{For Part I of my Euro Trip, click HERE. Special thanks to my father for his knowledge and help on this write up.}

During my time abroad last July, I was fortunate to see some of the greatest works of art, both of God and man. We took a day trip from Paris to visit the lovely little town of Chartres, about 50 miles outside of Paris. After our days of running around a busy city, the train ride was a blessed relief to the aching backs and swollen feet in our group of 27. At first glimpse Chartres would seem to be a colorful, sleepy little town. Its quaint feel seemed quintessential Europe, and reminded my father more of what Paris felt like a decade ago.  It was filled with sidewalk cafes and well-dressed patrons who were not in a hurry, but were rather content to abide in the shadow of the magnificent edifice that occupied the highest and most prominent few acres in town–the cathedral.  Before we entered, our group congregated outside the grand northern facade. My father, a natural born lover of history, shared his knowledge of the cathedral with us.

Below are some facts shared by my father:

Chartres Cathedral is one of the earliest and finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. The church was considered a very important project as it was to house the tunic of Mother Mary which is considered one of the most important artifacts in the Catholic Church, and was legendarily brought there by Charlemagne. It took only 56 years to build Chartres Cathedral (from 1194-1250 AD), while every other great cathedral of Europe took hundreds of years to build. It became a pilgrimage site for the illiterate masses and the whole gospel of Christ is written on the stain glass windows and the bas-relief sculpture that are continuous both inside and outside the building. The cathedral also became a medieval university and center for the arts, philosophy, politics and trade. It was also a hospital for the sick during the bubonic plague epidemic of the 14th century.

I enjoyed the sweet town of Chartres, and would love to return for a week next time. In fact I think I’d like that apartment with the balcony below….

Leaving France and heading towards Switzerland we stopped at our next town, Strasbourg, which is an international city on the Rhine River next to the German border. It did not take very long to get there on the Eurostar train from Paris, which cruised between 160 and 180 mph. The center of the old town is actually an island in the Rhine River. The first permanent settlement on this location was erected by the Romans during the reign of Augustus. Buildings in the old city are mainly “half- timber” architecture, which is very rustic with a Germanic feel.

On the highest prominence in town stands the magnificent Strasbourg Cathedral. It is a full 466 feet and was the tallest building in the world for over 200 years. Entering late in the day we only ended up having a few minutes inside, but it was enough time to be left in awe. Walking around and admiring this work of art I couldn’t help but dwell on the people who dedicated themselves and their lives to this creation–their skill, faith, and sheer perseverance.

And in my father’s words…

“These glorious cathedrals of Europe occupy acres of land. Who leveled the ground? Who carved the stones? Who designed the 60 foot stained glass windows? Who built the wood scaffolding on both the inside and outside of the churches that possibly had to stand for hundreds of years until construction was complete? Who built the ancient pulley system which hoisted up sculpted stones that may have weighed tons for hundreds of feet? These sacred artistic and architectural masterpieces are an everlasting monument to what man can do, if his intentions are selfless and noble.”

We had a relaxing time wandering the streets of Strasbourg during that afternoon and evening. Our group split up to shop and try different restaurants, cafes, while I searched for the best looking gelato. Priorities.

Each night after dark there is a beautiful light show on the face of the cathedral. Part of our group decided to camp out for a few hours to secure front row seats for the show. Each time I would circle back to the square it made me laugh as they were all enjoying their next course. ;)

While making my way up this side street I was awestruck with the grandeur in front of me….

And then at dusk, it was magnified more (see bottom right photo). I knew my father was still guarding his seat at the base of the cathedral and had no idea of this vantage point. I rushed over and asked him to accompany me down the nearby side street, keeping his back to the cathedral. We strolled down the hill to the square of the old town, and when the view was just right I told him to turn around. He was moved beyond words….

We walked back up the hill, stopping to admire and comment on the scene a few times along the way. Quite a moment that I will not soon forget.

It literally felt like a run through. We arrived in the City of Lights around six in the morning after an all night flight. Of course I didn’t sleep. Planning for this trip I had been more anxious than I would care to admit. The days leading up to it I stupidly over thought every detail possible; from my boy Gabe begging me not to leave, wondering if Brett would remember to do laundry, to traveling abroad with a group of 27 people. I had never been away from my husband and children that long.

This came about in early 2014. My parents invited me to attend an educational study abroad program set for July. My little sister and brother had attended these trips with them in the past, while I was busy having babies during those years. One day my Dad called and was proud to proclaim, “It’s your time now.” I was excited. I was nervous. Ten days meandering around France and Switzerland. We would travel with a group from the high school I attended, Cincinnati Christian, and led by my old Bible teacher. Talk about flashbacks. The majority of our group of 27 were parents of current or alumni students, but there were also current students and a couple alumni. I was blessed to have my parents, two aunts, my uncle, my dear friend/roomy who I convinced to go (also past alumni) and her daughter in our pack. I was in good company.

True to my nature, I researched everything up one side and down the other about the parts of Switzerland and France we would be visiting from its history to best restaurants to hit up. I also researched how to pack all of the clothes I wanted into a single carry-on. Yes, I probably researched this most.

Bless my parents for waiting so long for me to post these photos. After coming home I was immediately swallowed by work and homeschooling the kids until my winter slow down, and every few weeks my father has asked if I’ve been able to look at the photos. It wasn’t until a couple weeks ago that I was even able to go through them.  My father–he was my photography cheerleader through Europe–asking to carry my camera bag even though his knees ached, pointing me to good vantage points, sharing how happy he was that I was able to see these things….this was my highlight.

As I close out 2014 on the blog this week, I begin with Paris (more of France and Switzerland to follow). We were only there for four days and most of the time we were literally running from place to place, striving to keep up with our rigorous itinerary for the day. Although I didn’t get to slowly wander streets as I had always envisioned, I still made it a point to keep my eyes wide, soaking in every ounce of new beauty I could.

I saw….

-Adorably clothed French children calling “Mama!”
-The most dapper men I’ve ever witnessed in real life
-An older woman biking gracefully down a Parisian street. Her large hat sat above her curly grey locks, but it was the red dress that stopped me.
-Men holding their teenaged sons hands…beautiful, and I wish it was common here
-A busy and dirty city, similar to some of our own. My father claims that the Paris of today is very different from the one a decade ago.
-Picture perfect cafes, as if Audrey Hepburn may be dining at the table next to me.
-The language. I could listen all day. My attempts were purposely few, so as not to tarnish those beautiful sounds
-Window boxes with flowers everywhere I looked
-The light…the way it fell on the street in the evening, the way it reflected off the Seine. I could imagine why it inspired so many.

Instead of words, I’ll share a bit of what I saw around this magnificent city…