Paris was full of surprises. And contradictions. We enjoyed them all from our perch atop the Big Bus.
Why is She Smiling?
There’s the smile we love. And look, there’s Mona Lisa too!
Vicki at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris: Witness to Resilience
Mark and Vicki in Paris.
A stop at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is more than just sightseeing; it’s a witness to resilience. Even as the spire and roof are being painstakingly restored following the 2019 fire, the “Grand Dame” of Paris remains the architectural and spiritual heart of the city.
Standing in the Parvis de Notre-Dame—the literal “Point Zero” from which all distances in France are measured—you can’t help but be struck by the defiant beauty of the twin Gothic towers.
An Imperfect Introduction
He blowd his brains out his ears
The descent into Spain is rugged. The bright pastures of the sommets des pyrénées slip downslope, gradually at first, then furiously, precipitously, until they tumble into dense beech forests. Bob and I do the same. Spattered by mud, decorated with leaves, and swathed in shadow, we appreciate the epic Song of Roland.
