Protectors of Paris

Yesterday morning we set off early for EuroDisney.  It was another cloudy day.  On the way out, we passed lots of school children - Miss Bok was quite sad for them that whilst they were lining up to attend school, she was on her way to Disneyland!

The school across from our apartment:

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite is a sign written on every school...

 And also on the Palais de Justice! As the French national motto I rather like it. It has its origins in the French Revolution.

After a 45 minute journey, we arrived at Euro Disney

 

 

Alice in Wonderland is one of my favourite cartoons...the maze was fun!

Lost children this way...

 

I've got to make signs like this for my garden back at home! How gorgeous are they!

Stunt show: 

Master Bok was so excited to see a life sized Lightning McQueen!

 

Was too engrossed to take pics of the fire scenes where a motorcycle rode straight through a wall of flame and caught alight (intentionally).  Master Bok was distraught and then relieved when the 'victim' stood up quite unharmed. 

 

On the way back home we visited the Sainte-Chappelle, I've wanted to step inside for such a long time.  The queue wasn't too long and it would have been worth the wait even if it had been longer.  It is a stunning place.

It is a gothic chapel sponsored by King Louis IX of France, built between 1239-1249 and it is awe inspiring indeed.  You hear people gasp as they come up the stairs and step into the chapel bathed in myriad coloured lights from the stained glass windows.

 

   

Floor of the Sainte-Chappelle

Lots of berthillion ice cream stores in this area, wonderful ice cream!

Heading around the corner, we visited Notre Dame

Miss Bok clutching a Berthillion ice cream

 

The gargoyles are amazing, cannot believe they are so old and have withstood rain, hail, sun and are still proudly doing sentry duty on the cathedral.  Notre Dame was built from 1160-1345.  I told Miss Bok that the gargoyles come to life at night and fly around the city protecting it from monsters and visiting with all the other statues in Paris therefore Paris is very safe.  She completely believes me, such is the detail on the Parisian sculptures.

  

 

  

 

  

An older Frenchman feeding the birds

The only cat we've seen in Paris! So many dogs but not one cat...see it up there on the window ledge?

We took the Batobus back to the apartment, passing under the bridges of Paris giving us a closer look at the statues on the bridges.  I'm so glad that so many boats traverse the Seine and that people get a chance to appreciate and converse with the statues that may otherwise be forgotten and grow lonely over time.  I made sure I said many 'bonjours' to the statues we passed.  I love imagining all of the statues coming alive at night and having their own conversations.  I wonder what they'd say?  'Oh those tourists!'

 

  

Frenchman and his dog (so many dogs in Paris!) watching the boats go by.

 

 

Children had dinner with Mr Bok whilst I went back to the apartment and made myself a plain vegetable soup for dinner.  There is such a thing as too much of a good thing!  All that rich food had me craving something plain, simple and homemade.