Paris, Day 2

Today started with our best breakfast yet: croissants, different rolls and pastries, three kinds of cheese to try, cereal, and, according to Mrs. Houser, the first good, strong coffee of the trip. After that we hopped on the bus a little late and received a group scolding from our guide, Simon. Then we drove into the city for a guided bus tour. We saw Les Invalides, the opera house, and took more pics of the Eiffel Tower and Louvre. we got out at Notre Dame. It is amazing, inside and out. Everything about it is constructed on a vast scale. Jenni Brewster and I were planning to climb the stairs to the top to view the city from between the two bell towers, but the line was well over an hour long and we didn't have the time.

We divided into groups and Mrs. Houser and I took five the students who were interested to the church of Saint Chappell. We all agreed the sanctuary was the high point of our visit to Paris. The outside of the church is a good example of gothic architecture, complete with some cool gargoyles. After the long line we made it in the front doors and found a disappointing, low ceilinged room. Then we noticed the sign and found the spiral staircase. When we stepped into actual sanctuary above I sucked in a gasp and breathed, "Whoa..." Giant stained glass windows climbed all the way to a distant vaulted ceiling above. Until I can post the pictures, I shouldn't bother trying to describe how beautiful it was. I have no words for it.

Next we took our small group on 2 trains to the entrance to the catacombs under the city. Unfortunately, just after we arrived an employee came to tell us the place closed at 4:00 and we wouldn't get it. That was a big disappointment for me, but we moved on.

At some point I realized that a member of our small group, Chris Hinds, was carrying three carry-on sized bags with him through the city. One of them, it turns out, was filled with dirty laundry. Apparently there was some miscommunication or something.

Next out group took a couple more Metro trains (always an adventure in itself) to a famous graveyard where people like Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, and Moliere are buried. We only made it to Jim Morrison's grave, but we also took some great pictures of a variety of graves. They ranged from brand new ones made of black marble cut in very contemporary curves, to monuments so ancient the stones were crumbling and splitting on tree roots.

Then we took two more trains and met up with the others. Some had visited Sacre Cour. Others went shopping. Alex went in four stores to try to find white dress shoes, only to learn that no one carries anything larger than size 45. He wears size 45 1/2.

We joined up for dinner near the train station, had passable chicken cordon-bleu, then boarded the night train. Then we learned that the normal 12 hour route would be diverted to a 15 hour route due to some construction on the tracks. Because students would be able to sleep in a bit later, we let them stay up until 11:00 before shooing them off to their respective berths where, hopefully, the groups of four went to sleep instead of gabbing. After lights-out we thought it was important that some adults guard the bar car to make sure none of the students got up to any shenanigans. I won't reveal who volunteered to take on this responsibility, but I... um... later heard that... um... "they" had a pleasant shift on duty.