Notre-Dame Cathedral

Despite staying so close to the Notre-Dame Cathedral I had not yet been inside. So it was that I found myself doing it on Easter Sunday (I had checked it was still open to the public). There were some signs saying Mass would going on throughout the day and that visitors were allowed but needed to be quiet and no flash was allowed. As I walked around taking photos with the lovely rhythm of the Mass being sung in Latin and French by the priests and a group of Nuns, it felt a bit surreal (and a little disrespectful). I found myself shushing the groups of tourists ignoring the signs in multiple languages to be quiet. However my sympathy for the church waned a little when I came to the shop (inside the church) which was still open and selling. Obviously tourist business was trumping religious activity.

The cathedral is truly stunning and the music and mass made the visit even more special. I had come to think of it as my special place after staying so close for the past five days.Read more