Oui Oui!

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I just got back from a lovely weekend away in Paris--it was my first time and I absolutely loved it! Moreover, I stayed with Tanya, my second cousin who I haven't seen in ages, so it was fantastic to see her again and catch up.

Saturday morning we took a quick 2 hour train ride on the Eurostar directly into the center of Paris to Gar du Nord and started off the day with delicious french pastries and coffee after dropping our things off at Tanya's flat. With our bellies full of deliciousness we began our stroll towards Notre Dame. Along the way we got caught up in a cute artsy market where Erin got a beautiful pair of glass earrings and I got a much-needed handmade leather belt from this sweet old man. I was really surprised with how much I understood the french when they spoke to me because I have trouble with the pronunciation of French words since they never sound the way they are spelled. But I was very excited when I could communicate a little bit!

We continued our walk towards the center, popping into shoes stores here and there in search of sturdy new boots after mine were completely demolished in the rain storm that Erin and I barely evaded when we left London. The boots were definitely top quality, but totally out of my price range.

We continued our stroll through Place de Vosges in the Marais district, which is the oldest planned square in Paris. When we finally got to the Notre Dame, Erin and I only got to walk through the inside lower level because the queues to climb to the top of the towers were too long to waste my precious Parisien time waiting in. The breadth of the cathedral was absolutely breathtaking with the most intricate stain-glass windows I have ever seen. Usually cathedrals only have one main room, but the Notre Dame had beautiful corridors of archways running alongside the center room that were just impeccable. This was definitely one of my favorite cathedrals I have ever been in, I just wish I had been able to take in the view of the city from its towers.

We then took a break for lunch and sat outside the cafe to chat and people watch. I love coming to a city and living the cultural life and eating the local food instead of rushing from one tourist destination to the next. Erin and I spent about 2 hours eating, talking, and laughing over lunch commenting on the passersby and the chimneys of smokers that surrounded us. The pervasiveness of the cigarette is definitely one cultural habit I have yet to understand. Nonetheless, I am so glad I came to Paris with Erin--she is not a smoke stack and is a perfect travel buddy. There is never a dull moment with her.

As we moved on along the river Seine, we continued to take in the gorgeous sites of the senate buildings and the Eiffel Tower in the background. When we reached the Musee de Louvre, I couldn't believe how massive it was. I would have liked to go inside, but the weather was just too nice to go inside and I could have spent the entire weekend in there. So we just continued on through Jardin des Tuileries, which was very exemplar of a geometric Parisien garden and Place de la Concorde, which is the largest square in the capital. At this point it was my favorite time of day because the sun was going down and colors of the sky juxtaposed with the city lights made everything come alive.

Place de Concorde went right into Avenue des Champs-Elysees, which I have wanted to see since I studied abroad in Merida. In Merida, the main street, Paseo de Montejo, was built after Avenue des Champs-Elysees so I was so excited to be able to compare the two and note the similarities and differences. Champs-Elysees really did remind me of Paseo de Montejo, but on a much larger scale, and the lights leading up to Arc de Triomphe gave it a more grandiose feel. Unfortunately at this point, we had to make our way back to get ready for Katerina's birthday party.

For some reason I had the impression the Paris was going to be loaded with people in the most fashionable garb, especially after I met Katerina on Halloween and she spent the entire day after lounging around in 4 inch heels while we were in sweats and slippers. So I went out and bought some heels and a hot fancy outfit for the occasion. Little did I know that French style is au natural casual chic and I would be completely overdressed. Nonetheless, I had fun meeting Katerina's gay fashionista friends and eating delicious cheese and drinking good wine at the bistro cafe for her party.

Sunday began with a 2 hour personal tour of the Pere Lachaise Cemetery, which houses the corpses of famous people ranging from Chopin to Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde. Moreover, it was one the most grandiose and over-the-top cemeteries I have ever been in. It was like a little town of tombstones varying in style and size from a simple stone to a mini castle. What I found disturbing, however, was the tourism of the place. Cemeteries are meant to be very peaceful places for the people laid at rest in them, but all of the strangers coming through snapping photos and even vandalizing some of the most famous graves with graffiti and notes takes away this peaceful aura. Tanya said that at one point there was even a guard for Jim Morrison's grave because it gets so much attention and vandalism. Now it's just gated off with a huge fence--not quite as peaceful and picturesque as you'd expect. There's just something so inappropriate about it all. On the other hand, it was really incredible to see the graves of such famous people. The whole experience left me with a weird feeling of awe and discomfort.

Afterwards, we parted ways with Tanya and we sat down to fill our bellies with a coffee and pastry from the boulangerie again on the way to Jardin du Luxembourg. We were blessed with another beautiful sunny day so walking through the spacious gardens was an even bigger treat. From there it was just non-stop walking along the Seine passed the Grande Palais and Petit Palais until the sun went down and we ended at the famous Eiffel Tower. During the day, the Eiffel just looks like a radio tower in the distance. But once the sun goes down, it comes to life and the closer you get to it, the more awe-inspiring it is, especially when it glistens on the hour. I would say that it is my favorite famous landmark thus far because no other landmark is so transparent and allows you to experience it from every angle including underneath it and at the top. Just gorgeous.

After two days of getting to know the city and realizing how compact it is, we set out to walk all the way back to Tanya's flat from the Eiffel Tower. However, I underestimated the distance and walked Erin to death unfortunately. I was alright because the adrenalin from all the new sites was keeping me going, but since it was already Erin's 4th time in Paris, her energy levels were dwindling, particularly after walking around all day long. Nonetheless, we made it back to Tanya's in less than 2 hours and gratefully collapsed on the sofa. Tanya came back from her date at the Ritz and made us a scrumptious dinner of pumpkin coconut soup and shrimp scampi. It was so inspiring talking with Tanya about her experiences and how she ended up living in Paris. I have been trying to find a way back to Europe, but after hearing Tanya's life story and the freelance nature of her work, I am particularly motivated to find a way back after graduation.

It was a weekend full of so much french, rich culture, decadent food, beautiful sites, and great company. I don't think it could have been any better. However, 2 days just doesn't do it justice, so I will definitely be back.

Moreover, I will definitely be sure to bring all of my documents next time because I got grilled by the UK Border Agency after I realized I left my student visa back in London. Another lesson learned--bring every possible important document when traveling and get EU citizenship asap so I don't have to deal with this crap anymore...

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Comments

[anonymous]

it sounds like the uk border agency is taking lessons from our DMVs.... miss you love! glad you had a wonderful time in the city of lights!!! auu paris paris paris!!!tu vie la vie en rose!