By Charity DeSouza – class of September 2012. Read more about her adventures with her husband in her Married Nomads blog. Paris is the city of lights. The city of love. The city you grow up believing is one of the most romantic places in the world. The place Carrie Bradshaw famously got smacked in the face by an old man.
Oddly, our $30 a night hostel had the tiniest elevator in the world. No joke, Amauri and I could barely fit in it together. Apparently French people like to be intimate. Fortunately, they had an amazing free breakfast of croissants, cereals, and beverages. The next morning we stuffed our faces, knowing that the price of food in this city would be steep. I was tempted to shove an extra croissant in my pocket.
Most of our time spent in Paris was walking. (and eating crepes, duh) Paris is a city that can easily be seen as overrated from someone who hasn’t been. Like London, it is not. The city is amazing. Every corner you turn is enchanting. Whether it is a random beautiful gold statue or a interesting piece of history, even the street lights are a piece of art. It is a feast for the senses. Just sitting around and listening to the French people go about their business is fascinating. I could listen to French for hours. I often tell Amauri that there are cities that I often “click” with, feeling as if I lived there in a past life. After visiting Paris for the second time, I can definitely put it down on my list. I could live in Paris forever.
Although it will never shake the reputation for arrogance, somehow this adds to the city’s charm. After all, they have a lot to be arrogant about. Champs-Élysées, one of the most expensive streets in the world. The Arc de Triomphe. The Louvre.
Of course, the Eiffel Tower. I’m obsessed. I made Amauri see it during the day AND at night. I’m pretty sure we took about a 100 photos here. Apparently the Tower was only expected to be up for 20 years, put up to honor the 100 year anniversary of the French Revolution. To make it even more magnificent, it sparkles at night.
We window shopped at all the high end stores and beautiful restaurants, but decided it was in our best interest to go to the grocery store and buy food on our own. Their delicious selection of meats, cheeses, and breads were enough for us.
I popped in my motion sickness medicine, blasted some Radiohead, and fell asleep.