Romance on Friday, Church on Sunday!

I am not a particularly religious person, but for some reason I enjoy visiting the ancient churches of Europe. The architectural beauty of the Gothic cathedrals are especially breathtaking - the scale massive, and there is nothing like a flying buttress I always say! Of course the most famous and popular tourist destination is the Cathedral de Notre Dame, and for good reason. I never tire of gazing at her from the Petit Pont, the prime time being after dark when her face is artfully illuminated, and the moonlight is shimmering on the surface of the Seine. The Sacre Couer in Montmarte is spectacular as well, with her tableau of Jesus welcoming one to the heavens with open arms painted masterfully on the huge domed ceiling. But my favorite chappelle of all is St. Eustache, located in the Chatelet/Les Halles district. I stumbled upon her one day as I was searching for the metro. Formidable in size, and obviously hundreds of years old, she called to me and I answered! It was a sunday afternoon, long before the evening service, and I joined a handful of visitors inside. Serendipitously, someone began playing the huge pipe organ, and the sound stopped everyone in their tracks! Powerful, emotional, and breathtaking, the sound echoed through the cavernous space, bouncing off those buttressess and searing the soul. It was a truly unforgetable experience. So when I heard there was to be a free concert of inspirational and popular music sung by a choir of 300, I was in! From Cole Porter to Mozart, Rodgers and Hammerstein to Andrew Lloyd Weber, the choir from Leeds and Newcastle sang their hearts out, and when they performed "Over the Rainbow" there was no holding back the tears - that damn song does it to me every time! There is a wonderful ambience inside St. Eustache. She is peaceful and calm, unlike her sister Notre Dame - perhaps because fewer tourists pass through. Maybe it is the positive energy of all the prayer that has taken place throughout the centuries that lingers unperturbed by the masses of sightseers that flock to Paris. Whatever it is, I like it!