What a beautiful day…though I must say, the weather here in Paris is just plain moody. This morning, being Good Friday, was the revealing of the crown of thorns at Notre Dame. Personally, I don’t believe that it could be the original, and maybe I’m too cynical: they claim it was acquired by Saint Louis, King of France, from Baudouin de Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople, in the 13th century, and before being entrusted to the cathedral after the Revolution, was kept in secret in Sainte Chapelle. I suppose it’s the symbolism that’s important though. Well, I arrived early to be sure to get a good look, and was ushered to the line toward the priests, and upon viewing the crown, it was customary, no, expected, to bend and kiss it! I watched the woman in front of me and followed suit of course, but what an experience! It is enclosed in plastic tubing and sanitized after each person but it truly was fascinating to see the devotion of the French, considering that this is one of only two occasions each year they attend religious gatherings. I thoroughly enjoyed the gothic organ music though so stayed listening to it while reading my Book of Mormon sections. Continuing on a somber note, I visited the Père Lachaise Cemetery, the biggest in France and full of many historically prominent men and women. Naturally I stopped to pay homage to Moliere: studying his plays this semester has been so enjoyable and I have grown to realize what a genius he was. He and Fontaine, two of France’s greatest pens besides Victor Hugo, are buried next to each other. Chopin was next on the list, and ironically, Jim Morrison followed. The French joke that there’s no need for a map to find his grave; so many people commemorate his memory by smoking weed, one must simply follow the scent. The cemetery is over 100 acres and not somewhere I’d ever like to be after sundown! I laughed remembering when Rob, Cody and I snuck into Provo cemetery and getting the willies when a bat flew overhead; yet, it holds quite a different significance with some of France’s most renowned murderers and patriots underfoot, I’d never dare trespass here. Next I decided to venture into the Jewish Quarter of Paris. I passed several Orthodox men in their garb and many Jewish shops and houses with stars of David over the threshold. Well, I though
t I’d be daring and try the local grub; was that ever an adventure! I think every time I bit into the pita I found a new color or ingredient; some recognizable, some not. There was some sort of unidentifiable meat under rice and some tasteless brown moist vegetables, chickpeas, several vegetables, a sauce with bright purple something-or-others, haha. It was gushing everywhere so I was leaning over a garbage can-receiving strange looks from passersby. Well, it wasn’t until I was relaying this to Eurah, my roommate, that I realized, the Parisians probably thought I took the sandwich from out of that garbage can and was eating it! :D The demolished state it was in must have looked like remains…oh dear. C’est la vie. Tomorrow is the first day of the enormous Young Single Adults conference at Nogent-sur-Seine. There should be several great speakers, a really fun dance and activities. A bientôt!
What a beautiful day…though I must say, the weather here in Paris is just plain moody. This morning, being Good Friday, was the revealing of the crown of thorns at Notre Dame. Personally, I don’t believe that it could be the original, and maybe I’m too cynical: they claim it was acquired by Saint Louis, King of France, from Baudouin de Courtenay, Latin Emperor of Constantinople, in the 13th century, and before being entrusted to the cathedral after the Revolution, was kept in secret in Sainte Chapelle. I suppose it’s the symbolism that’s important though. Well, I arrived early to be sure to get a good look, and was ushered to the line toward the priests, and upon viewing the crown, it was customary, no, expected, to bend and kiss it! I watched the woman in front of me and followed suit of course, but what an experience! It is enclosed in plastic tubing and sanitized after each person but it truly was fascinating to see the devotion of the French, considering that this is one of only two occasions each year they attend religious gatherings. I thoroughly enjoyed the gothic organ music though so stayed listening to it while reading my Book of Mormon sections. Continuing on a somber note, I visited the Père Lachaise Cemetery, the biggest in France and full of many historically prominent men and women. Naturally I stopped to pay homage to Moliere: studying his plays this semester has been so enjoyable and I have grown to realize what a genius he was. He and Fontaine, two of France’s greatest pens besides Victor Hugo, are buried next to each other. Chopin was next on the list, and ironically, Jim Morrison followed. The French joke that there’s no need for a map to find his grave; so many people commemorate his memory by smoking weed, one must simply follow the scent. The cemetery is over 100 acres and not somewhere I’d ever like to be after sundown! I laughed remembering when Rob, Cody and I snuck into Provo cemetery and getting the willies when a bat flew overhead; yet, it holds quite a different significance with some of France’s most renowned murderers and patriots underfoot, I’d never dare trespass here. Next I decided to venture into the Jewish Quarter of Paris. I passed several Orthodox men in their garb and many Jewish shops and houses with stars of David over the threshold. Well, I though
t I’d be daring and try the local grub; was that ever an adventure! I think every time I bit into the pita I found a new color or ingredient; some recognizable, some not. There was some sort of unidentifiable meat under rice and some tasteless brown moist vegetables, chickpeas, several vegetables, a sauce with bright purple something-or-others, haha. It was gushing everywhere so I was leaning over a garbage can-receiving strange looks from passersby. Well, it wasn’t until I was relaying this to Eurah, my roommate, that I realized, the Parisians probably thought I took the sandwich from out of that garbage can and was eating it! :D The demolished state it was in must have looked like remains…oh dear. C’est la vie. Tomorrow is the first day of the enormous Young Single Adults conference at Nogent-sur-Seine. There should be several great speakers, a really fun dance and activities. A bientôt!
1 comment:
Oh dear should we send money so that you don't have to scrounge food out of the garbage? You are truly out of your comfort zone! Luv Ya Nettie
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