Paris: A Recap

Oh how I miss the City of Love. I really did fall in love with Paris, it had so much character and so many places to explore. Since I spent Sunday and Monday exploring and being a tourist, I will just go over some of my favorite parts.

First, the Eiffel Tower. It was one of those moments for me when you see something in real life you’ve heard about for years. I have seen pictures of the Eiffel Tower since I can remember, and walking around it on Sunday was almost surreal. Everyone says it’s shorter than they expected, but I was surprised at how big it was! I climbed to the second level using only stairs – that’s 43 floors! I didn’t go to the very top because the line was extremely long.

Something I was determined to do while in Paris was visit the Musee d’Orsay because I absolutely love impressionism. My favorite painters are Monet, Gaugin, and Seurat, among others. I waited in line for an hour, but was called “cute” by the security guard, so maybe it was worth it? But once I was inside I forgot about the insane line and was amazed to be seeing these paintings in real life! My art history teacher from high school would be proud at how many artists and painting styles I remembered! The d’Orsay is a converted train station, and that just added to the experience!

Something else I have to mention is Parisian food. Rachel, my friend and fabulous tour guide, told me I couldn’t leave Paris without trying macarons. Not macaroons, (like with coconut), these are two fluffy wafers sandwiched together with frosting. They were amazing. I promised her I’d make some when I’m home again. Also delicious in France: everything. Nothing I ate while in Paris was bad.

Sunday I also visited the Arc du Triomphe again,  the Louvre gardens, Notre Dame, and many other places that were obviously touristy and important that I took pictures of, but need to look up to see what they are and why they are important! At the end of the day I was so tired my feet were killing and I almost fell asleep on the metro.

Before leaving Paris, I went to a beautiful Parisian department store and purchased my first (and second) Longchamp bag. I had saved money over the summer to be able to buy them, and Paris is definitely the cheapest place to get them. I used them both when traveling today and can’t believe I went so long without one! They are so practical, and can hold a ton!

My train ride to my next stop was interesting. I’m now in Brussels! There was a whining baby behind me the entire trip (only a little over an hour) and the mom had no intention of entertaining him to keep him quiet. The woman next to me was going insane. But I easily found the hostel I stayed in and had a good night with a room to myself! How lucky. Tomorrow I will post about my day trip to Lille, France to visit my friend Kelly!

Until then,

Devon