Chartres labyrinth

When I return to Chartres cathedral on Friday, the atmosphere seems different. No Gregorian chant, no organ, no incense. Catholicism has retreated for the day. There are still tourists about; guidebooks in hand, peering up at the stained glass windows and gothic arches, often oblivious to the designs in the stone floor. But the change is unmistakeable. The chairs have been moved apart and the full labyrinth revealed. There's nothing magic or esoteric here, just the squeak of rubber soles on the stones unperturbed by 800 years of footsteps. The labyrinth design is a single pathway into the center and back out again. It is a metaphor for the human journey - long, exacting, twisting and turning, leading each of us to the same place, while allowing each of us our own interpretation.


I find peace in this walking meditation. I find my own breath slowing, deepening, I am aware of the ground; the earth reaching up through the stone. Reaching up? Or I am reaching down? I feel connected, grounded. Each time I walk a labyrinth, different images, thoughts, and feelings arise. Almost always, I feel a deep sense of gratitude - simply for the gift of life. I've discovered that I have to right to follow my unique path, and this allows me to let go and let others find their own way.

It wasn't until last summer, tagging along with Carol, that I first encountered a labyrinth of any sort. There is a labyrinth in downtown Boulder in the basement of the Methodist church. It is a replica of the Chartres labyrinth.
I never anticipated the effect it would have on me. And ever since that time I've wanted to come to Chartres and experience the original.

I don't attend church. I was baptised Catholic but don't believe in papal infallibility or other rigid dogma espoused by the Catholic church. Buddhism appeals to me more than most belief systems. But I am not a practicing anything. However, labyrinths move me. They allow me to slow down, open up, and receive.


And it's not always serious! Sometimes, my thoughts have me laughing out loud. And today, while deep in my own thoughts, I saw the little boy with his plastic sword and shield on his way to slay a dragon or two, and I thought of my son Eric at that age.

Chartres cathedral

I returned to Chartres for the second time on Friday. Chartres is a town about an hour south of Paris with a famous cathedral built in the twelfth century. It is one of France's most beautiful and well known examples of Gothic architecture and stained glass windows. It's almost as famous as Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.




But I didn't come for the architecture, I came to walk the labyrinth. The first time I came, on May 15th, I discovered that chairs obscure the labyrinth and many visitors don't even realize it is there. You can see the labyrinth in the floor in the picture below:


Since that day I've been wanting to go back on a Friday when the labyrinth is not covered by chairs or obscured by weddings.

Tour de France - from the air

Here is a photo I wish I had taken! No, I definitely didn't get to ride in the helicopter, but I saw this online and thought it was such a great photo of the race and the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe that I just wanted to show it to you. You can see why they call this the "Place de l'Etoile" (star)

The American Library in Paris

I've just returned from my weekly visit to the American Library in Paris. Books are expensive, and I was running out of reading material. The used book stores don't always have a good selection, and besides, I'm still traveling light and don't want to encumber myself with "stuff". So I was delighted to discover the American Library. I never knew it existed, even though it was founded in 1920. It moved to its current location just east of the Eiffel Tower in 1964. I wish I'd known about it when I lived here in the 70s! It's only 1 km from the apartment I lived in at that time, just on the opposite side of the Champs de Mars. However, it is on a small side street with an almost invisible sign marking its location. It would be easy to live a block away and never know it was there.






It's not too far from where I'm living now, and the first time I went there I took the bus. It's much faster to get there by bike, and I can carry several pounds of books in my backpack. One more way to pass the time alone in Paris :-)

Cooking for one

I love French food and I love French markets. I go to the market almost every day - and I have for years. Even when I lived in Boulder. It probably dates back to the time we spent in Paris in the 70s. It's just a way of life here. That, and the fact that my fridge is tiny (it was back then too). Furthermore, I like living my life au pif. That means not planning ahead, not preparing menus a month at a time. I like to wake up each day and think about what sounds good. I never think about what I'll eat or do tomorrow or the next day.

I don't mind taking the time to shop and cook for one. And my current apartment is much better equipped and pleasant for dining in. Here's what a few recent lunches or dinners have looked like:


It did occur to me as I was enjoying the steak and tomatoes that I remember my mother savoring the steak she cooked for herself after we were asleep. It was the only time of the day when she had peace and quiet. But I don't think she bothered with the glass of wine, the heirloom tomatoes or the fresh basil.


Fresh ravioli from the Italian deli down the street . . .

Sometimes, especially if I've had a big lunch, I'll have something light for dinner. Something simple. Last night is was just cereal (Special K - yes, they sell Special K in the ordinary grocery stores) with milk and fresh strawberries from the market.

The Tour de France

It's been thrilling to watch the Tour de France on TV. Even better to see the race up close and personal, right?

I hopped on my bike hoping to catch some good photos of the Tour de France finish on the Champs Elysees. Ha! Easier said than done. At least 300,000 other people all had the same idea. I made it only as far as the rue de Rivoli, across from the Tuileries gardens near the Louvre, on the east end of the final loop. I couldn't wiggle my way into the front row, but I did manage to stick my arm and camera in between a few people so that I could snap a few photos.

Here are the best of them. Remember, I don't have one of those big fancy cameras with speedy shutter speed and long lens!






I tried moving down the street to find a better spot. I climbed up some steps, but just caught a big blur as they whizzed by at 50+ km/hr.



This is about as close as I could get to the winner in the yellow jersey, Alberto Contador. Oh well.


You can find much better pictures on TV or the Tour website, but it was exciting to be there and to see them speed past.

New helmet

I finally picked up a new bike helmet. I've been riding my bike regularly, and even though Paris has quite a few bike lanes like this one:


It's still a little scary mixing it up with buses and cars. So now, and after some urging by those who care about me, I have a new bike helmet. The helmet I had back in Boulder didn't have pink flowers, but hey, this is Paris! And it matched the pink shirt I happened to be wearing. I was more concerned with protecting my head than looking good, but the bike shop owner assured me that this will do a good job protecting my head while still looking "fun" (yes, they use the English word).


Now I am off to watch the arrival of the Tour de France on the Champs Elysees in Paris. Stay tuned for photos!