Paris Jour Deux
18/07/2010We kicked off the morning by taking a jog along the Seine. It was slightly downcast with a bit of a chill, but the beautiful architecture and pure serenity before the city wakes up were enough to push us to run rounds around the block.
Morning workout was swiftly followed by a quick shower and then breakfasting at Cafe Neo, a French cafe/bistro not far from where we stayed. It was the usual standard petit déjeuner fare: jus orange, un cafe, croissant, omelette.
We were just in time for the 10am Sunday Gregorian mass at Eglise Notre Dame. Eventhough the entire mass was conducted in French, the sounds were hauntingly beautiful, and the interior of Notre Dame itself was breathtaking.
A prayer and a candle for loved ones…
Le Marais
Most shops are closed on Sundays, it makes wandering around Le Marais the best thing to do as most shops in that arrondisement remain open.
Around the corner from the Pompidou Centre…
An art gallery in the middle of Le Marais…
Nothing like provocative art in a public square…
We enjoyed a spot of lunch on the terrace of Cafe Les Arts & Metiers before heading to our next stop.
Cimetière du Père-Lachaise
Visiting cemeteries might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but since we were in the Montmarte vicinity, we decided to drop by Cimetière Lachaise, one of the most renown cemeteries in the world.
This grande cemetery is eerily beautiful, with spectacular works of art and is also the burial ground for famous literary figures, musicians, sculptors and also houses WWI memorials.
Oscar Wilde’s tomb – covered with kisses. I couldn’t help but giggled when an English woman walked past the tomb while a pack of girls were leaving their lipstick marks, commented, “This is absolutely preposterous! Look at the way they’re defacing the tomb!”
I wanted to leave my pucker mark too, but since I was suffering from a break out during that time, I decided not to kiss anything foreign, just in case ;)
Chopin rests here…
Edith Piaf shares a plot of the land with the rest of her family…
Sacre Couer Basilica
Sacre Couer is located at the highest point of Paris in the heart of Montmarte. Climbing the steps up towards the basilica was hard enough.
But Leo insisted on getting into the crypt and up the dome for a 360º view of Paris, only after 234 steps of dizzyingly steep spiral staircase.
The climb was worth it indeed.
The outline of the dome made this picture look as if the it were superimposed badly against the skyline of Paris, but I love it nonetheless!
Place du Tertre
Place du Tertre, a small Parisian square in Montmarte, just a stone’s throw away from Sacré Cœur, is filled with artists setting up their easels painting the day away.
We wandered around the square, looking over shoulders of painters, and had a gay time debating whether Paris looks more beautiful in summer or more romantic in rainy winter, as depicted on many of the oil paintings.
The sun was hiding behind the clouds that day, so befittingly, we bought a painting that conveyed just that and came to the conclusion that Paris is beautiful, come rain, come shine.
