"It's like the slides from class, but real!" (Day 14)

This morning we got up and went to breakfast at 5:45 to get on our plane to Paris. As excited as we were, we were still very sad to be leaving Fanjeaux. Our flight was good though. We were split in two different flights, but they were only an hour apart. We had our picnics in baggage claim while we waited. It was then about a 20 minute drive to where we were staying. We were staying at a convent where they allow pilgrims to stay, which is what we are! Our floor had to wait a while to go to our rooms, so a few of us walked to the metro with Sister Patty before orientation. Afterwards, we all just got on the metro to head to Notre Dame. It took us a while to figure out that we had to open the door to get out, but we eventually got it, just in time! When we got out, we walked through the Latin Quarter til we could see the Notre Dame. We walked around there for a while getting oriented before going to the church. When we got there, we learned about the outside before going in. It was interesting to see the things we had learned about in class right in front of our eyes.

Then we went inside. It was absolutely magnificent. Just to think that people took so much time and effor, their livelihoods basically, to build this cathedral is inspiring. While we were there, we got to listen to Vespers. It was different than in Prouilhe, in that this time it was two priests leading it, rather than nuns all doing it at once. Although I couldn't understand the words, the music was beautiful and I'm so glad we got to experience that.

Afterwards, we had a few hours free. We walked about a block to an Italian restaurant. As much as we've enjoyed trying all this new French food, we needed something familiar. Afte

r dinner, we looked in a bunch of souvenir shops and enjoyed walking along the Seine. At one point, we met up with some of the faculty/staff, so Angela and I went to go talk with thm because we

hadn't really seen them all day and probably wouldn't for the rest of the week. It was nice to catch up before getting on the boat ride. We got on a boat around 10 that went up and down the Seine. It was a beautiful ride and it was nice getting to experience it with such great friends.

To get back to the convent, Angela and I, instead of walking, decided to take the metro with Sister Patty. I had been feeling very overwhelmed after our orientations, and this "private lesson" with her made me feel a lot more comfortable.