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Published: June 16th 2009
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Hi Everyone!
I had to wake up at 5:30 this morning to get catch the bus to Paris. The trip itself was from 8:00am to 3:30pm. They stamped my passport at the border! Yay! And I got to go through the Tunnel! It was fascinating. I was expecting a ferry or something, but they loaded all the busses onto this drive on train. Each bus had its own ‘carriage’ and when everyone is lined up they drop these steel doors down that separate the compartments. Then the train runs through the tunnel to the other side and lets us off. While we were moving through the tunnel you could get off the bus and move between the carriages. There are bathrooms in the first and last carriage, so I walked all the way down to the bathrooms just to see how many compartments there were. I walked though about 15 of them. I am not sure how many more were behind us. Arrived in Paris around at 3:45 got to hostel at 5pm. I had no trouble finding it except I couldn’t find an ATM machine at the bus station. I had to go to the shopping mall down the street.
Very annoying with a 27 lb backpack.
After I arrived I found out they charge 5 E per hour for internet. Also very annoying as it takes me an hour just to check and reply to my emails.
I walked up to Sacre Cour as it was very close to the hostel. It is very beautiful, I also went inside although there are no pictures allowed inside the church. I am in awe of the beautiful stained glass, and marble sculpture. Many people obviously put a lot of work into the artistry there. I do wonder why people make Christian symbols the subject of art and sculpture? It is the only inspiration they have? Do they think that is what they are supposed to do? Was that the only acceptable subject for art? Because it seems to me that Christianity teaches simplicity and anti-materialism. At least in theory. Isn’t all the ornate sculpture and expensive stained glass similar to idolatry? Well I am not an expert theologian,anyway. I love the art for itself. Its very beautiful.
I don’t remember the water in the fountains being so green. I don’t think it is supposed to be that way. And there
were plastic bottles floating in it, and cigarette butts all around on the grass. This is one of the major tourist attractions; you would think it would be fine tooth combed. The views are incredible though. You can see the entire city from the top.
On the steps in front of the church a group was doing some sort of dance routine (you know they kind where they want you to tip them) to American hip hop music. It was an interesting contrast to the organ music they were playing inside the church.
Unfortunately tourist attractions attract con artists and beggars. I was accosted by people wanting money no less than 5 times in the 45 minutes I was there.
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Tom
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Art
I'm guessing that churches commissioned and paid for most of the art, so add that to the pile of irony.