Are we there there yet?

You don't have to be driving in a car to hear, "are we there yet?"

 That was Hebes question to me after waiting in line for 11/2 hours to get into the catacombs.

You can see the kids below with the line snaking around the block.

Actually I stood in line while the kids hung out in the shade.

Made some new friends in line who were smarter than me and had brought an umbrella for shade.

Note to self. Carry your umbrella even when there is no sign of rain. I think I was the most grateful today when we finally "arrived" underground.

Check out the zombie children I encountered.

Might need to do some autocorrect on that photo.

Here we are entering the empire of the dead.

I found it interesting that even in the empire of the dead that life wins.

Check out what is growing on dem bones (feel free to start singing "dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones").

 Makes sense given how wet things gets within these old quarry tunnels.

Fun fact: button mushrooms were originally called champignons de paris and were developed and first grown in the catacombs for the eating pleasure of the paris rich and famous.

Will remember that when I cook with them.

The catacombs were officially opened in 1810 for tours. That was after at least 6 years in the late 1790s of quietly moving bones every night from paris cemeteries to these old quarry tunnels.

What a job that would have been for six years.

One interesting thing to note about the secularization of France which I found curious.

In the catacombs is a well surrounded by bones.

It is called the Samaritan well. It was set up like this by the men who moved the bones and organized them in the tunnels in the 18 century. bviously catholic and aware of this bible story.

They made a pretty dramatic installation with a sign referencing the scripture about living water.

Kind of hopeful given that you are surrounded by millions of bones.

The sign is now gone and there is just a small plaque on the wall referencing the name of this room as the "Samaritan well". No context. No story. No scripture or scriptural reference.

I found this change curious and unfortunate since by secularizing the room they have lost the historical and religious context of the time when it was created, which are fascinating things in and of themselves.

The drama was what was missing for me. Oh well.

Perhaps I will find more dramatic adventures tomorrow.

Catherine

 Honouring Arta's 75th: Third Quarter Quell, Day 50