Sixth Day in Paris

Today Priscilla had a rest and I went to Notre Dame Cathedral. I arrived at 9:00am and there was no queue to enter the cathedral so I went straight in. I managed to see the beginning of a Catholic mass which was an amazing sight. The cardinal and all his staff processed into the church right past me. It was very formal. The pipe organ was being played and most of the text of the mass was sung by a boy soprano. There were various readings and hymns, but it was all in Latin. I managed to look around the Cathedral and marvel at the Gothic architecture.

I went outside the cathedral to line up to climb the bell tower. The steps open at 10am. I joined the line at 9:20am thinking it might be quite long by 10:00am. I wasn’t wrong. It snaked around the whole building by 10am. I didn’t get in until about 10:40am but it was worth the wait. I climbed the 370 steps up to the upper level of the outside of the cathedral and the view of Paris was amazing. I then got to climb up the right bell tower and stand right at the top next to the gargoyles at the very top of the bell tower. I also got to go inside the bell tower and see the two huge bells that are installed there. I was able to walk right around the top of the right bell tower and gain 360 degree views of Paris. I couldn’t believe that I was standing on a bell tower built in the 1100s.

I then went to the Archaelogical museum below the plaza in front of the cathedral. The remnants of the early Roman ramparts from Julius Casear’s time can be seen here. They have found coins with Caesar’s head inscribed on them and they have also found parts of the foundations of the Roman walls as well as Roman bathhouses.

I went to the famous Shakespeare and Company Bookshop which is just across the bridge from Notre Dame. This is the famous English bookshop about which famous English writers like Hemingway wrote. I bought a book from this famous bookshop as a keepsake.

I then went to the Conciergerie which is the middle ages castle which was transformed into a prison during the Revolution. Thousands of prisoners were held and tried here. Those found guilty of anti-revolutionary activities were sent to the guillotine. Mary

Antoinette was famously held in a cell here for several months prior to her execution. Her cell is now a small part of the chapel inside. Once again, it is surreal to be able to see the actual locations of these famous events.

I then went into the Saint Chapelle, a magnificent chapel right next door to the Palace of Justice and the Conciergerie. The incredible stained glass windows are the memorable feature of this amazing building. The high and colourful windows are based on a book of the Bible, starting with Genesis and the book of Revelation is the theme of the rose-shaped window over the main door. This is one of the most beautiful churches ever built.

I then caught the metro to the Arch de Triumphe and climbed to the top to see the amazing 360 degree view of Paris. This is another amazing view with 12 roads radiating from this large roundabout at the heart of the city. The view down the Champs Elysees can be seen from this location. All the main landmarks of Paris can be clearly seen - the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, The Louvre, Les Invalides, The Pantheon, the Grand Palace, the Defence Arch, The Opera Palais and so much more. It is a beautiful view towards the end of the day. I was there at 7:30pm. It gets dark at about 8:30pm so it was a perfect time of day for the view.

I walked halfway down the Champs Elysees and then caught the Metro back to the apartment feeling quite weary. One week later a policeman would be shot dead in a terrorist attack exactly on the route I followed.