Sacre-Coeur
Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 3:10PM Having nothing to do, and no where to be, I decided it was time to see Paris at night from the steps of the Sacré-Cœur.
I've written about the hike up to the top before since it is not for the faint of heart. This time I took a more direct route from the Anvers Metro station which lets you off blocks from Saint Michel Parc and the steps up to the cathedral.
The steps are daunting... To say the least. There is a tram that will take you to the top of the hill if you feel the hike is too much, and I briefly considered this. But ultimately, I am either a mosaicist or I know that anything worth doing is worth taking the less pleasant route for, even if half way up I'm am sure my actual heart is going to explode.
The stairs are not all one long case leading up to the top, but broken up with long platforms of sort, where stairs break off to the west.
Each of these stops where the stairs flattened themselves out were breaks from the long haul to the top, and reminded me of what my life has been like. Tiring and painful times in my life when I am climbing something that seems like its pain will never end followed by a break of sorts, a place to stand and just be.
The first 2 or 3 stair cases winded me but I was determined to get to the top so instead of taking my time at the breaks I continued at a brisk pace. I passed a man on a crutch with his wife, a runner in black shorts and a bald head heading down at a pace that was just this side of nearly falling on his head and a women also heading down with her friend in impossibly high platforms that were not suited for walking. There were blankets laid out on each side of the stairs with faux purses. A chic Chanel knock off I coveted for a moment. I found myself asking if that purse would make me happy. I never stopped to look at them, only a passing glance because I knew the answer. I owned enough purses to know that one won't change anything.
Around the fourth staircase I began to get that winded pain in my chest that had me considering turning around and catching the tram. I though about giving up... And when the older couple who were climbing the stairs at an impossibly slow pace were directly in front of me I felt a sense of pain at the road block that was keeping me from my goal.
The next staircase I was accosted from behind by giggly children racing each other up the hill. I heard a parent scold a young boy, maybe 3 or 4 as he pushed pass me, unable to be slowed down by the big persons ideas or pace.
I was very jealous of the ones with so much energy and competitiveness. They seemed to be living where I felt like I haven't. They are going to do amazing things, the type of things I could have of done, or should have done. The things I can't do now at my broken age of 30.
I finally had to really stop and catch my breath around 3 sets of stairs from the top. I kept asking myself if this was really worth the pain I was feeling in my chest and legs? I could come back another time. But I was so close.
I couldn't give up. Not when I was so close to my goal. I was near the top.
I worked my way up, to the road at the base of the cathedral. I could have stopped there but it wouldn't have been my goal. I would be settling. So I braved the last long set of stairs to where the church stood.
The atmosphere was festive. People wandering with beers and talking. Laugh. A man on a guitar playing a bluesy song.
The view was breath taking. As dusk set in, lights of the city started to awake. I sat on the stairs for a long time. Fatigue began to set in, but I didn't want to leave my perch above the city.
I watched street vendors with there LED infused helicopters tossed about like shooting starts and their Eiffel Towers in shades of red and blue.
At least 3 guys tried to strike up conversations with me, but I didn't feel like talking. I was preoccupied. Wondering if me doing my part was enough for me to make it to the top of a different mountain. I ignored them for the most part, saying that I didn't understand what they were saying.
I guess in my own way I was still busy, climbing.
