Maybe it was the very inspiring visit I made to the cathedral at Chartres at the beginning of the month, or perhaps it is the desire to be the perfect tour guide for Carey and Bridget when they come to visit in June (woohoo!), but I have had this overwhelming desire to do touristy things in Paris lately. It's strange. I've spent about 9 months in Paris throughout my life and have probably seen less than a good tourist who spent 4 days here.

So today, reeling with enthusiasm after a really interesting lecture, I decided to tackle Notre Dame. (I still remember the first time I ever saw it. It was my first night in Paris and, slightly tipsy after some wine with Maya, I rounded a corner and exclaimed "Oh my god! What is that???" To which Maya replied, not quite able to believe that I didn't know, that it was Notre Dame, perhaps one of the most recognizable icons of Paris.) Anyway, this little anecdote pretty much sums up the extent to which I am lame as a tourist.

So, went to Notre Dame, was too much of a wuss to wait in line to climb the towers (it is really cold and windy today and the line was ridiculously long), but decided to use my Eyewitness Guide and go on a self-guided tour. Well, Notre-Dame is being renovated, so there was this huge white monstrosity right where the transept crosses the nave. I couldn't see either of the north or south rose windows very well and the chancel screen (all 14th century carvings that are really stunning) was partially obscured.

But nonetheless, I was determined to find beautiful photo opportunities. Except that I do not have the patience to be a good photographer. You have to stop and wait and set up the shot and work with the light (which in a gothic cathedral is always problematic). Other tourists are pressuring you to keep moving and frankly, I don't care enough to fight them. So, I took a few mediocre photographs of things I thought were cool: the memorial candles that are held on these circular racks that look like UFOs, illuminating Christ on the cross, an enormous incense burner that looks like a Burning Man sculpture, and Nicolas Coustou's Pietà. And I don't know if it is because I am dating a Jew (and according to Mel Gibson, he is responsible for Jesus' death, of course…) or because I partied a little too much this weekend or because I was thinking impure thoughts, but God struck! He knocked my camera from my hand and onto the really, really, really hard floor. In any case, you can't even see my middle-of-the-road pictures! The lens cap wasn't closing automatically anymore and the viewfinder is no longer working. I really hope this latter one is just a battery issue (my batteries were low) and not something mortal for my camera. I became very envious of the cute girl who was sketching next to where the incident took place. She helped me fix the lens cap and I told her that perhaps it was time I took up drawing…it is less risky!

In any case, I was not impressed with Notre Dame, but by no fault of the cathedral's. More due to my own weaknesses as a tourist.