Andrej and I went to attend mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral. We left the hotel at about 9:30 AM and made our way to the metro. There notification on the board did not specify any dress code so we both went casually dressed. Andrej was worried that we might be running late as the service was to start at 10 AM. Thanks be to the efficient and speedy Parisian metro, we made it there on time. The mass had already begun as we took our seats but we figured we hadn’t missed much. The choir, the organ, the sacred atmosphere, the magnificent interiors of the cathedral felt magical and inspiring. This was the most beautiful cathedral I ever saw and one of the most heart-warming moments.The service was in French and Latin. Andrej would point out the correct passage on the program that the ushers in the cathedral handed out to us, in case I got lost. The program sheet did have English translations as the mass was “international” and most likely targeted for tourists and visitors.The mass lasted for about an hour. After this, we bought tickets for the crypt under the Notre Dame, Carnavalet Museum. The place was not as big but well-preserved and laid out detailed information on the architectural history of Paris and how it has evolved through thousands of years.
We were now heading towards the metro station to visit the Eiffel Tower. I was obviously very excited as the tower is symbolic of the city of Paris just as the Statue of Liberty is to New York. It was a bright and sunny day and when we arrived, I was surprised to find the place relatively empty. We sat down on a park bench first before exploring the place proper. Andrej read out a chapter from Le Petit Nicolas, a children’s book in French by René Goscinny which Andrej had bought for me the other day from a bookstore at Montmartre. Nicolas had an illustrious and very animated family. He seemed like one precocious child, his father was somewhat stubborn and thought he knew everything. His Mom was one stern lady always threatening her husband that she would go to their parents’ unless she had her way. But they always overcame their differences and went on vacations all the time. With every sentence, there was something to laugh about because Nicolas and his family along with their petty problems that they always seemed to blow out of proportion were highly amusing. Andrej and I joked that the couple resembled the way we behaved with each other. I was so impressed that Andrej could read, understand and translate the story from French to English for me. I didn’t tell him but I thought it was the most romantic thing ever to be read out a children’s book in French while sitting on a park bench in the shadow of the La Tour Eiffel! We stayed in the area for about an hour. Andrej asked if I wanted to do the elevator ride on the Eiffel or walk up the stairs to get a view of the city but I figured the prices were quite exorbitant so I said I’d pass. He suggested another place from which we could get a panoramic view of Paris, La Defense.
La Defense is a modern financial hub near Paris, akin to Wall Street of New York. When we reached the place, we were disappointed to learn that the place was closed due to technical problems. We then decided to visit the Bibliothèque nationale de France or the National Library of France. Entry was free save a tiny security check at the gate of the library. I could not tell the size of the library from the outside as it was located between modern buildings and appeared cramped. Andrej and I first walked into the Oriental Studies section. I found that they had an elaborate collection of Sanskrit to French, Hindi to French and Bengali to French dictionaries and translations among other regional languages of India. They also housed a rich collection of books on Chinese and other Asian languages. We wanted to go into the main library hall but were told at the entrance that touring the library was not allowed. We then tried to take pictures of the magnificent looking from outside and were again requested by the librarian that photography was prohibited. It was a bummer of a trip by we at least go to see what the national library of France looked like. After this, we decided to head back to our hotel. On the way we picked up some food to munch on from the Carrefour store located across the street.
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