer (at least that's what she thinks the problem was; she doesn't speak French).
Inside Notre Dame
Britt and Laura left service early so Laura could avoid any big crowds and headed to a cafe while Stacy and I waited out the service. We had actually been separated during communion but on the way out of the cathedral we were reunited. We took a quick detour on the way out to see the stained glass.
Side Story: When my great-grandmother died we got one of her books which was a Reader's Digest World Book that had various articles about various things. One of the articles showed a picture of the stained glass in Notre Dame and I remember thinking at age 5 that this must be the most beautiful stained glass in the world if it was in this book. It was just one of those things that has stuck with me and I was very excited to see it in person after fifteen year of waiting. It did not disappoint and when Grace and I return to Paris I need to go on the Notre Dame tour.
Stacy and I met up with Britt and Laura and we decided to head over to the Champs-Elysees and see the Arc du Triomphe along with the eternal flame and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We took some pictures there and then walked up and down the Champs-Elysees a little. After that we headed over to the part of town that the Louvre is in and got some lunch at a small cafe. After that went we on a hunt for some delicious French pastries and found a small bakery called Phillippe Gosselin's (I think). It's one of those places that you just want to have a toothpick and sample a little of everything. I just got a croissant and pain au chocolat while Stacy got ambitious and ordered a cake-like thing which she just took a picture of and showed the person behind the counter. Clever!
Arc du Triomphe
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Eternal Flame
The Scare-Coeur is a giant basilica located on a hill that overlooks Paris (and we had to take three subways lines to get there). The views were great from there and Brittany and I even got to see the lights twinkle on the Eiffel Tower at 9 o'clock. I also called my mother and father while up there to wish them a happy Easter and they passed the phone around the table so other people could talk to me. Then Brittany and I went into the church to look around for a bit.
Scare-Coeur
Riding the high of getting a cheap souvenir I sought out some crepes and was successful at getting Crepe #2. The area up there was really cool and there were all sorts of artists drawing, as well as a performing mime that was more scary than entertaining. I really enjoyed that part of Paris and am bummed Laura could not enjoy it with us.
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