To be perfectly honest I have been delaying writing up my Paris post. It means that my blogging about my holiday is almost over. I can no longer hang on to the vestige of what's left. I am not ready to return to real life. But blog I must and there's simply no denying the fact that this wonderful adventure has almost reached its inevitable end.
So on to Paris! What can I possibly say that hasn't already been said? Everything will seem trite and forced. The truth is Paris is beautiful... A tourist city to be sure but simply stunning nonetheless.
We started with a run (or at least that's what it felt like to my cold-riddled body) through the Louvre. Actually it was a veritable walk in the park compared to the pace at the Vatican. The glass pyramids were astonishing! I wrestled my way through the wall of humanity to catch a quick glimpse (and a slightly blurry photo) of the Mona Lisa... I think I would have enjoyed her more looking at her picture in a book. There were so many people!!
Again I think that if I had been completely alone in the Louvre and allowed to spend a whole day wandering in amongst the rooms I would have thoroughly enjoyed myself. As it was I was wishing I could have spent a little more time in places and hoping people would get out of the way of my 'perfect' shot. My most favorite piece in the Louvre would have to be the "Winged Victory of Samothrace". It was stunning!
Truly my photos do not do it justice. I was simply in awe that one piece of marble holds such pathos. I would have loved to study it - to understand its curves and lines and figure out how the sculptor conveyed such emotion. Alas it was not to be.
Next we headed to Notre Dame cathedral. This cathedral is a marvel of Gothic architecture with its flying buttress making itself known. It was astounding to think it had been built all those years ago and still stands. I wondered (as I often did on this trip) how they managed to get to the very top without the aid of cranes or other modern technology. And the stone carvings? How much time, energy, blood, sweat, and tears had gone into this impressive design?
Later we took a cruise on the Seine River in the twilight. We truly got to enjoy the 'city of lights'. Paris has really marketed itself well and set up an amazing display that steals your heart with its beauty.
This is one of those moments... Those moments where words simply fail me (and that, my friends, does not happen often) and all I can do is share whatever I managed to capture.
Simply amazing, astounding, beautiful, and wonderful! I was taken with this city and its stunning light show. In that single boat ride a life long dream was accomplished: to see Paris lit up. It was well worth the wait.
It was pure and utter bliss. I didn't care that I was sick. I didn't care that my body ached. I didn't care that my holiday was almost over and I was looking at a hard stretch back home. To quote Kurt Vonnegut "everything was beautiful and nothing hurt." In those handful of moments all that mattered was Paris... And for a brief few moments I didn't have a care or a worry in the world.
Bring on another day in Paris!
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