I have wanted to go to Paris for a long time, and not just because Duncan MacLeod (from Highlander, my all-time favorite TV show) lived in a barge across the Seine river from Notre Dame. I did take AP Art History in high school and really fell in love with gothic cathedrals, particularly Notre Dame. I have also been anxious to see the Louvre, which was our first stop on day 10. I had heard that the Louvre was big, but it' is ridiculously big. I was tired after seeing just half of the 3rd floor. I was very disappointed in the Mona Lisa. It was tiny. I was under the impression that it was much bigger, although it was more colorful than I thought. There was a huge crowd jockeying for position just to take a photo of it. I can't figure out why people take pictures of paintings in museums. Why don't they just get a pic off of the internet or buy a postcard? It's like they think that the photo they take is more authentic or something.
After the Louvre, we went to see the amazing stain glass windows in the Sainte Chapelle church.
The next stop was Notre Dame, which DID live up to all of the hype. What a beautiful building... you can see how it would take close to 200 years to build. There was actually an older cathedral that was demolished before construction of the current one in the mid-12th century. It is considered to be the very center of the city of Paris. It certainly has suffered its share of damage over the years; in the 19th century, city planners actually considered tearing it down. Victor Hugo, in his famous novel Hunchback of Notre Dame, drew so much public attention to the building and its heritage that a successful campaign to raise funds led to another restoration.
Below is a pic of me in front of my famous ancestor, Charlemagne.
Next, I had to visit the spot where Duncan MacLeod lived with Tessa in his barge. Sadly, the barge was no longer there, but it was exhilarating to see where so many episodes were filmed.
Later that evening, we went on a hour long night cruise that started at Notre Dame and went to the Eiffel Tower and back.
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