The next stop on our tour is the Louvre, so once again we hop the metro and cross the city. The museum is stunning on the outside, built in parts over the course of 400 yrs by French royalty, but like everything in Paris you really wouldn't know it such is its breathtaking uniformity of design. I really want to go back and be able to spend a day going around it but on this trip we were more than content with gazing through the famed glass pyramid.
Looking through you can see people queueing giving a real sense of the scale of this magnificent place! |
Notre Dame Cathedral is famed for its ingeneous architecture, outstanding beauty, historical sanctuary and literary home of a hunchback. I know I'm a geek but I love this beyond anything I've seen so far and seeing that started with the "oo pretty" comment I don't think there are words to describe how it feels to be standing here looking up at it. The closer you get the more you see the detail and it amazes me the dedication and time that was spent on constructing such a masterpiece. However it is going inside that really touches my soul. This huge building is silent except for organ music and a hushed awe from the shuffling crowd of tourists. I can only imagine what it would be like to see in medieval times especially when the belief in a deity was so strong that one could not fail to believe in the power of the church.
We wander slowly around trying to take in as much of the atmosphere as possible and despite the numbers of people I am filled with peace. At one point we sit and light a candle in front of a beautiful stained glass window; the glimmer of light and colour is hypnotising. Though my faith in a specific religion is, shall we say, doubting, I do on reflection have some feeling of there being more than meets immediate comprehension of humans. That might be God, fate or mystical energy; I would never claim to know for sure, but right here right now tears roll down my cheeks and I pray silently for any and all suffering any pain.
I could stay here all day but we begrudging leave and head back towards the hotel so I can have my annoyingly required rest before a evening of wonderment... part 3 coming soon! vx
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