I have found my Rue du Bagnolet; Notre Dame. Ok so it's not really a rue but it has the same effect of me. Everything looks better int he general area of Notre Dame. I began my love affair on our very first day in Paris. Even though I was sick and tired as a dog, I found myself forgetting about my fatigue when standing in front of this most perfect (but not too perfect according to Christina) building.
Yesterday when discussing Desnos' love for the Rue de Bagnolet, I knew right away that I felt the same about Notre Dame de Paris and could relate to his feelings exactly. I have visited this building so many times while in Paris and I've experiences it at almost all different times of the day and night. Like Desnos, while sun is good and all, Notre Dame is just so wonderful that the sun WANTS to be hanging out and driving it's VW cabriolet convertable in the place in front of Notre Dame whenever it can.
Speaking of our readings and Notre Dame, Prevert has it all wrong, the Seine doesn't make Notre Dame jealous with all it's glistening and moving throughout France so freely, it's really the other way around. The way I see it, the Seine is jealous of Notre Dame because of it's stability and sturdiness. The Seine is also jealous because of the way the sun looks riding around the square in front of Notre Dame, it can't do that on the Seine because it would sink, duh. Basically Notre Dame is as wonderful and perfect to me as Rue du Gagnolet was to Desnos.
One of my favorite memories of all of Paris was standing outside the Notre Dame and learning about the history of the statues from the older man. He stated that some of the statues were even a little bit secular, which in my thoughts, was a little bit difficult to comprehend. Why would there be secular statues on a church? I know your love affair with the Notre Dame started the moment you saw it. For me, it took awhile longer, but I definitely see the light now! The Notre Dame is my favorite building in Paris for the simple fact that it is a cultural and historical achievement in itself.
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