We woke up today in Paris! How many times do you get to say that in your lifetime? I think it is still a bit surreal. Most of us were able to get a good night sleep and we soon would realize just how much we would need it.
We went on a walking tour of many of the major sites in Paris today. The tour began by walking across the Seine and getting our first glimpse of Notre Dame. We all took our touristy pictures in front of this amazing cathedral. We had a few minutes to poke our heads inside and witness the arches and stained glass from the inside. It was truly a sight to behold even though there is still a giant Christmas tree in front. The picture of the whole group included in this blog is in front of the Notre Dame.
Other stops on the walking tour included the Martyrs Francais de la Deportation as well as the Shakespeare and Co. The first was a memorial to all those from France who lost their lives in Nazi concentration camps. Those who enjoy books and book history could truly enjoy this very old bookstore with Shakespeare’s name on it. We also saw the church that Thomas Aquinas attended which is pretty cool. One of the highlights of the day was going to Sainte Chapelle to see the amazing stained glass windows as tall as the room. This glass was amazingly preserved during World War II and we were all very glad. Another impressive sight of the day was the Conciergerie. This building served as a prison during the French Revolution to hold those to be tortured or executed. There was an entire room dedicated to Marie-Antoinette who was held here before the guillotine. It was a beautiful building but we all agreed it was a bit sobering.
The major destination of the day was the Louvre. It is safe to say that it was and will be the largest art museum we will ever see. The building itself was awe inspiring. We saw several of the major pieces together including the Venus Di Milo, Mona Lisa, Michelangelo’s Slave, and the Winged Victory
(pictured). We then split up into individual tour groups to see the rest of the Louvre. We soon realized that would take about three days. We were all very overwhelmed.
The funny story from the day happened while we were browsing the Louvre. Out of nowhere, the alarm began to go off and tell us that we needed to leave the building immediately. We all got excited that we would be on CNN that night, what could it be? We got to the front entrance and realized that something was fishy. While we were walking out, they were letting more people enter. We were all so confused which has become quite a common occurrence here in France. All of the fuss ended up being over an unattended metal water bottle. We couldn’t believe it.
The day ended with everyone enjoying cheese fondue. It was a great ending to a great day here in Paris. Maybe the sun will come out tomorrow…
--Kyle Lindgren
