Day Eight
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
We began our second day in Paris with a walking tour of the Isle de la Cite. We passed the remaining structures of the Roman Baths. Through the gate we could see the large basin. I could just envision steaming water heated by a complex ventilation system. The building is now part of the Cluny, a medieval museum.
Crossing the Seine River we made our first stop at Notre Dame, one of the most famous Gothic Cathedrals in the world. With the towers reaching to heaven, flying buttresses for support and gargoyles pouring off the sides, I was impressed by the immensity of the structure as well as the small details everywhere. Inside was just as impressive. The high arched ceilings, the chandeliers, and the stained glass in the rose windows was beautiful. I lit a candle and said a prayer for my family and friends at home. Then I strolled through the outer isle of the cathedral. I wished that all the chandeliers would have been lit while we were there. Before leaving I took time to sit and tilt my head to admire the ceiling and the details of the upper level. I could have sat there forever.
From there we headed to the Chapel of Saint Michel. Designed like a jewelry box, this chapel dwarfed in comparison to Notre Dame, but its details were much more intricate. It was interesting to compare the two even though they were not even close to the same size. The flying buttresses at Saint Michel were more flared allowing for more support and more windows. Everything inside was ornate and painted rather than stone and plain. Both were beautiful in their own right.
I was less impressed by La Conciegerie. I expected it to be more like a jail. It was basically a long room with arches and huge fireplaces. Then the part that depicted the cells was tacky with the fake mannequins inside. It was interesting to see how different Marie Antoinette’s cell was from all the standard cells, but I think they could have portrayed that without the mannequins.
We then had time to get ready and go meet the ambassador, Craig Stapleton. We all dressed to our best and headed over to his residence. Unfortunately, we were disappointed not to meet Stapleton. We were greeted by his wife and given a tour of the lower level of the residence. The residence and gardens are beautiful and I enjoyed the artwork. I could have done without the silly commentary of the docent on the pieces of art, because as an art minor, the comments killed my artistic soul!
Our dinner with Susan George helped to make up for our disappointment not meeting the ambassador. Susan sat right next to me during dinner. She was interested in what we had to say and open with sharing her thoughts. It was a different conversation of politics than I was used to, because it was a conversation, not a full blown argument with either side not listening to each other. We discussed social forums, people’s will and ability to affect change, France’s use of the internet as a main source of information rather than one news station and educational systems. I can honestly say I agreed with a lot of what she said during dinner and afterward to the group. I can see why she enjoys her life in France more than she would have in the USA. I wouldn’t choose to live in France simply because it is too far away from my family, but it does seem like a nice society to live in.
