Wow..Paris seems like a distant but very fond memory at this point, but thankfully I have a lot of pictures so that helps me remember...so here goes remembering!
So me and Megan went to Paris for our "Puente" and it was an amazing choice! Here in Europe there are a couple of low budget airlines that sell really cheap tickets to all around Europe, one of which is Ryan Air. So when me and megan decided we were going to Paris we of course went to look at the cheapest airlines website, found tickets for 60 euro round trip, and booked! Well....next time we fly we might look at other options. We get to the airport, grab some food, and go looking for our gate. So we see this extremely long line were thinking "What's going on? Is a celebrity in town?" Nope. It was the line to get on our plane. Everyone but us knew that people started lining up at the gate an hour or so before the gate opened because there were no assigned seats, and then if there was no room left in the cabin for your carry-on luggage (because nobody wants to pay the fees to check the bag), then they require you to check your bag (which in the end is way more expensive than if you would have checked luggage in the beginning). So thankfully, we got on the plane, had aisle seats right next to each other, our luggage fit...we were saved!
We land in Paris 2 hours later, get off the plane, and there is no terminal really. We just climbed down and walked over to this building. We get in the building and the only option is to buy this bus ticket that costs 14 euros, and everyone is doing it! So I get out the directions that the Hostel gave us and sure enough it said from Beauvais (sp?) airport, we had to take this bus for 1 hour and 15 minutes! So I'm a little confused but whatever, i'm in Paris! Right? So we buy the tickets and go get on the bus. Well we start driving and i'm noticing there are no lights, no people, nothing. About 10 minutes into the bus ride I see a street sign "Paris...80 km" WTF?!? I bought a ticket to Paris, what do you mean i'm not even in Paris??! So After an hour and a half on the bus, and another hour on the metro, we got to the hostel, which was probably the best hostel I have ever stayed in. I would definately give it two thumbs up!
First Day in Paris:
Well the first day we got up with no real plan, but everyone in our room was telling us to take advantage of the day and do things outside instead of going to the thousands of museums that occupy Paris. While yes it was sunny, it was freezing! It was that "straight to the bone" freezing, but we were in Paris so no complaining! First stop-Arc de Triumph (its way bigger than I imagined--you know how things always look smaller in person than on the movies, not the case for the Arc de Triumph). Second stop- Chino store to get batteries and fruit. Third stop- Eiffel Tower. When actually seeing the Eiffel Tower its an "oohhh ahhh" moment, but not necessarily because it is gorgeous, but more what it represents. The eiffel tower is like the "welcome to Paris sign", it makes your trip official! So after posing in front of it countless times, taking hundreds of pictures that now all look so incredibly similar despite the obvious difference at the time I took them, we went to a less touristy thing...Third stop: an above ground cemetery (I truly felt like my grandmother's grandaughter). Maybe I am just ignorant to French customs, but most of their cemetaries are above ground, just like they are in New Orleans. I always thought they buried people above ground in New Orleans because of flooding and such, but they do the same in France, so it could be a tradition brought by the french...not exactly sure. But the cemetary was row after row after row of tombs...beautiful tombs. There was a directory of all the famous people buried there, but I know nothing about french composers or writers, so the "stardom" was lost on me, but the experience was a win. Fourth stop- Gallerie de La Fayette. So the Galleria de La Fayette is this really famous shopping center/mall in Paris because it is every designer you could ever think of all under the same roof. Imagine a 6 story wal-mart full of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and designers only the rich have heard of. So while we were walking through this place knowing we probably couldn't even afford a pen, my $15 purse breaks! Talk about a sign from the Gucci Gods! So after meandering for a little while longer, we went across the street to H&M to buy yet another cheap purse that will probably break in a year as well. Day 1 ended like any day in Paris should end--with a pastry! I believe that was my strawberry tarte night, that I almost didn't get because I said "tarte" in any overly American accent I am assuming, and they had no clue what I wanted. Thankfully, pointing always works!
Second Day in Paris:
So Megan's grandpa spent a lot of time in Paris during WWII and he told her that we had to take a boat tour (call me ignorant, but I didn't even know there was a river than ran through Paris!) We got really lucky because we found this boat tour that was only 8 euro and stopped at most of the major landmarks. First stop- the Louvre, which absolutely huge. Rumor is that if you stopped at every piece of art for 10 seconds, and stayed inside for 24 hours, you would be in the Louvre for 3 weeks! I actually didn't go in the Louvre but I took pictures of me in front of it...I know, bad tourist. Second stop- Notre Dame Cathedral: Gothic Architecture, enormous, and stunning. Being the antsy tourist I am, I actually didn't go in this one eitherbut once again, I would have been there all day waiting, so I admired it from the outside and kept it moving! Third Stop- Champs Elysees. I'm not exactly sure what the Champs Elysees was, but I really liked this area. The cool thing was that the entire time we were walking around I kept seeing this gold encrusted dome that looked stunning. I just assumed it was a museum, but then I found out it was Napolean's tomb! My mouth started salivating when I found out what it was!!! So while I didn't see the Champs Elysees (at least I don't think i did), I found Napoleon, which means WWAAYYY more to a history/political science major... Fourth Stop: Eiffel Tower at night--while the Eiffel Tower is pretty during the day (despite my mom's critique's), its reallllyyy pretty at night when they turn the lights on. I definitely understand why 1/2 the world has got engaged under the Eiffel Tower at night, no women with a pulse could ever say no with that type of scenery! Fifth stop- Crepes at Natalie's! So while I couldn't really afford to try really expensive food, I did want to try the stuff that was actually in my price range, so Crepes fit perfectly! While my crepe was good, It wasn't "all that". Sixth stop- a "faked" migraine and a pastry of course, followed by a sugar induced coma!
Note- So Natalie was actually staying in an apartment in Paris and when you wanted to use the bathroom you went into the equivalent of a hall closet which just had the toilet. No sink, nothing. Then, when you wanted to wash your hands (maybe the french don't wash their hands, so it doesn't seem like such a big hassel) but you had to walk through the front room and through the bedroom to get to the sink to wash your hands. Megan couldn't believe it!
Day Three in Paris: I was really wanting to go to Versailles on the third day, but I had to buy my ticket like 2 days in advance and I didn't even think about it, so I failed in that area, but I still had a good third day. I think anytime you go with other people on trips, and you each have different interest, at least one day must be spent solo. Mainly just because there are things that we are each interested in, that the other might not be interested so. So at least one day should be dedicated to doing what you want to do..or at least that's my opinion. So the third day in Paris was that for me and Megan. Megan rented a bike and just rode around. While I really like biking, it was freezing and raining..no thanks. So I went to Montmaret (sp?) which was an amazing choice! First stop- Sacred Cross: A beautiful church that is set really high up on a hill/mountain,and it offers give you the best view of Paris besides the Eiffel Tower. Second Stop- meandering through the street market, little shops, and street performers in Montmaret --2 thumbs up and 5 stars. Can't really explain it, but it was a good time. All I can say is that it actually matched my expectations of France. If I could bottle up that area, i would use as the explanation of why people love Paris. Third Stop- Moulin Rouge...pretty disappointing. I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but I'm glad I didn't make a special trip out there to see it. It's literally just a windmill and a sign that says Moulin Rouge. However, I guess what Moulin Rouge is famous for isn't necessarily the fine architecture or breath taking views.
My Commentary: I can totally understand why people absolutely love Paris. I don't know if there is any other place in the world with so many amazing sights, breathtaking views, accompanied by a cultural feeling that can only be felt and not explained. Usually when people visit places they know of maybe one thing that they want to see, and then seek out other things. In Paris, its like every time you turn around its another site that you know! I will definitely be making another trip to Paris. I think Paris is some place you could go over and over and over again to, and never get tired of it. Which I don't think I have ever felt like that about a place I have visited. Good job Paris!
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