Paris with Grace: Day 3 (26/5)

Last full day in Europe

 The first stop, as usual, was getting some breakfast; we got quite accustomed to French baking. Second stop- Notre Dame (for the third time). This time, we actually stuck around and waited in line for the tour, which was one of my goals for my second trip to Paris. It was also a lot cooler today so the wait wasn't a health risk.

After a wait in line Grace and I finally got the chance to climb the hundreds of stairs and go into the towers of Notre Dame. It was five euro to go in but worth it just to see the gargoyles. Each gargoyle was so expressive and grotesque that I could literally stand up there for hours looking at them. Grace also snapped a lot of great photos of them.

After taking in the views of Paris, we descended into the city. Grace and I strolled along the Seine, doing some poster and souvenir shopping along the way. We eventually ended up at the Hotel des Invalides, which is apparently one of the 1000 places I need to see before I die. The building was actually very beautiful, which is not surprising considering it is in Paris. The Hotel des Invalides was originally a military hospital which has since been turned into a military museum and houses Napoleon's tomb. Grace and I didn't visit either, however, to save time and money.

Hotel des Invalides

Military detail around windows

And then it hit us- there was one thing missing from the perfect Parisian experience, and that thing was shopping, so we set off for the Galeries Lafayette. At this point in my 4.5 month long trip, I was feeling a little strapped for cash, but Grace is always ready to blow some money so she bought a dress and some shoes. While we were in such a beautiful store, we also bought some cappuccinos to enjoy. It turned out to be a lovely French afternoon.

What a beautiful store!

Grace had still not visited the Louvre while in Paris so that was next on our whirlwind last day in Paris. We found out that tickets were cheaper after 5 so once we arrived at the Louvre we took our time before going in. It worked out well because not only was Grace's ticket cheaper (mine was free due to my "European residency") but it was also not crowded at all, therefore giving us the perfect atmosphere to explore some of art's greatest accomplishments.

First stop: Mona Lisa (there was no doubt of that)

Next stop: Liberty Leading the People
I told Grace that there was a painting that I saw the last time I was at the Louvre and wanted to go back and spend more time examining it. When we got to the room of French paintings, Grace said, "I know which one you like." She said that between the revolutionaries and the tricolour French flag streaming she knew that Liberty Leading the People was the one I liked. What can I say? As I mentioned before, I'm a sucker for a great revolution (although the French Revolution is only my second, possibly third, favorite).

Last stop: Cupid and Psyche and sculptures

Sculptures are my new favorite form of art after traveling to Italy. I think Grace really liked seeing all the sculptures as well and because there was "perfect light" Grace and I stayed in the sculpture hall so Grace could snap a couple photos. Gracie also found a sculpture called The Three Graces so she loved that.

Since it was getting late our next stop was dinner, a nice French dinner. We went back to Ile St. Louis because we saw a lot of nice French restaurants while we were there yesterday. We ended up stopping at a nice, small restaurant with an affordable three course menu. For our first course, Grace tried the onion soup again (not as good as the first) and I had escargot. I had eaten escargot a few times before, mostly when my family traveled to Montreal. 

The French people sitting next to us were definitely mocking me in French for taking this picture.

Grace and I had duck and steak, which was decent. When it came to dessert, no one came around to give us it for a long time so we got concerned. Turns out that the somewhat creepy waiter wanted us to take our dessert in the special room downstairs. This is about when the red flag goes up that this could a bad situation. He lead us downstairs and it turned out that there was another seating area down there, so at least we were with other people. The waiter offered us drink on him and we told him that we didn't drink, so he offered us juice. Like we were going to drink anything he offered us.

When dessert came it was so good! It was a chocolate cake that was liquid on the inside and simply delicious. The waiter also insisted on taking pictures of us in this "special room," which was cool because it was likely hundreds of years old. 

After dinner I told the waiter that we had to get going because our parents were going to meet us at the Arc du Triomphe. This, of course, was a lie but I didn't want anything to go awry. 

I still wanted Grace to have a good look at the Arc du Triomphe but it was being cleaned or something because there was a tarp over parts of it. What a bummer, but I don't think Grace was that interested anyway.

We went back to our hostel and spent our last night in Europe. It's crazy how four months fly by!

Our Lady of Paris

Grace and I took a tour of Notre Dame. Here our some of our pictures along with quotes from Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

"The Church of Notre-Dame at Paris is doubtless still a sublime and majestic building."

"we are led to these conclusions,- that architecture was, up to the fifth century, the chief register of humanity; that during this space of time no idea of any elaboration appeared in the world without being built into masonry"

"[Quasimodo] seemed not only to inhabit it but to be its natural tenant."

"The other statues, those of monsters and demons, did not hate Quasimodo; he looked too much like them for that."

"The monsters were his friends, and protected him. Thus he had long conversations with them."

"And the cathedral was not only company for him, it was his universe; nay, more, it was Nature itself... 

...He never dreamed that there were other hedge-rows than the stained-glass windows in perpetual bloom; 

...other shade than that of the stone foliage always budding, loaded with birds in the thickets of Saxon capitals;

 ...other mountains that the colossal towers of the church; 

...or other ocean than Paris roaring at their feet."

Paris with Grace: Day 1 (24/5)

Welcome to Paris!

Grace and I were staying at the Caulaincourt Square Hostel which was in the Montmarte area of Paris, one of my favorite places there. After dropping all our luggage (they starting to get very cumbersome considering I was literally carrying all my possessions from Ireland) at the hostel, which was very nice, we went out to explore a very hot Paris. We had the whole day in front of us because it was only 10:15 am when we arrived.

Since we were already in the Montmarte area I thought it was best to start there. Also, this is one of the best places in Paris to really get the Parisian feel so it is the perfect place to start. We walked up by Sacre-Couer and on the way Grace also stopped in a bakery and tried her first authentic French baking.

Grace made a habit of trying as many French baked goods as possible.

One of my other favorite places in Paris is Notre Dame so I decided to make that our second stop. One of my goals for my second trip to Paris was to got up in the towers of Notre Dame but the line was outrageous that day and we did not feel like waiting in the heat wearing the clothes that we traveled in (I had to wear abut four layers so my bags weren't overweight); passing out was not on our to do list. Instead we sat in the shade of Notre Dame and Grace took a little nap while I wrote in my journal.

Grace taking a little nap outside Notre Dame. It was a long day.

Notre Dame is so beautiful

After walking around Notre Dame we had to indulge in one of Paris's greatest treasures- crepes. After we both enjoyed a nutella and banana crepe, which was a little too hot for a very hot day, Grace and I took the metro back to our hostel.

When we got back we tried to check into the hostel and the man at the front desk would only speak French. Apparently he thought we could speak French but the truth is that neither Grace or I have ever taken any French, so we were completely lost, unless he by chance said a word that sounds like an English or Spanish word we knew. In other words, basically everything was lost in translation. When everything seemed to be in order, I say seemed because I had no idea what he was saying, we walked towards our room and the front desk clerk called after us, in an American accent, "By the way, I speak perfect English." Turns out he was from Washington DC and apparently just likes to frustrate American tourists.

The big gift that Grace and I wanted to get our parents while on our European vacation was a sketch of us drawn in Paris. After freshening up at the hostel and arranging to meet our cousin later on in the night we headed over to Montmarte and investigated the sketching scene. There are a lot of artists there and they all have samples of their work out so that you can choose your favorite. We choose the stereotypical French man in a red and white striped shirt. Stereotypes never lead you wrong.

One funny thing he said while drawing Grace was "You have a special eye." He didn't speak very good English and we still don't know what he meant by it but I'm guessing it was because she was wearing eye shadow. After drawing it he also said, "I make miracle for you." He is so modest, but I have to give him credit because he did give me a nose job in the sketch.

Our artist, Grace, me, and our sketched selves.

Our second cousin Andy just happened to be in Paris too so, in order to be as dramatic as possible, we decided to meet under the Eiffel Tower. He was climbing in Europe this summer and was with his other two friends so the first order of business was finding a restaurant to feed the hungry masses. We had a pleasant dinner and then went back to the Eiffel Tower to take the quintessential Eiffel Tower picture with our cousin. It was a once in a lifetime photo opportunity.

Grace and Andy just had to climb a French lamppost too.

Paris- Day 3: Happy Easter!

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.

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

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.

Scare-Coeur

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.

Paris- Day 2: Dinner and Mass

Does it get better than this? On my left a rainbow, on my right Notre Dame.

After getting a little snack at the Louvre food court (Laura needs to take her pain meds with food) we took the Metro (we bought a three day pass) to the Notre Dame area. Notre Dame has been the one thing that I really wanted to see while in Paris and when it came into view I gave a short high-pitched squeal. I'm sure none of you find this surprising.

We decided that our one splurge item would be a dinner cruise down the Seine so once we got to the Notre Dame area we bought those tickets, which I think were reasonably priced at 30 euro. Brittany and Stacy went to go get the tickets at the stand by the river while Laura and I made friends with a Moroccan man who was promoting the tour. We seem to make friends wherever we go. After reserving our spots on the 8 o’clock tour we headed over to a souvenir shop that was selling various posters so we browsed those. Each of us got about four posters and I was sent to do what I do best- haggle. Unfortunately my haggling got them to drop the price a whopping 50 cents off of 22 euro. I guess I wasn’t on my A-game.

After getting our lovely posters that I cannot wait to put in my new apartment we headed over to Notre Dame and it was amazing. Unfortunately it was closed for a church service but the outside was so ornate that I could look at it for hours (and I did the next day). As we walked across the Seine a rainbow came out so we had to stop and take a ton of pictures. How can you beat a rainbow over the Seine next to Notre Dame?

Lovely Ladies

After taking our fill of pictures we walked around the church, getting it from all angles. We even sat on the walls next to the Seine and chatted for a while taking in the Paris sunlight. Before we knew it is was time to gather for our dinner cruise, which Stevie and her friends were joining us for. Although the food was not the best I’ve ever had it was good. I had chicken, rice, rolls, some sort of coffee flavoured mousse and chocolate cake. I also sat between Laura and Stevie, and I always enjoy spending time with Stevie because she is so funny and we laugh a lot together (not that I don’t love everyone in the Wolf Pack for their own reasons). Stevie even encouraged me to take a handful of green olives from the bar as we were leaving; I’m keeping it pretty classy in Paris.

Eiffel Tower from the Seine

After dinner Stacy and Brittany decided to go to the Eiffel Tower to see the light show on the hour (they ended up going up in it as well) and Laura and I decided we wanted some crepes and then to go back to the hostel. We never ended up getting the crepes but we did walk by Notre Dame and the doors were open so I asked Laura if we could go in and check it out. As we stepped over the threshold a choir started singing and we realized we were walking into a candlelight mass. Breathtaking.

Going into a candlelight mass at 10 pm on Easter Saturday at Notre Dame was a very moving and beautiful experience. The whole sanctuary was lit by candles that each person was holding giving it a completely different feel that I can’t even put into words. It had a soft glow that didn’t travel all the way up to the ceilings almost like you were under the sky. It was all in French and everyone was so enthralled in the service that it was emotional even for me who had no idea what they were saying. The choir sounded beautiful. After I got out I called my father immediately and he said that I was seeing the church as it was 200, 300, 400, 500 years ago. I told him to not even tell me that or I might start crying. He said it sounded like I already was.