The morning started out with a group visit to the catacombs. It was absolutely incredible to see the bones of 6 million people – making the catacombs beneath the streets of Paris one of the largest mass graves in the world. What I found so significant was the thought that each of the skulls represented a person who was once a husband, a father, a son, a daughter perhaps. A person who loved and was loved by someone else in his or her life. Each skull represented a profession, a hobby, success, and failures. It represented a life story that will continue to disintegrate along with the bones, a quiet secret will never be shared with the rest of the world.
For lunch we bought some crêpes at a crêpe stand that were, like most food in Paris, heavenly. I chose a caramel filling, and I discovered how much I adore caramel crêpes. Two of my favorite things rolled into one. Quite literally. Around the stand I discovered a small bookstore, and bought some French poetry that I am very excited to read.
After our wonderfully healthy lunch, we went to the Notre Dame and waited in the long line to walk inside. So worth the wait… chandeliers, sky-high vaulted ceilings, enormous stained glass windows, rows of thick, ornate columns and glorious chandeliers. Sitting there, looking at the grand architecture all around me, I felt small and large at the same time. I was aware of my size considering the scope of this world, but I was also aware of the talent and capacity, both artistic and intellectual, of the human race. And let me tell you, it’s a wonderful feeling to get when you are sitting in Notre Dame. It somehow feels even more empowering than the run-of-the-mill revelation.
Next I got the chance to see Gallerie Lafayette, a mall straight from architectural heaven. Hands down, the fanciest, most ornately elegant place I have ever shopped (or window-shopped). The architecture is enough to overwhelm a Persian prince or an English queen, and I don’t even think I am exaggerating. Next, the entire crew went out to dinner and, comically enough, half of us ended up ordering the same exact meal. To end the day I explored the Latin Quarter with a friend, and it’s true: Paris is beautiful at night. We stumbled upon the city’s mosque, got some deliciously Arabic desert, sat at the northern most point of the island that houses Notre Dame, and shared laughs and stories until our own quiet secrets were whispered into the night.
More tomorrow, so bonne nuit!
More tomorrow, so bonne nuit!