Day 10--Paris (Luxembourg Gardens and Notre Dame)
Tired out from our Disney adventures, we slept in very late and got next door bakery goodies for breakfast. We ate like kings. Gracelyn needed some down time, so she stayed home while the rest of us explored the nearby Luxembourg Gardens. So many beautiful sculptures, flower beds, and water features. We sat and gazed at a beautiful field for about 15 minutes. Parisians are experts at being quiet in public spaces, and even though the walking path around us was quite busy, we managed to drift off for a bit in special reclining chairs. We walked toward the palace, which houses the French Senate, and found a large water feature where children were sailing rented boats. Elise and I looked at one another and immediately knew we wanted to try. It’s such a precious memory for me. We paid our 8 Euro, and pushed our little Ukrainian boat into the water. The wind picked up so much that we ran around the mini lake twice trying to get our boat back, but Ukraine was determined and fast! We barely managed to return it within our 30 minute time frame.
Afterward, we went on a hunt for another water feature on the map. We were rewarded with a beautiful fountain, sculpture and sitting area. I will include photos. It was nice for Donnie and I to have one one on one time with Elise, and Gracelyn really needed the time alone to unwind and decompress. Both girls are thrilled that they will have their own rooms and their own beds at our next stop.
Later that afternoon, we all went to Notre Dame to attend Vespers. It was amazing to be directed to a tiny line and immediately be let in. The service was a bit hard to comprehend, as it was all in French and many people were constantly moving around and in front of us. But the space was absolutely beautiful. After the service, we took our time leaving and got some beautiful photos.
We had an interesting experience with a paid toilet that will remain a family story. The crowding at Notre Dame was intense and we were thrilled to be back at the flat for a quiet dinner.
Beautiful sculpture all over the Gardens. We loved this lion.
Click to see why we could NOT resist spending 8 Euro for 30 mins with one of these beautiful boats.
We chose Ukraine as our boat. It was pretty thrilling.
Finally fished it out of the water. Triumphant!
Such a beautiful area!
We enjoyed this kind of view on several of our adventures. The building on our right is a public toilet that was downright fancy and came in real handy.
I love how there are so many beautiful buildings at the end of streets.
Photo by Donnie before service started.
That famous stained glass ❤️
Cross behind the altar.
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