Long Walk on Samedi

Weekend is here!

I decided to take half day off. It is weekend.... yes I will have lesson on Monday... but really nice weather today. I wanted to take big breath outside, in Paris. (however, I did find out I really get headache in Paris... way too many people smoking and walking. as much as I love Paris... I enjoy living outside of Paris... :)

I took metro down to 5th district of Paris. There is very famous church, Chapelle Notre Dame de la Medaille (Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, http://www.chapellenotredamedelamedaillemiraculeuse.com/EN/A.asp ). I found out about this church after 2nd time I visited Paris, wich is winter of 2006. I finally visited today.... what a place. They have mass 5-6 or more times a day. When I got there they were middle of mass. I love atmospher of church. There is something, I can really just relax and breath...

Inside of church, after mass. There is a marble image of Blessed Vergin. 1830, Catherine met Blessed Vergin....

Close up. Beautiful.

Underneath of this, there is sister Catherine sleeping... her body... which is still... fresh (how do I express this...??) Her meeting Blessed Vergin was really a miracle... I am not a Cathoric. However, I love visiting church... and seeing histories...

Blessed Vergin and Catherine.

I was at this church for quite long time. Then start walking again. I walked up Rue du Four.... to Bd. St-Germain... ended up walking up to Notre Dame Cathedral. Usually I just hop back on Metro to go to places... but why not to walk??? :) Today, I really appliciated my sense of direction :) I just walked... like how I felt... hoping there is something... and did not get lost for 4 hours of walking in Paris :) Notre Dame was beautiful. What a Cathedral... I was so happy to come back to this place. I remember that 2years ago, I was here and hoped I were able to returen here again...

View from bridge.

Inside... So relaxing. I love it.

And Rose Window. Beautiful...

After visiting Notre Dame, I waked up noth, crossed another bridge to go to other side of river. Walked by Hotel de Ville, walked through some small streets with lots of shoppes... walked by Centre Pompidou (modern art musium) and Stravinsky Park...Walked passed more cafes and shoppes... After passing Pompidou, I keep walking west. Visited St. Eustache (1st time Morgann and I came, we and Jake came to this church to hear pipe organ concert... it was very neat.)... more walking. At this point, I was hoping there was close Metro station. I felt that if I walk some more west... there is l'Opera... so i decided to walk some more :) However, instead of finding l'Opera, I found Palais Royal. I have always heard about this place... but never visited. Since I was there, I went in... what a nice park. Flowers are still blooming. Trees are chenging colours... and there are people reading book, news papers, enjoying afternoon at cafe...

South side of this Palais is Musee du Louvre... I did not go there. I could totally walk, but if I went, I want to go inside... I called off for my walk at Palais Royal. I manerged to find Ave de l'opera :) with Metro station I often use :) I did learn something from this long walk today. I want to play music like how parisians live their life. Freedom is something I somehow block out from myself... I have tried to play my flute with freedom... but freedom some how switches to intention...

Time to go practice!!