I’m on the RER train to the Charles de Gaulle airport now, and a lady witha stereo and a mic on a mini-cart came in and started serenading us with music and song. She then asked for donations after a few songs. Talk about a captive audience!
She’s not bad, although I’m too close to the speaker for comfort.
This time I’m sure: the restaurant that I intended to go to no longer exists! It has been replaced by another! Sadly, due to my slavish loyalty to my travel guide map, it took me 45 minutes to discover this fact. On a strict schedule for my flight tomorrow, I was unable to venture far afield.
After the travel guide’s recommended cafe turned out to be packed on a Saturday night (go figure, huh), I finally lodged myself at a Japanese restaurant.
Run by Chinese. Sigh. I should’ve followed the example of the Japanese tour groups to another restaurant I had marked.
Still, food is food, especially in my hungry state!
It being such a nice day, and my body seemingly recovered over that last two days of low key activity, I continued my journey in 9eme to Sacre Coeur.
Sitting in the pews now, I’m glad I had the opportunity to see it. It’s too bad that photography inside is not permitted. I think Sacre Coeur is better looking, outside and inside, than Notre Dame.
The field of view from any of the pews is awesome. Two rows of enormous pillars gracefully curve into the neck craning ceiling. The main stage and altar is simply organized at first glance; the smaller details carved into everything make it fascinating. The mosaic above the altar covers the entire back dome of the ceiling. The centre dome reaches higher than one can see, except when directly underneath, and filters the daylight through many stained glass windows.
The recurring pattern here is the archway: straight edges that flow into curves as your eye follows upwards, meeting in the centre. The pattern is present in the stained glass windows, the pillars that support the domed roof, the doorways, the alcoves, and even smaller arches behind the altar and engraved into the walls.
I’ll spend a few more moments here before moving on, to better record the image in my mind.
