Paris (Day Two) - Notre-Dame Cathedral and Paris Street Life

14 March 2018
Guess where we are .... hint: a hunch back lurks up around yonder railings (not visible here, at least not today maybe)

Yes! Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris with its legendary flying buttresses.  Groundbreaking 1163, completed 1345.

Still looking for the hunchback - I think we'll not be in luck today.

Front facade.  Crouching man, maybe modeled on one of the builders?

Point Zero, the center of France (sort of), the point from which all distances are measured.  The crouching monkey (hidden hunchback), is 52 meters away.

Amazing stone carving...

Could that be the hunch back of Notre Dame at the left top corner (facing away, with his cape blowing in the wind)?  Perhaps not, it never moved once from this position.

To the interior, where Popes, Kings, and peasants have trodden for almost 700 years.  Napoleon crowned himself here.

Joan of Arc, revered French Saint.

More sculpting/carving - the exterior was once sporting colors much like this.

Without the exterior colors, still an awe inspiring sight.

Time for some lunch, three courses.  Gerri with French wine and some French baggette, Tim eating French Onion Soup, with French people walking by.

Well known English bookstore across the river from Notre Dame.

Two moods of Gerri:  not impressed so much with the recent custom of couples latching their padlocks to bridge works, what a blight on the scenery; very impressed with the French custom of buying fresh food goods daily.

Arrival of some peeps in a black Mercedes; motorcycle hearse (not really, just on-time delivery in the city).

Fresh meats store with original lettering from when this location once sold horse meat ("Butcher Horse-meat").
And art blowin' in the wind - not sure what happened here; notice the hand scooters though that many children use to commute, as well as some adults.

Must go home and rest up for the Louvre Museum tomorrow - jet lag almost gone.