Success is the journey between epic fails.

My plan today was simple.  1) attend 11:00 mass at Notre Dame & 2) visit the musee d'orsay.  I failed at both. Libby had been a grump yesterday because she wasn't feeling well since jet lag was nipping at our heels.  She requested that we sleep in and despite my parental misgivings, I flexed to this seemingly unproblematic request. 11:00 am mass would still be doable...assuming by sleeping in she didn't mean noon. Epic fail.  We slept until 10:28. After I shrugged off the initial "I did not fly half way around the world to sleep all day" temper tantrum brewing in my belly, we dressed, deciphered directions, obtained metro tickets, and we were on our way. No harm, no foul.  There are other mass times so all it took was a bit of flexing. 

We arrived at Notre Dame a tad late, but with enough time to get in and get seats.  In the churches I have been in (x2) I  noticed that there are not pews but are chairs with rattan seats. Today, there were not even kneelers. I cherish that in the Catholic faith, no matter where in the world you go to Mass the readings are the same.  So Catholics all around the world heard the same bible verses as I did today.  Of course, I heard them in French and only understood about a third of them.  But, they were the same.  I expected the seating to be the same too, so was disappointed in a way.  When you are in a foreign country, even for a small bit of time, you find comfort in the familiar. The excitement of the new spurs you forward, so rattan seats and French readings among the familiar sequence of Mass was a perfect way to start my ...afternoon. 

Notre Dame is an absolutely amazing architectural feat given the time of construction. Bishop Sully requisitioned construction in 1163. It is all stone and made up of a series of arches which give it strength and allow for the giant windows made of stained glass.  The famous Rose of the south transept is original to the building. 

There is a magnificent statute of Joan of Arc; Libby's confirmation saint. 

As a Catholic, I am somewhat torn by the ridiculous wealth the Church has had over the years.  I take solice, however, in the fact that the Church is also a remarkable curator of ancient artifacts.  Notre Dame has some of the most beautiful monstrances and other dishes used for the Eucharist. 

 

This is a reproduction, but the actual one was commissioned by the King for the baptism of his grandson. (I think, since I was reading it in French.) It was adorned in diamonds and made of gold. I can't recall precisely, but is think it is from the 1600 or 1700's. 

One thing I found creepy about Notre Dame is that there are faces EVERYWHERE!  I think this may be why the Catholic guilt is so prevalent. Someone is always watching you. 

My most earnest hope was that I would climb the towers of Notre Dame, but Epic Fail number two was that the day was dense with clouds and the line was long.  I skipped the climb and the line and went to a little park behind the cathedral. This decision was one of the best of the day.  Not only was it beautiful, but it was filled with actual Parisians in the park.  It must have been scout day, because there were lots of school aged children with high school aged leaders playing games, laughing and enjoying their Sunday afternoon.  That, in this small moment of time, was what I desired from the entire trip.  I was like a face on the Notre Dame facade watching the Parisian world without any filter to change their behavior. 

Libby and I tried to walk to St. Chappelle, which had been recommended but despite following the signs directing us we could not locate it.  I was so frustrated, I was convinced that the city layout was designed by some clinically insane alcoholic artist. Epic Fail number three. It was only after getting back to the hotel, that we figured out we had in fact found it but had no idea what it was at the time. So, while we took a picture of it from the outside, we did not go in. Yet. 

What we did find was a secreted pet store of sorts.  It had an air of illegality but there was a police station nearby, so why this bird flea market is in the center of the city is bewildering. It had a plethora of birds, from fancy chickens to zoo type birds. 

I seriously doubt this little French quirk would have made any of the tourism books. 

By this time we were starving, the sun was setting and I was about to go ballistic.  In other words, HANGRY!  We set off to find Angelina's which had also been recommended. After walking, and walking and walking, we finally found it.  We have passed it at least three times since we've arrived, but it was only today that we were looking for it_and so was the rest of Paris! 

That might be some crazy awesome hot chocolate,but I was HANGRY and that so was NOT going to happen. Epic Fail number four. We circled back to a cafe on the corner and were served by the most marvelously nice waiter.  I practiced my French, he was patient and encouraging and the hot chocolate was divine! 

Fortified with chocolate, Libby and I walked down the right bank of the Seine in the darkening city among some of the most beautiful sites. The journey between Epic Fails brought us a delightfully nice and unplanned day.  I missed the Musee D'orsay and Angelina's but I saw scouts, birds, spoke French, and enjoyed a spectacular view of the Effiel tower. An Epic Success.