Au nom du Pere, du Fils, et du Saint Esprit

Today, I was truly blessed to spend the day with my friend Sean from Rutgers. He happened to be in the neighborhood on vacation, so we hit up the city Catholic style!

After I woke up from some much needed sleep, I met Sean at his metro station (btw, wasn't there a band called Metro Station?) and we went to Sacre Coeur! It's a beautiful basilica on top of a hill that overlooks all of Paris. We could have climbed to the top, but that was another 300 steps, and my legs needed a break. We went inside, and to our surprise, we were just in time for daily mass! and then liturgy of the hours! and then adoration!  It was everything we could have asked for in a gorgeous church. Having so many people come to see the beauty of this place and celebrate the mass, whether Catholic or not, was a unifying experience. "Catholic" means universal, and there are people of faith everywhere in the world. Even those who weren't Catholic came and sat down during mass because they knew something special was happening. There were a few girls sitting behind us, and when we shook their hands for peace, they clearly did not know what was happening. They had a surprised smile on their faces which made me feel really happy and that even the smallest kind gesture can mean a lot to a person and welcome them to our faith. After spending a good amount of time in Sacre Coeur, complete with beautiful murals and a choir of nuns, we headed out for the next part of our day.

Polish church we found with JPII

On our way, we grabbed the French version of a hoagie/sub. I had veggies and mozzarella cheese on a baguette and a Coke. For under ten euros, it hit the spot. It was a bit gloomy outside and misty, but we ate in the Jardin de Tuileries. We were very lucky that it didn't rain at all today!

Following this was a visit to Musee de L'Orangerie. It's an impressionist museum. Not only did we get in for 5 euros, but we saw a gallery of Monet's 'Water Lilies.'The paintings were as long as the walls and were of reflections of different things on the water. We could have stayed in that gallery for a long time. His work was truly brilliant and lovely. The museum also included Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, and I ended up finding an interest in Derain. It was the first time I really appreciated art, like those fancy art students or critics do. I love impressionism and so glad this place was recommended to me. (And yes, I could not have passed up the chance to go somewhere with the word 'orange' in it.)

Renoir

Next we walked along the Seine to find this gelato place that Sean was raving about-- Berthillon. Oh. My. Goodness. It was delicious. I know you're probably tired of hearing me say that everything I've been eating is delicious, but you HAVE to try this gelato. They have an insane amount of flavors, and nothing could possibly disappoint you. The chocolate was so rich, and the framboise tasted exactly like raspberries. So yummy. 

After we got our blood sugar back up, we headed to Notre Dame. The vigil mass started at 6:30, so we went in through the line for mass and avoided the longer line waiting to get in for general admission. Immediately, I could smell the incense and feel the grandeur of the cathedral. From the stained glass, to the statues, to the architecture, Notre Dame is a beautiful and magnificent church. I wish I could have explored the areas that were roped off and go upstairs to the hidden parts. Did I mention there was an organist who was going crazy on the organ? I loved every minute that I spend inside.

Dinner was another story. I think we fell into a tourist trap and ate at a restaurant that was sub par  Neither of us cared too much for our dishes, but we did order some nice wine! To make up for dinner, we had dessert part 2. Sean got more gelato, and I had a fresh crepe with nutella and bananas. I'm pretty sure God hand made every dessert I've had so far here. If I could choose, which I sort of can, every day I would have a my cereal for breakfast, a croissant for a mid morning snack to last me until a late lunch. Then a slice of quiche and a plate of cheese with bread for lunch, a macaroon on my way back to my apartment, then a surprise dinner with my host family with more cheese and fruit afterwords. I can only imagine the other things I'm going to enjoy in the next five weeks! 

All in all, today was a wonderful day. Sean and I had a great time exploring the city, I successfully managed the metro on my own, and I checked a lot of things off my bucket list. My list of "must see" things in France consists largely of religious sites, and I'm so happy that I know how to get to some of the major ones! 

Around 9 or 10pm

Friends and family, you are always in my prayers <3

"Fear is useless, what is needed is trust."

Love,
Anna