I Love Paris...

Friday, 7/29

Indeed we did sleep well, not even the market trucks arriving woke us in the morning. More clouds shrouded the sun, but when we did emerge, we had no trouble locating souflee like pastry with custardy deliciousness and very good cappuccino. Our first order of business was to find Notre Dame. Greg negotiated the complex subway system (like a rainbow, there our violet lines, chartruces, maroon...) Anyhow we arrived on the island (yes, bridges and subways come to and fro but the church is surrounded by the river) and found our way to this famous church. At first, I was unimpressed. From afar it was just two blunt towers intricately carved. But as you approach the detail comes into play. Countless protruding gargoyles decorate the butresses and inside intricate stained glass windows are a sight to behold. Greg and I grabbed a crepes to munch on as we walked around the structure viewing some parks and gardens that surrounded it. The Louvre, sunshine in the statue gardens, matching lawn chairs crowded around various fountains making it seem like a day at the pool or a block party. On our way to the next stop we stumbled upon the high end shopping street: Louis Vitton, Cartier, Rolex, Tiffany's, Dior, and more. Only window shopping for us in this area. Another metro needed to be mounted to reach our next destination. As we moved through the crowd we realized we had entered a very ethnic neighborhood. There was an African influence here and as we hiked up a particularly steep street toward the church, we realized we were on beauty parlor row. Frizzy hair balls blew down the sidewalk like tumble weeds in a western. Wigs and weaves were the fashion of choice here, in fact one lady called out to me in French saying something about my hair. Either she wanted to cut it off and make a wig out of it or she was dying to give me a weave, some things get lost in the translations. None the less, Greg and I kept trekking up the inclining streets of this 'hood until we reached a very steep set of stairs. After our extreme climb through this interesting neighborhood, both Greg and I were feeling a bit tired again. Our legs remembering all the steps of yesterday (and how we have to go up four flights each time we return to our room) were protesting, so we took a break at a colorful cafe at the foot of a steep flight of stairs that headed in the direction of Sacre Cour, the sacred heart chapel. After sharing a carafe of cold white wine with my sweet husband I was ready to face....more stairs! As we climbed, sprinkles began again, but we found them cooling and encouraging, hoping to reach the top and get in the church before it started to pour. Luckily the rain was gentle. As we entered the church, which was impressive in its facade, I felt chilled. Not by the transition from cool rain outside to warm stuffy cloisters, but there was a genuineness in this church. A couple huddled around candles that they lit and spoke in whispers about healing a suffering friend. Old women knelt on crickety knees at the alter in earnest prayer. Usually not one to pray, I thought, what do we have need to pray for? Seeing a liquid silver looking statue of the Madonna and child I thought, Greg's sister Devon is expecting and is only days away from her due date, let us direct our thoughts in this holy place toward a safe and easy delivery for her. It was a beautiful church, inside and out and that is coming from someone who has seen more churches that she can count in the last six weeks. Back outside the rain had stopped, and we were witness to a very amazing and talented street performer who had gathered hundreds of people in appreciation for his art. This man of African decent stood on a pillar with a soccer ball, he performed all sorts of amazing feats with the ball, like taking his shirt off while balancing it on his head, rolling it all over his body and kicking it up to himself continuously without faltering. For his finale, Soccer Man climbed a light pole while kicking and shimmying with the ball, he then held the ball between his feet and gripped the pole with both hands straightening his body perpendicular to the ground some 15 feet below him. He was a real crowd pleaser. One had to wonder how many times a day he did this routine. Here is an example of real applicable strength vs. going to the gym. We wound our way back to the metro where in only one transfer, good job Greg "The Map Man" Jackson, we got back to our hotel. Cleaned up for dinner, we headed out for a real French meal. I enjoyed the sea bass and Greg had to have more risotto and for dessert we enjoyed the cheese plate. As budding cheese connosuirs we loved analyzing all the flavors. There was creamy fragrant brie, a milky salty alpine firm cheese, blue cheese with the taste of the pasture (you could smell the hay and grass), and the goat cheese was so distinct that you could tell the goat fed on lavender and sage brush. Greg even ordered champagne to go with our dessert. It was a meal to remember! Back to the room to prepare for our final country of this journey. Tomorrow we are off to meet Die Schweiz.