Paris - Day 13

I was so exhausted after our exploits yesterday that for the first time on this trip I did not blog at the end of the day. I think this trip is catching up with me. The closer I get to the end the more I long for home.

If I could sum up yesterday in one word it would be "walking". We wanted to get as much in as possible and it's quite possible that we over did it :) we headed into the city centre to visit two of the most famous churches in Paris: St. Chapelle and Notre Dame. St. Chapelle is quite small in comparison to most other churches but it is what allows it to have walls and walls of stained glass. Not stained glass windows; stained glass walls! When the sun hits the glass the whole room is aglow.

Right next to St. Chapelle you will find the stunning gothic cathedral known as Notre Dame. This cathedral is the hallmark of gothic architecture: the high vaulted ceilings, the dark stained glass windows, and the gargoyles. Especially the dark gargoyles! Though their appearance has been softened by the weather and years. We took a tour of the cathedral and then went outside to wait for the tour that lead to the tops of the towers. Once we were up amongst the gargoyles we were treated to anazing panoramic views of the city.

Upon our decent we strolled along the Seine River towards the Louvre Museum and took in the sights and sounds of Paris :) interestingly enough it no longer feels like Summer. Autumn has begun in France - the leaves are turning and falling.

On our walk we came upon a bridge I have not seen before. It's entirely covered by locks. Those of you who might not know of the tradition but it is customary for a couple to place a lock on a bridge as a sign of their undying love and throw away the keys into the river. I think we spent an hour walking and reading the inscriptions on the locks. Some were beautifully engraved. Others held messages in permanent marker. There were locks with inscriptions in many different languages: English, Russian, Polish, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Chinese and a few others I did not recognize. Quite the testament to love. I hope someday I can comeback with my other half and add a lock :)

Our walk brought us eventually to the Louvre. We spent a few hours there browsing the art galleries. We saw the Mona Lisa. It's definitely a main attraction. It's not only behind bullet proof glass but has its own guard! The Louvre is the worlds largest museum and it's confusing as... Well it's so confusing I can only compare it with itself. I think it's harder to find the exit than some of the attractions. Almost as if they did it on purpose - they'll expose you to art and culture wether you like it or not! But eventually, we made it out. IKEA has nothing on this place!

We decided to see a bit more of the city and enjoy an evening stroll so we headed down to the Eiffel Tower by way of the river. We arrived in time to get tickets for the 7pm boat cruise that was included in our Paris Pass. A nice break from the constant treading by land. The cruise is a must in Paris, especially in the evening. Take an hour to enjoy the city at sunset by boat :) its beautiful!