Paris, Mes Amis!

So........what a wonder to live in the 21st century, where you can hop on a train in London, and in less than 2.5 hours arrive in Paris, having traveled UNDER the English Channel!  Who knew?

I only found out a few years ago that, after spending a lifetime thinking that I was of French descent---I'm not.  My grandfather, it turns out, was an immigrant to France from what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Croatia). So, just like that, all my French heritage was gone.  Turns out that I'm Croation, German, Austrian, Gypsy and Bohemian.  No one is surprised to hear this.--especially the Gypsy and Bohemian part.

That said, it was a fun day in Paris (and miserably hot!)--we went to the Musée D'Orsay----oh my.  To stand in front of "Starry Night' by Vincent Van Gogh........the real thing.  

Go here so that I don't bore you with explanations:  http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/

Then we walked down to Sainte Chappelle.......I have this thing for European churches--and most especially, for Catholic stained glass.  Sainte Chappelle is nothing short of breathtaking.  I could not breathe---and not because it was so beastly hot (Paris is having the same heat wave that the rest of Europe is experiencing)-----the space in Sainte Chappelle is THAT incredible.  If you have seen Fr. Robert Barron's "Catholicism" series, you will recognize Sainte Chappelle.  Standing in this space is a transformative experience, and I didn't want to leave.  The only reason I walked out the door was that I couldn't stand the heat, and we really didn't want to miss our train.

 

Go here for more:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle

Last stop was Notre Dame de Paris----we wandered into the famous cathedral just in time to attend Vespers----prayed that evening for the victims of the train crash in Santiago de Campostela, and presided over by one of the auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of Paris.  The Cathedral is massive and amazing, and has a spirit in it that is transcendent.  The windows are breathtaking--especially the famous rose windows.  

Back to Gare du Nord for the quick Eurostar trip back to London.

I miss being French.  I really do.

Photos:

1.  The Louvre--well, part of it.  It's huge.

2.  The clock in the Musée D'Orsay--Paris in the backgrounc

3, 4, 5.   Sainte Chappelle

6.  Notre Dame de Paris facade

7.  Notre Dame de Paris Rose Window--north 

8.  Notre Dame de Paris Rose Windwo--south

9.  Notre Dame de Paris nave--Vespers