Paris when it Sizzles
Paris is an iconic city for many reasons. There is culture and character here like no other city in the World. We were a little over zealous to try and experience this incredible city in just three days, but we crammed in as much as possible. Since I was a child I have been slightly obsessed with all things Parisian, especially the Eiffel Tower, so when I caught my first glimpse of the magnificent tower my heart litterally skipped a beat. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning who just knows she will be getting everything she has asked for.
The top three things on our list were the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum & a cruise on the river Seine. We booked all of our tours in advance (through Expedia) which I highly recommend. This will relieve the stress of trying to find things when you get there as well as save you ample amounts of time.
The River cruise was first on our agenda. From the boat we passed under 22 bridges and could see almost all of the major landmarks. It was peaceful and serene even though it rained for a few minutes. We had a little bit of time in between the cruise and the tour of the Eiffel Tower so we decided to stop and get a pizza right there by the river. We were just trying to decide what to order when a nice American couple approached us saying they had ordered too much food and asked if we would like to join them. Being the extroverts that we are we accepted. It was very pleasant to sit and chat with fellow Americans about their experiences thus far, they were on a 14 day cruise and had stopped in Paris just for the day. We bonded even further over the fact that they were from Florence, AZ which is only about an hour from where my mom lives. In the 30 minutes or so we sat together we shared more than just delicious pizza and it was nice to make some new friends along the way.
We were a little nervous we were not going to make it on time to the group meeting place for our "Skip the line" tour of the Eiffel Tower but after stopping three times to ask for directions and hiking up 65 steps at the front of an architecture monument we finally made it. The group was relatively small, the tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and of course the only line we waited in was a short security checkpoint on our way up the Tower. The Eiffel Tower is a stunning accomplishment of innovation and the views from the top will quite literally take your breath away. It is hard to put into words how exhilarating it is to stand on the platform looking out across the entire city, especially when you are blessed with the kind of day we were. Nothing but perfect little cotton ball puffs of white clouds against a brilliantly blue sky. I could not have dreamed up a more perfect day if I tried.
Our second day in Paris we spent getting lost in the Latin Quarter. The entire day consisted of shopping, snacking and taking photos. We even stopped at a little place to have a manicure and a massage. The weather was nice, the corner cafes were buzzing with people and we were immersed in culture loving every minute of it.
Our last day in Paris was our semi-private tour of the Louvre Museum. We were originally expecting a group of at least six people so we were pleasantly surprised to learn it was just us and a couple from Australia. Again the tour guide was remarkable with 15 years of studying art & art history and 6 years of leading tours through the Louvre we were in extremely capable hands. She led us through the most popular of the exhibits which lasted about two hours before she released us and we were free to roam on our own. Everyone seemed surprised at the size of the Mona Lisa and how much smaller it was then they had anticipated, but despite her small stature it is absolutely stunning. Davinci was ahead of his time when he painted Ms. Lisa's portrait, which was a gift from her husband to celebrate a third child. Davinci purposefully left certain parts unfinished which gives her features a soft almost unreadable feel that is magnificent to look at. As impressive as the lady is the crowd you fight through to get to her is so intense it is sure to kick you into survival mode, be ready to throw your elbows out and claw your way to the front if you want to get a good view. We finished with a small picnic lunch on the lawn to reflect on the inspiring things we had just seen.
All in all it was an adventurous and surreal trip to Paris. I can't believe it is over already. Now we are headed out for our overnight train to Milan and on to Venice. It is a bittersweet feeling in saying goodbye to Paris but hello to Italy.
Until we meet again, Merci Paris!!!!
Liz