Paris Day One and Two

Day One:
I didn't do much on day one besides go to the French grocery store to buy some goods. I was amazed at how well I did with not understanding hardly any French and buying groceries that were only labeled in French. I bought tons of different cheeses and I still have no idea what they were. It was really yummy though, so no complaints here. The food in France is fresher and less processed than the food here in the USA. Seriously, French food is divine. 

  Day Two:
 On day two I visited Notre Dame de Paris and the Sainte-Chapelle. Both were extremely beautiful but I instantly fell in love with the Sainte-Chapelle.

Notre Dame is massive and a little overwhelming but entirely breathtaking. It was so surreal for me to be there, knowing the age and events that occurred in the building. Inside the building, it's really dark and was really hard for me to take good pictures. Here is a tip, if you go to Paris, invest in a good camera and learn how to use that camera. That was one of my biggest regrets.

Entry to Notre Dame is free, but to climb the stairs to the bell tower will cost you 5 euros if you are 25 and under and 7 euros if not. Because of lack of time I didn't have the chance to go up to the tower. I hear the views from the top are incredible and you can better see the gorgols and other details to the cathedral.

Notre Dame de Paris

Stained glass window, Notre Dame

The rose window

 

 

 

Flying buttress

 

The Sainte-Chapelle is a Gothic chapel and to me, the interior was much more beautiful and intimate than Notre Dame. The chapel is smaller in size and is adorned with floor to ceiling stained glass windows. The stain glass windows tell the story from Adam and Eve to the crucifixion of Christ. It was built to house sacred relics like Christ's crowns of thorns. You must pay an entry fee to view the chapel, I paid the discounted price of 5 euros. When I was there it was being restored so I wasn't able to take a picture of the well known upper chapels stained windows.

Lower chapel ceiling.

Upper chapel. 

Details of the stain glass windows. 

 Rose window.

The Conciergerie is close to the Sainte Chapelle and I decided I should pose in front of the law courts.

We then ate a light dinner at a cafe near by. I had a chicken sandwich and my friend had a ham and cheese sandwich. Her sandwich was a little odd to me, since the cheese was grilled on the outside of the pieces of bread rather than on the inside.

While we were eating, a cat strolled its way in from the streets and walked around the cafe like it owned the place. It would hop up onto costumer's laps and sat next to them while he begged for food. People didn't seem to mind at all. It was seriously so bizarre to me!