After
getting settled in our apartment in Paris, we realized that we lived near to
the Notre Dame and so we decided to walk through the streets of Paris observing
the scenery on our way to the Notre Dame. It was on Monday, September 13,2011, and we just wanted a
brief tour of our Parisian surroundings. Upon hearing that the Notre Dame was
nearby, I became excited and the Disney cartoon came to mind. I was a huge
Disney fan and I collected almost all of the toys relating to the movies,
including a Quasimodo toy, the gargoyles and a tambourine with Esmeralda on it. The first time
we saw the Notre Dame, we didn’t enter. Instead, we walked around in the garden
and took pictures of the beautiful building and admired the other people
enjoying the Notre Dame garden.
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| Notre Dame Garden |
On
Tuesday(September 14,2011) afternoon, after having a wonderful day at the Eiffel Tower, we decided
to visit the Notre Dame again and actually go inside this time. It was the 850th anniversary for the Notre Dame cathedral.
There was a really long line to get into the church. While waiting and walking around out of the line, I was observing the details of the tiny sculptures on the building as well as the various tourists waiting in line to enter.
There were 3 doors on the outside of the building. The first door which is normally closed is known as “The Last Judgment” , the right one is “The Portal of St.Anne”, where we were supposed to enter and the left door , which is the exit, “ The Portal of the Virgin” which is where Manuel and I entered.
There was a really long line to get into the church. While waiting and walking around out of the line, I was observing the details of the tiny sculptures on the building as well as the various tourists waiting in line to enter.
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| Amazing! so many sculptures and details! I simply love it :) |
I really don’t like
waiting in lines for so long and so Manuel and I discreetly entered in the exit door and
went in. I’m still surprised how we didn’t get noticed but now I feel bad about
the many other people who had to wait in the long line. I took many pictures of
the outside of the church and found the artwork to be amazing and I even
noticed something odd in a part of the sculptures.
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| something strange... |
There were 3 doors on the outside of the building. The first door which is normally closed is known as “The Last Judgment” , the right one is “The Portal of St.Anne”, where we were supposed to enter and the left door , which is the exit, “ The Portal of the Virgin” which is where Manuel and I entered.
the tops of tourists' head in the line
Gargoyles as I remember in the cartoon movie, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" ;)
On
entering, it was dark inside with many people. It was a huge church and Manuel
and I took pictures of the many beautiful stained glass windows, each with a
different pattern.
I looked around me and took photos of the various artwork and sculptures depicting Jesus, His disciples and Mary, the mother of Jesus , as well as other Bible stories, inside the church as well as the monuments placed inside.
I looked around me and took photos of the various artwork and sculptures depicting Jesus, His disciples and Mary, the mother of Jesus , as well as other Bible stories, inside the church as well as the monuments placed inside.
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| stained glass windows :) |
Statue depicting the Crucifixion of my Jesus ♥
Confessions
While walking around I overheard a tour guide explaining what this gold candle monument is. It is said to be the Crown of Lights or the Great Chandelier and is made of silver, copper, iron and wood and used to support little oil pots with wicks or candles. In this one, candles can be seen.
The Crown of Light
Then we approached an area with many candles. I was and still am unsure what those
candles were for, but I lit one and took the cover of the container the candle came in with a Notre
Dame logo as a souvenir of my visit to this church ;)
my only souvenir of Notre Dame, a candle cover I saw laying around
There
was a sign that instructed us to be quiet and this was obvious that it really
is a Holy Place, although it appeared to be more a symbol of tourism. However,
it truly deserved respect and silence inside since it was a cathedral.
Then this machine caught my eye, the kind of machine one can normally see at touristic places, where a person can put some coins in and the machine will give a gold plated coin with the monument’s pattern embossed on it. ( I can’t remember the name now ^^) It normally serves as a souvenir.
I was surprised that something like this, which supports sale was placed in the church. I explained to Manuel that there shouldn’t be anything commercial in the church and I told him about the Bible story of Jesus entering the church. On seeing the people turning the church into a place of gambling and market, he became upset and turned over all the tables. However, maybe I am just overreacting?
Then this machine caught my eye, the kind of machine one can normally see at touristic places, where a person can put some coins in and the machine will give a gold plated coin with the monument’s pattern embossed on it. ( I can’t remember the name now ^^) It normally serves as a souvenir.
I was surprised that something like this, which supports sale was placed in the church. I explained to Manuel that there shouldn’t be anything commercial in the church and I told him about the Bible story of Jesus entering the church. On seeing the people turning the church into a place of gambling and market, he became upset and turned over all the tables. However, maybe I am just overreacting?
"And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.13And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’DEN.”"
After
viewing the huge cathedral and observing the beauty, I decided to let Manuel take pictures
of me in the background. Many persons were seated, talking and praying. I
decided to pray too :)
After
praying, we got ready to leave and saw a nun at the door asking for money. On the outside, we realized we could go to
the top where “Quasimodo from the Disney movie” was said to ring the bell. Then, we realized it wasn’t free, so we cancelled
the idea of going up there :P
We left and went to a park(Square Rene Viviani) to eat. I remember drinking maybe apple juice from a little box with a bendy straw and eating an apple apricot fruit sauce, and a bird felt it would be a cheeky idea to spoil that moment by allowing his faeces to fall splat on my head! I asked Manuel to take a picture of it so I could see how bad it looks.
how thoughtful of that bird to drop his poop on me -_-
We then went to a Subway nearby so I could use the bathroom to get cleaned up. There was only one small bathroom and so I had to wait in the eating area until it was my time to go in. While waiting, I met a friendly Haitian-American man who resides in America and he was telling me about his trips and how he just came from visiting England. He seemed very friendly and was pleased to hear that I came from Jamaica. I told him about my bird encounter and he laughed.
I went in the bathroom right after he was finished and he said our goodbyes. I cleaned my hair and then Manuel and I went home after a spectacular day. :)
