END OF JOURNEY: LAST DAY IN PARIS

I had an ambitious agenda planned for my last day in Paris, starting with a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral.  There was quite a crowd already when I arrived at half past nine.

I don't have access to the Internet at the moment, because I'm writing this in reflection at my mother's house in Michigan, so I can't provide any historical background, except to say that Notre Dame is on the Ile de Paris, which at one time was all there was to Paris.  

There are some impressive stone carvings at the entrance.

And inside there are some very beautiful wood carvings of scenes from Christ's life.

The detail is really amazing.

And the stained glass in European cathedrals is always beautiful.

Outside, this man was surrounded by TV cameras and reporters and had five cars in his entourage, but I don't know who he is.  Can anyone tell me?

I headed for the Rodin Museum next, but, to my great disappointment, it was closed.  I usually check opening hours before heading out but forgot on this day.  There were vehicles going in an entrance drive and a very nice man there allowed me to step inside and take a photo of "The Thinker".

The Opera House was next, which is a beautiful building on the outside and inside.

The theater is red plush!

The ceiling of the theater is a work of art.

There was a special ballet exhibit and works of art about dance were plentiful.

For lunch, I returned to Maison de la Truffle and had a delicious sampling of goat and brie cheese laced with truffle, green salad and wonderful French bread.  I hoped to bring some of this delicious cheese home, but it wouldn't have been allowed through customs because it's made with raw milk.  Anyone who lives in a country that requires milk used to make cheese to be pasteurized can testify to the difference it makes in taste.  The brie in France is so much better than anything I've tasted in the U.S. 

What trip to Paris could be complete without a cruise down the Seine?   This is the type of tour boat I took.

You get a different view of Notre Dame from the water.

We went under a series of bridges, all of which had a story from history.

It was a great way to see some of the city's great architecture.

I couldn't resist one more view of this most famous Paris landmark.

I ended the day in the best way possible...sharing a delicious meal with my two Parisian friends, Nathalie and Caroline.  It was a wonderful evening, and I think this picture reflects our enjoyment.  I'm very fond of these wonderful young women and grateful for all they did to make my visit to their beautiful city so special.

And this is where my jouney ends.  I return home enriched by my experiences, with a treaure trove of wonderful memories of the very special people I met and the beautiful places I've seen, and feeling very blessed indeed.