Paris: Day 2

"Gee whizz, what a city. Why live anywhere else is the eternal question." -Julia Child, 1955

We share your sentiments today, Julia. What a beautiful city. We're tired and need sleep, so here is a skimpy recap of the day.

Rain was in the forecast, but we woke up to a shining sun. We listened to the church's bell tower next door chime eight times. Time for breakfast. We had stopped at a little convenience store last night for a few groceries, so we had scrambled eggs, yogurt, and melon. Cleaning up after meals takes forever in France, since dishwashers are not a standard feature. We eventually got out the door and headed to the Metro.

We did have to switch metros once, but it was a smooth trip to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. Going inside the Notre Dame was Garçon Livre's top priority this trip and we obliged. This cathedral, built in 1163, is so full of history and grandeur, it's overwhelming. It's where Joan of Arc's mother fought against her daughter's heresy, where Mary, Queen of Scots married Francis II, and where Napoleon I was crowned by Pope Pius VII. Our first view:

The last time we were in Paris, the line scared us and we bypassed the inside of Notre Dame. Monsieur Bacon was of the mindset that you could just walk right up and in to the cathedral, so maybe the line was just for the tower tour? Hey, it's a Catholic church, right? They are always open and free. As we walked towards the church, our hearts sank a little bit. We saw a line wrapping around the block. Oh well, what do you expect? We sat down in front of the cathedral to take it in. The detail is amazing.

After awhile, we got in line to enter. It actually went very fast and gave us the opportunity to gawk at the exterior more. Here is a shot I took and almost deleted from my camera. I was trying to be all artsy and get a picture of the church visible between tree branches, but instead I got a picture of, well, a tree. After looking at the picture a bit longer, I decided I liked it. God's glorious handiwork displayed before one of man's grandest accomplishments. I like that tree.

We eventually made our way in. It felt like stepping in to a painting. Honestly, the ceiling and walls looked fake. We had an overwhelming sense of Quasimodo lurking above us. Amazing. Sadly, pictures do not do it justice. I almost hesitate posting them here. You have to see it to believe it.

Our prayer candle we lit:

At noon, Mass started. Visitors were still coming in and out, but a section was roped off up front by the altar. We would have considered staying for Mass, but the kids were tired, hungry, and hadn't been to the restroom in hours. Time to go. We found a restaurant nearby and asked to use the restroom. Only begging in bad french about "an emergency" while one of the kids danced with his legs crossed softened his heart. He granted us mercy, knowing full well we would not be staying to eat, but called after us "Seulement pour l'enfant!" We said "merci" and went on our way to find a more reasonably priced restaurant further away from Notre Dame.

We ended up at a lovely café called "Pain d'epices". We grabbed a table outside and enjoyed the picturesque setting. Everyone loved their meal. Monsieur Bacon had steak with roquefort cheese, frites, and a salade vert. Madame Salade tried a common salad, the salade au chévre chaud (a lightly dressed mixed green salad topped with prosciutto-like ham, toasted french bread, and warm goat cheese). The food was divine, one of the best meals we've had in France. Madame Salade's plate:

We got our second wind after lunch. We walked along the Seine and stopped in a couple of shops. We had a mission: find a lock and key. We eventually found one from a vendor near the Notre Dame. You see, Madame Salade is addicted to Pinterest and on Pinterest, she found an image of a sea of padlocks on a bridge over the Seine. Couples write their initials on their lock, lock it on the bridge, and throw the key into the Seine as an illustration of their unbreakable love. Some say it's graffiti, we say it's romantic. The bridge felt hopeful. As cruel as the world may be, there's still a whole lotta love. Call us fromage-ey, but the "Padlock Bridge", "Lover's Bridge", "Love Lock Bridge" or whatever else you want to call it, was a Paris must-do for us. We wrote our initials, along with our kids' and threw the keys into the Seine on the count of three. That lock is there now forever. Or at least until they cut all the locks off and throw them away. Hey, we're romantics, but also realists, okay?

After attaching our love lock, we walked to the back side of the Notre Dame. It's a pretty area with shady trees, benches, flowers, and a kid's play area. The kids were in heaven. Mom and Dad had fun too.

Here are some armed gentlemen in uniform, walking in the park where my baby is playing. Kind of jarring to see, but it seems the French are taking security seriously.

One last stroll past the Notre Dame for the day:

While walking towards our Metro station, we spotted Shakespeare and Company Bookstore and had to pop in. It was the gathering place of literary giants and American expats like Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, James Joyce, and Gertrude Stein. It's crammed with tourists now but tries real hard to stay true to its roots. Pictures were not allowed inside, but rest assured, it was awesome. It truly felt like 1920's Paris (plus the tourists). Two cozy floors attached by a creaky staircase, crammed with books and couches with windows facing the Notre Dame. It is still an operating bookstore and Garçon Livre was thrilled to see books in English. He started pulling them from the shelf and eyeing a lounge chair. No time today, but we hope to sit there sometime and read. When he is a famous writer, he'll be able to say he read at Shakespeare and Company!

Once back at the apartment, Monseiur Bacon made a grocery run, the babies napped, Garçon Livre did his school work, and Madame Salade went out on the patio with this:

Don't get too jealous, there was either a toddler crying or yelling at me for help in the bathroom most of the time.

We had plans to go for an evening walk, but the kids were tired and asked to stay home. Peanut butter sandwiches and apples for dinner and to bed they went. Mom and Dad hung out on the patio for awhile. We spotted the Sacre Coeur tonight! It has been too foggy to see until now.

Pretty good day.