Did you miss me yesterday? I was tired.

We spent the day poking around MontMartre before having dinner with a friend. When on “pokes around MontMartre”, that usually entails a visit to Sacre Coeur, the very non-Gothic basilica perched on the hilltop in the north of Paris. It is very new, by French Standards, having been built beginning in 1875 and dedicated in 1919.

Compared to the bright white exterior of the basilica, the interior seems sombre and dark. This mosaic dominates the view from the nave:

After leaving the basilica our path took as past the famous “Passe-Muraille“. The name means “The Man Who Passed Through Walls”, the title of a short story by Marcel Aymé. The sculptor produced this work in the author’s honor, and placed it basically in his front yard.

Today we enjoyed a late start. I actually took advantage of the time to attend mass and the post-mass organ recital at St. Sulpice, which is only ten minutes from our apartment. You do know it’s a mortal sin to miss that when you’re so close, yes?

We had a brief visit at the Louvre. Our grand-daughter had never been there, of course, so we had the mandatory viewing of the Mona Lisa, along with a few hundred total strangers. Our search for the bus to take us back home took us past this great metro station entrance, with a pessimist and an optimist sharing the bench. Most stations are much less ornate than this, but that’s what makes Paris interesting–art in unexpected places.

Like this, for another example. This has all the appearance of an interrupted attempt to repair some damage to the little plaza at the street corner.

Tomorrow we’re off to the Light Workship (Atelier Lumiére), a new art display concept that’s getting rave reviews.