Majesty...and Gelato

 Tuesday night after more pastries and a falafel, we went to an organ and choir concert at Notre Dame.  It didn't start until 8:30 and we kept joking that we were going to flake out, but not until the last minute.  I'm so glad we didn't flake.  My dad loves organ music.  Plus, as a tourist, you shuffle through Notre Dame with throngs of other tourists without really getting a chance to take in the majesty.  With a two-hour concert, you can sit, ponder, reflect and listen while studying the architecture and supreme divinity of man's offering to God in the form this massive cathedral.  You don't forget an experience like that.

The children's choir was pretty good.  How could they sound bad with the acoustics and their sweet, pure voices?  They sang a program of music from the Mass (Kyrie Eleison, etc) and different liturgies.  But the organist was incredibly articulate and the sound - you can't even describe it.  The dense chords filled every recess of the cathedral.  (Incidentally, Ruby wrote a report on the concert for extra credit in English and her teacher rejected it because the concert wasn't a "play."  I'm speechless.)

 Rainy night in Paris in front of Notre Dame, strolling down the Seine...cue accordion player!  This guy was a character!

We saw several of these Do Not Enter signs where someone had put the sticker of the man apparently carrying the white bar away.  I think it's funny.

And my trick for getting kids to appreciate classical music:  Never deny them their after-concert treat!  We kept taking pictures that, when you switched back and forth between them fast on the camera, made it look like you were taking bites of your gelato.  Hey, it kept us laughing.

The Marais

The pastries.  Ah, the pastries!  And look how beautifully they're wrapped!  While we were on our trip, I kept thinking of funny things that happened when Scott and I went in '95 and '98.  The honeymoon trip, our drive across the U.S. and two-month backpack trek from Portugal to Turkey, was a good way to REALLY get to know each other.  I came to realize that if we slept on an overnight train, Scott would be cranky the next day and we would get in a fight.  One such fight, we call The Battle of The Bay of Biscay.  We were in San Sebastian, Spain, and had bought a cute little box of pastries.  I wanted Scott to hold it up for a picture and he wouldn't hold it high enough.  All the grizzled fishermen were laughing at Scott as it was for holding a frilly little box of pastries, but I didn't think he looked cute enough.  Why is it that the fights are always the funniest memories?

Anyway, Araceli had no problem posing for countless pastry pictures, looking perfectly adorable in each one!  Here, we were on our way to the Place des Vosges in the Marais when someone spotted an irresistible patisserie window.  There is no "later" when you have ten days in Paris, so we went in.  Pastries are never a bad idea!

 Uh-oh, more ballet poses.  They couldn't help it.  I think they were copying Kenzie's amazing photo shoot.  It's great to have such talented role models!  Thanks, Kenzie!

 I love these girls!

 Besides taking lots of pictures, we visited Victor Hugo's house and learned about how the Place des Vosges used to be the neighborhood reserved for the very rich and well-connected.  Now the area is the new trendy place to be, but I'd still rather be on the Left Bank.

 I love this...Coco keeping Ari from darting into traffic.  A common sight on our trip.

Looks like we went to Notre Dame after Place des Vosges...

In Golda's Words...Stolen from Her English Blog

Notre Dame
The organ pipes are so big and the sound coming from them is even bigger! All the complicated notes echoed in the high ceilings and around the Gothic stained glass windows. The choir voices were high and clear rang strong and angelic. It was such a neat experience!


 Eiffel Tower

Being on the top of the Eiffel Tower was so high and a little bit scary, but so amazing! The dirty turquoise river flowed below and the old castles and cathedrals almost glowed in the sunlight. The ivory exterior and golden dome of Sacre Coeur sparkled on its hill and the iconic buildings in the heart of France took my breath away.

 French Bridges

Standing on an intricate bridge from so many years ago, you see lazy water rippling underneath you and a huge clock counting down the minutes you get to spend in this magical place. Black street lamps emit yellow light and the stars are almost lost in the velvet expanse of shadowy sky.

Opera House

The huge curtain made of royal crimson fabric lifts away to reveal more red curtains trimmed with tons of gold. Balconies are detailed and adorned with sculpting of flowers, ancient designs and statues. Hundreds of seats face the stage and you can almost hear the absent audience clapping violently while the beautiful dancers take one last bow. The whole company gracefully runs offstage to the sound of their pointe shoes brushing the wood floor.

The Louvre

Walking into the building a glass pyramid suspends from the ceiling. You can see the front of the detailed ancient castle through the modern architecture of the pyramid. Traveling through hundreds of rooms, painting from previous centuries hang on the walls.