Nous Sommes Arivee

My most recent big trip was in October, last year, when my boyfriend took me to Paris. He was going for work, so he bought me a ticket and once again I tagged along. I hadn't traveled in a group in a long time, I had really gotten used to solitude on the airplane. My high school was an International school in Europe and we took several trips a year in groups of about twenty kids. Flying with the company to Paris reminded me of those days. Looking out for those most likely to be late or disoriented, switching seats on the plane until everyone is where they want to be, basically traveling in a herd. Apart from some ticket trouble at the airport (the Delta terminal at JFK is like being in hell) we all arrived without a hitch at Charles de Gaulle. As soon as we got there I felt happy to be back in Europe, I get a special feeling from the design of the cars and buses, the small lanes on the highway and the different symbols on traffic signs. After the busride from the airport we got into the hotel at about noon. We were staying in Les Halles at the Citadines, a mediocre apart-hotel with small rooms and concentration camp beds. Even though they were expecting us, our rooms were not ready (for 2 hours!), so instead of settling in and cleaning up we had to stow our bags in a room off the lobby and kill time until the rooms were ready. My companion and I decided to stroll across the river to the Isle de la Cite and have a look at Notre Dame. He had been to Paris before, but I had not so I had a long list of things to see and he was looking forward to daily forced marches as I tried to pack everything in to one week. The day was clear and beautiful (we only had one or two gray days), and even though I felt icky from the airplane, it was breath-taking to be walking along the Seine in the sunshine.


We joined the river of people filing into the church while gargoyles and stone bishops looking down on us. The colossal doors funneled us into the gargantuan stone space pierced with the colored light streaming through the stained glass windows and the soft glow of offering candles. I lit a candle for my grandmother and grandfather, something I always do in a Catholic church even though I don't practice, my grandmother did so I think she would appreciate it.


My favorite thing about the insides of all of these old churches are the small details: hand painted detailing on fluted columns, filigreed iron work overlaid on the doors and carvings covering every spare inch of space, the faces looking down over the ages on the slow moving crowd of visitors.




As we flowed out the door after our circuit of the church, the organ began to fill the church with music. The space spread the sound to all the corners, magically settling it over our heads. We took a turn outside along the water, and took a closer look at the gargoyles before heading back to the hotel for a nap.