After 10 days in Italy with my family and a brief week of class, I find it hard to break myself out of "vacation-mode" since fall break. Four and half days in Paris with James did not help. For the first time during my semester abroad, I've finally fallen in love with a "big city". Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed everywhere I've been (other than maybe an unimpressionable and crowded Venice), but Paris fully lived up and exceeded every expectation I had. I was pretty sick last week and hoped to rebound before taking off but Paris seemed to be my cure. We hit the highlights, but I could've spent weeks enjoying French cuisine and architecture.
Everything in Italy is old. Like, really old, and boasting centuries of history. And by American standards, Paris is too. But, Napolean's Arc de Triomphe is only 300 years old. A modern, but classical city with a rich and beautiful history. And great food. That's my take-away message from Paris.
So, yes, we arrived Wednesday night and after an hour or two of walking the streets of Paris, we navigated from the nearest metro stop to our hotel. We began Thursday with a 80% chance of rain all day, so we decided to try and stay indoors, but since the Arc de Triomphe was just down the road.... we couldn't resist. So, we climbed to the top (a surprising number of spiral staircases!). The view from the top is a unique one: Upwards of 6 or so roads converge in Place Charles de Gaulle. Not only can you see the layout of the city, but you have a perfect view of the Eiffel tower. Once it started drizzling, we ducked into the metro and made our way to the Louvre. Another nice aspect of Paris: its very student-friendly. Other than the Arc and Eiffel tower tickets, we got into most places free simply for being students living in Europe under the age of 25. Don't hate that. Like the Uffizi, the Louvre is massive and simply impossible to take in in one afternoon. After nearly a semester of museum or church boasting famous religious art after religious art after reglious art, we walked through the Louvre, pausing at interesting pieces (and of course the most famous ones), but we didn't spend the entire day being art critics. Amoung the many things that I love about James, one of my favorites is his ability to whip out names and dates and stories throughout history by the end of my question. He's like my personal tour guide, and if we both are stumped on something that interests us, we've both, nearly in unison at this point, say, "We'll look it up when we get home." He's taught me to have an even more inquisitive mind and here, you can learn everywhere.
One problem with France.... is French. Having taken Spanish and grown up with a couple of Italian pharses tossed around, I was not in the slightest concerned before coming to Italy or traveling to Spain. I'm familiar enough with "food words" and I can always point to a map or in a direction, but in France, James and I were both completely clueless. On our first night, we stopped at a small mini-market to grab some waters. The owner told us what I hope to be "thanks, goodnight." James and I replied the only way we could, with a smile and a wave. Translated menus or understanding waiters with broken English became my best friend. And once we found a good thing, we didn't let go. We ate at the same lunch spot 3 of the days we were there and at the same place for dinner twice. Luckily, we were looking for typical French cuisine. We managed to try onion soup, chocolate mousse, escargot, crepes, and beef tartar during our weekend, as well as American, Japanese, and Italian meals.
Friday, we went to Notre Dome where we happened to catch a service. The incense burning and sounds of a children's choir singing, the Gothic church was awe-inspiring. After a Nutella crepe and a "35 minute walk" along the Seine River, we made it to the Eiffle Tower for a trip to the top. After several days of pestering James about making reservations for the Eiffle Tower, he finally succumbed, and we were both satisfied to see the line wrapped around the tower. Bypassing the crowds, we headed up quickly to the top where we snapped a few photos, enjoyed the view, and became infected with hypothermia. While the ground temperature was pleasant in a sweater, I was frigid at the top. A brief lightshow and sushi later, we navigated the metro and called it a night.
Saturday, we went to the ornate Versailles Palace. The only comparison I can make is that of the Biltmore, but the lavishness of the King and Queen's quarters, the Hall of Mirrors, and other rooms on display accurately depict the wealth around 17th C France. The audiotour was managable and informative which I very much appreciated. We walked some of the famous gardens before sunset and headed back for our final night in France.
One final observation of Paris: Everyone is either carrying a baguette, pinching off bites as they walk, on their way to a bakery, or wishing they had one. We saw lines wrapped around street corners of the bakeries. France wins, I will admit, in the bread department.
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