Day Four! Chartres & Paris

Friday morning we were excited to hop on the train (a new adventure!) and head south to the little village of Chartres. We'd heard about the amazing stained glass windows and opted to go south instead of east to Versailles. In hindsight, we couldn't have chosen any better. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Navigating the train station, after making a few transfers via the metro, was suprisingly easy. The only thing that was a little worrisome was no one ever checked to see if we had a ticket!!

We arrived in Chartres and headed straight for the cathedral. It was a crisp, sunny morning and the skies were so blue. Inside, we were disappointed to see a boatload of scaffolding. The church is undergoing some needed renovations and many of the windows were covered up by steel. After some debating and wandering around the church, we decided not to take the tour by the fantastic English tour guide we had heard so much about and do the self-guided one, instead. That turned out to be the best decision of the day. We snapped some photos, enjoyed the quiet of the church and grabbed a quick lunch...although, it took us FOREVER to find that quick lunch. Long story, but we did quickly quip to one another (this is for all you "Casablanca" fans out there), "We'll always have Paris."

Every church has a first-degree relic, i.e. something from a saint, underneath the altar. Typically, it's from the saint for whom the church is named. In the Chartres Cathedral, that relic is on display. It's the veil Mary wore when she delivered Jesus. While the actual veil (a replica is two pictures down) was behind all that scaffolding, a small piece was housed in this, for pilgrims. We spent some beautiful time in prayer in this church.

While we're heading back to the train station (we thought we had a good 30 minutes or so), we finally found that cold Coke with ice we'd been looking for...in McDonalds! Just to clarify, that is all we bought there. Promise. We saunter over to the train station and look up at the boards. We saw our 1:34pm train as on time, but noticed there was a 12:57 train as well. It was 12:54. We ran down that flight of stairs so stinkin' fast I nearly broke my leg. We lept onto the train (I'm making this sound so dramatic, aren't I?) and less than 20 seconds later, the doors closed and off we went. Not only did we score an extra 30 minutes of train time, but this train had 2 less stops than the later one. God must've wanted us back in Paris!

Now that you know what a relic is, Notre Dame's relic is the crown of thorns, from Christ's Passion. It was originally housed in La Sainte Chapelle, but after many years of selling thorns to the highest bidder (can you imagine?) the crown was respectfully brought back to Paris and placed in Notre Dame at the urging of King St. Louis IX. During our first trip to Notre Dame, we found out that the church held a veneration (a public display) of the crown of thorns on the Fridays of Lent at 3pm. See why that train ride and self-guided tour were so key? We made it back to ND at 2:20 and landed fourth row seats. We were ecstatic.

The Crown of Thorns

I should be clear, about 360 days of the year, the crown of thorns is housed in a magnificent reliquary in the church. But not today. Today, the bishops brought out the incense, the church was hushed, the Latin choir chants echoed throughout the church and Scott and I sat in awe. It was most certainly the spiritual high of the trip. At the conclusion of the service, we were prepared to leave, when we realized that part of the veneration was going forward and kissing the crown of thorns. It's difficult to describe the emotions you feel when you're that close to something of Christ's passion. You think of his sacrifice and his love, as well as your own shortcomings as a human being. Yet, you know that he did that for you. What a precious moment of love.

We walked out of that church as different people.

For a while, we just walked in silence, holding hands, and taking it all in...breath, by breath. It was in that moment, I knew this trip was something our marriage desperately needed and it was a divine gift. We spent our last evening in Paris, strolling (slightly quick) through the Musee d'Orsay and enjoying some amazingly beautiful Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne and more. I still can't believe they let us get this close!

Close to exhausted, but still feeling the energy of Paris, we had one more very important stop to make. Scott promised me some shoes...and boy did I find them! When my feet recover from all that walking, I promise to show them off. I can't wait to say, "Oh these? I got them in Paris." We stopped off at the hotel, dropped our props and went to dinner. A final dose of creme brulee did the trick...our perfect week in France was nearly complete.

Tomorrow, we enjoy two fabulous cities - Paris and Rome - shoot some illegal photos, almost lose a hand, eat real Italian food and watch an unlikely movie in Italian. Buono note!

Day Three! Paris

Ah, sweet Paris. We slept in a little and finally got moving. I was so excited to get going, I plugged in my hairdryer using the ADAPTER (read: not a converter) and subsequently blew the fuse and all electricity in our hotel room. I'm pretty sure the front desk muttered something about incompetent Americans. Scott just laughed. I did not. The maintenance guy arrived in a jif and we were back in business. That makes travel tip #2.

We made our first foray onto the Paris metro system, which was very similar to the one in Rome. So, that wasn't intimidating, it was just the myriad of 14 different lines (compared to Rome's 2) that threw us for a loop. Americans have GOT to jump on this public transit train. We went all over Paris for 3 days for less than $30. Enough about efficiency, onto stained glass. We ventured to Sainte Chapelle for our first stop and it did not disappoint. Just as we reached the top of the stairs, this was the feast for the eyes. Wowza. That morning sun just lit up those windows.

This next comment is totally for my brother. We were super excited to find an English-speaking gentleman to take our photo. First question, "Um, which button do I push?" Let's see, that BIG BLACK BUTTON that's on EVERY STINKING CAMERA, sir. Still, he could not focus it. Travel tip #3: Look for someone with a camera like yours, regardless if they speak English or not, they will know how to use it.

Just across the way from Sainte Chapelle was Notre Dame. The granddaddy of 'em all, in Paris. We were able to go to confession here with a sweet French priest who spoke fantastic English. He was so kind and complimentary of Texas and encouraged Scott and I to take time to just "be present" in the church. That we did. Oh, and Shannon, thank you for the tripod tip. It made many a dark, gothic church turn out beautifully in the photos.

Every vacation must have a self-portrait, no?

We grabbed a nice, little lunch of panne and fromage (bread and cheese) in a little side cafe and people watched. That was really fun. Then, we headed over to infamous Rue de Bac. One of the churches we wanted to visit was closed for restoration until Palm Sunday. Bummer. But, we did manage to make it to St. Vincent de Paul. Don't freak out, that's not really him on top of the casket, just a wax replica. His remains are buried in the casket below. It was a really sweet church and I fell in love with this stained glass window.

We had a magnificent day and it just got prettier as the day progressed. The original plan was to head to the Musee d'Orsay, home of a tubload of Impressionist works. But after we stood in line, the ticket agent informed us that the impressionist wings were closed. Um...ok? Plan B. The Louvre. But before we did the whirlwind tour, we decided to just chill on the grass at the Jardin des Tuileries, Paris' most central garden. The sun was shining, the wind had died down and we enjoyed some M&M's. What says love more than sharing your only package of chocolate? :-)

I have to say, the Louvre surprised me the most. I came in with low expectations and was totally wowed by what we saw. The Mona Lisa - eh - it was nice.

I was much more mesmerized by THIS...the "Wedding Feast at Cana." Take a look at the bottom right corner, see that guy standing there? This thing was massive. You Louvre groupies can have your Mona Lisa, I'll take this painting any day of the week.

Number 2 of the "Big Three" - the Venus de Milo. Again, impressive, but not nearly as hold the phones as what I saw next.

The Winged Victory. Most certainly my favorite piece of art in all of Paris. Is that space just made for it, or what?

All that art gawking and picture taking wore us out, so we strolled down the Avenue des Champs-Elysses and happened upon this delish pastry shop, Laduree. Oh my, people. The delights here were not to be believed. We brought the kids back some macaroons, but saved the good stuff for ourselves. Aren't we generous? Then, because we hadn't had enough to eat, we grabbed a croissant from Paul (the restaurant, not the guy). But, we at least paid for ours. The lady who cut in front of me in line, just grabbed hers and ran. Crazy.

We did a little shopping and then heard sirens outside. We realized the police were clearing the streets and making way for a veterans parade, with the Arc de Triomphe as the backdrop. What a fun surprise!

You knew it was coming...we saved the best for last on Thursday. Scott rounded the corner, saw the Eiffel Tower and exclaimed, "Now THAT'S Paris!" There is no more perfect way to end the day than by spending it with the love of your life in the world's most romantic city. We snapped some pictures, stood in line and made our way to the second landing. We were even atop the tower when the light show came on. The Eiffel Tower was just as beautiful as we imagined, but even more romantic.

We ended the night at a little restaurant recommended by some friends from France. Scott and I both gave it a run for a tie for the #1 meal in France. I think we got there at 9 and left around 11! What a fun, fantastically wonderful day. If you wondered if you can see Paris in a day, the answer is yes :-) We so enjoyed our time together, especially on this day.

Tomorrow, we will suspend the France journals and celebrate a certain someone's big day. Master William turns 8 and Papa turns 29! No worries, we'll get you all caught up on Saturday.

Day Two! Mont St. Michel & Normandy

Today, we opened our eyes to this beaut...Mont St. Michel. This Benedictine Abbey (a prison at one time) sits on the northern coast of France on the English Channel. We were there during low tide, where the waves go out a full 9 miles before coming back in during high tide. It was a little chilly, but that made for some gorgeous blue skies. Our walk took us up, and up and up. I'm telling you, the stairmaster ain't got nothing on the Mont. I seriously thought I might need an oxygen tank.


Believe it or not, this thing has been around (although it started out significantly smaller and was added to over the years) in the 6th century. Hello? That's old. This is a little background on its beginnings:

"Before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, the island was called Mont Tombe. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 708 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. But Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger. That did the trick. The dedication to St Michael occurred on October 16, 708."

Low tide - can you believe how far we could see?

I'll admit, going to northern France was all Scott's doing. He saw a photo of this place in one of our travel books and insisted we go. I was a wee bit skeptical only because it took about a 4-hour car ride with lovely Jane. Totally worth it. Scott was right - did you get that honey? We packed our bags, hauled them back down the mountain to our little Polka Dot and headed off to Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach to relive "the longest day." On our way, we had to pull over and snap this photo. Hey, what can I say? We're Aggies, like real Aggies with our agriculture degrees. We loved comparing the countryside, the wheat fields, the dairy farms and the cattle breeds to the states. On our drives around France, we were struck by how much of the country is just that - France has its big cities, but it's largely an agricultural country with some breathtaking views.

After we got our agriculture fix, we arrived at the Normandy beaches, specifically Pointe du Hoc. This place had some special meaning to Scott and I. A certain Colonel, James Earl Rudder (a mighty fine figure at Texas A&M), and his troops played a key role on D-Day. Here's some history...

The Allied bombardment of Pointe-du-Hoc had begun weeks before D-Day. Heavy bombers from the U.S. Eighth Air Force and British Bomber Command had repeatedly plastered the area, with a climax coming before dawn on June 6. Then the battleship Texas took up the action, sending dozens of 14-inch shells into the position. Altogether, Pointe-du-Hoc got hit by more than ten kilotons of high explosives, the equivalent of the explosive power of the atomic bomb used at Hiroshima. Texas lifted her fire at 0630, the moment the rangers were scheduled to touch down. Col. James Earl Rudder was in the lead boat. He was not supposed to be there. Lt. Gen. Clarence Huebner, CO of the 1st Division and in overall command at Omaha Beach, had forbidden Rudder to lead D, E, and F Companies of the 2nd Rangers into Pointe-du-Hoc, saying, "We're not going to risk getting you knocked out in the first round." "I'm sorry to have to disobey you, sir," Rudder had replied, "but if I don't take it, it may not go."

For a second, folks, just look at those cliffs. They're huge and about 60 years ago they were filled with men climbing up those walls, sacrificing their lives for people they didn't know, but for a cause they believed in. I tear up everytime I look at these photos. Not just because of that sacrifice, but because of a fine man, my papa, Jack Dodson. He was a tail gunner in WWII and his unit made many key strikes in preparation for this day. The amount of pride I felt was indescribable. I love you Papa.

The U.S. memorial at Pointe du Hoc.

All those "holes" you see were filled with men and lots of guns, ready to strike all those men who actually made it up the cliffs.

After an emotional moment at Pointe du Hoc, we headed to the U.S. Memorial. The gift of land was given to the U.S. by the French. It was an emotional and surreal day as we strolled through the cemetery and shed some tears. People keep saying, "I bet going to Normandy was amazing." It was, but it was so much more than that. History became reality, stories became life and places became memorials. It was a day to remember and it was a day to be thankful.

Omaha Beach

Originally a different name, but it was renamed "Omaha Beach" after its code name by U.S. and British forces.

A pictorial view of the pre-emptive air strikes by forces prior to D-Day.

After our beautiful day in northern France, we hopped in the Polka Dot one last time and headed inward to busy, crazy, lovely Paris. Tomorrow, we meet the hotel maintenance staff, navigate the metro, witness a theft, dine on delish pastries, participate in a parade, head to confession in a special place and eat more filet de bouef. Bonjour!