Easter of Our Anniversary Vacation

We started our 40th wedding anniversary off with 08:30 Mass at Notre Dame. The security around the Cathedral was very high this morning. We had to pass through security across the street from the Church. We arrived at 08:00 because the Church opens to the public at 8:00, it does not close for Mass like the Basilica in Venice did. We had to go through the same lines to get in as the visitors. While attending Mass there you are part of the entertainment for the non-mass going visitors. The mass was wonderful. It was all in French except the Agnus Dei was sung in Latin. The Canter and the Priest both had beautiful singing/chanting voices.

Easter Mass at Notre Dame

After Mass Breakfast 

After mass, we went back to the apartment to change out of our church clothes. From there was walked to Saint-Germaine. It is the oldest church in Paris. The 11:00 mass was in progress and the play was packed, so we looked around quickly and left.

Then we walked to Saint-Sulpice. The 11:00 mass was in progress and the place was packed. The organ was amazing as we heard them sing Amazing Grace in French. We looked around a bit to see the stain glass windows.

We time to spare we thought we would wonder over to the Musee d'Orsay, museum of art between 1848 and 1914. We had to hang out in a 45 minute line, but it was worth it. We saw works be Monet, Van Gough, and Manet.

Then it was time for ice cream and rest. We stopped in a Berthillon for ice cream. The rumor is they have the greatest ice in France. They are located two blocks from our apartment, so this was not our first visit. But it was the first time we had to wait in line. It was a beautiful sunny Sunday in Paris and the streets were full of people, and they know good ice cream.

After a little afternoon break, we went to dinner at L'llot Vache about two blocks from here. I tried escargot and duck for the first time. They were both good. The waitress spoke perfect English, so we had to ask her where she was from; Michigan she said. As we left, a woman wished us a happy anniversary, so we stopped and chatted with her and her husband for a bit. They were from Brooklyn.