Trip to Paris early November 365

Notre Dame Cathederal
Let me start by throwing myself to the mercy of my readership for not having posted seemingly like since the 18th century.  It has been awhile, maybe I was busy or maybe just lazy, I really am not sure but here I am and with another trip to Europe to talk of , maybe I can nail a couple bulletins to the tree.

Great flight across the pond from Detroit to Paris on the evening of Nov. 3rd.  Arrived at the airport at maybe 9 am not sure but here we are on our long ride from airport to downtown Paris to board our cruise ship.  It was our hotel for the 3 days we stayed tied up there in Paris.  There was some strike going on in Paris as they do quite often over there.  And the streets were just plain jammed up.  I think the hour ride took us nearly 3 hours.  Maybe 6 or us in the van so we joked quite a lot about it and with 

 the excitement of getting there it was not so bad.  Any time you cross the pond and then land OK is something to thank God for in earnest.  That afternoon we took a taxi to see "Notre Dame" cathedral there.  It is a very impressive church as you can see.  Started in 1163 and maybe taking about 80 years to complete it is a real work of art and craftsmanship for sure.  Here is Susan and I standing in front.  Probably one of the oldest structures in Paris.  I have read where Paris is something like 4000 years in existance which in anybody's book is just pretty darn old.  The intrical design work as you can see below just blows you away.  You just can not quit asking yourself how they could have done this beautiful work so long ago back in the 12th century.

All those statues you see to the right here are all different. Everyone represents a different saint with a distinct face and size.  Still just amazes me and so glad that we were able to see such a church as this and such a famous one that we have all heard about.
And then as you move inside it is equally beautiful to behold.  Just the sheer height of the interior is breathtaking and again how did they do it?

One has to wonder how many people it took and how many maybe died on this job from accidents or just getting old and worn out.  It was a fun first afternoon in Paris and a great start for out trip

through France.

As in Germany all through France every town we were in had these huge gothic churches all built long ago.  So at one time I am sure they were used and well attended.  Now however they are not well attended, only a few are members of these churches.  It is a shame from my point of view how times have changed.  But that is just the way it is, and the churches now are actually maintained by the state as tourist attractions.  They still have mass in the churches they are still used but no way can such a small amount of Christians maintain such huge churches.  The state is wise I guess to keep them up as if they feel into disrepair folk would not come to see them any longer.  The view below is the back side of Notre Dame, lots of flying buttruses can be seen here that support the walls...I am glad that they are maintained as they are magnificant works to the Glory of God...Some how I never tire of walking up to and inside and then all the way around these structures and just marvel at what they represent...