journal de voyage: cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris

I just have to say (write) that, as freaking excited as I was to enjoy all that Paris has to offer on our last trip, shuffling/being herded from one tourist attraction to another is not my idea of a "vacation." I always find it stressful and anxiety inducing, trying to fit in as many sights as possible within a day. Remembering train routes, time tables, foreign languages, street maps, binding blisters and minding pick pockets, while also trying not to get lost in a jungle of other foreigners trying to do the same! 

The whole time I just wanted to get lost in some Parisian time warp a la Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris. 

Then, every once in a while, you can find yourself really forgetting that you are in a sea of grumbling tourist and lose yourself in pretty awe-worthy architecture.   

Notre Dame came after hours and hours of uneven sidewalk walking and its warm embrace could not have been more welcoming. We also just happened to go in time for mass, which was just beautiful and made my heart super happy.

 and views along the river...

 

and, since I already have video of Big Ben, I thought it would be nice to also capture (somewhat poorly) the magic of hearing Notre Dame. 

 and I'm sure this video will only work with Adobe flash, sorry:( but I've got it:)