Paris

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Sorry I have not been keeping up with the blog. I hope all is well and I send my very best.


Over the weekend I went to Paris. I was somewhat reluctant to go, but I enjoyed Paris more than I thought I would. Of course, being my first time in France and Paris we hit all the tourist attractions. Paris is a beautiful city with the Seine River seen throughout. But the city is very expensive with lots of tourists like myself. We first went to the Champs-Élysées, which is the glamorous street with all the designers and at the end is the Arc de Triomphe. It was very cool but was similar to 5th Ave or Michigan Ave with a huge Arch at the end.

We went to the Eiffel Tower twice. Once at night to see the light show. Every hour it lights up and glitters. Then we went during the day to the top. It is truly an unbelievable site with 360 view of the entire city. Amazing, check out the videos posted.

We also visited Notre Dame, which was very cool. On an island separated by the Seine River, the outside of the church is a sight to see. The architecture is awesome, especially the gargoyles. After the the church, we went to the Pantheon, which is model of the original. It was very interesting to see.

After the Pantheon, I got a taste of Paris by getting a crepe from a vendor. They were amazing. All weekend, I ate very well. From crepes, french toast, and tons of pastry. My dad would have died and gone to heaven. We also visited Luxembourg gardens which houses the French Senate. It was a very nice park in the middle of the busy city.

That night we went to the famous Louvre museum. The walk to the Louvre is a sight itself and the building is truly remarkable. Entering through the famous pyramid in the middle of the museum, I was overwhelmed when I received the map of the museum. The Louvre is so big that you can spend weeks there. The physical building itself is art. All the ceilings are all painted and the architecture is one of a kind. We tried to hit the highlights of the Louvre such as the Grand Hall with the Mona Lisa, Napoleon Apartments, Louis XIV jewels, and many more. We actually got lost in the museum due to its size. I wish we had more time, but we had to keep moving.

The next day, we got on a train and went to the Palace of Versailles. The palace was built by Louis XIV and was added on by Maria Antonite and Napoleon spent time there also. Also as you know the Treaty of Versailles ending WWII was signed here. The palace was very glitzy and plush. Louis had everything made in silver fit for a king. One of the highlights was the Hall of Mirrors, which is the grand hall with the throne at the end. It was decorated with chandeliers and huge windows overlooking the gardens. The gardens of the palace were amazing. They stretch so far and we got a good look as we walked through them to .

After Versailles, we went to a neighborhood called Montmarte, which is a very cool neighborhood in Paris. On Montmarte is Sacred Heart Basilica which has amazing views of the city of Paris. The area is very artsy and we hung out on the steps for a couple of hours sipping wine and listening to a band that played nearby. As I was overlooking the city of Paris, I was listening to French men signing John Denver in their foreign accents, truly a one in a lifetime experience.

After Montmarte we visited the Red Light District of Paris and saw the world famous Moulin Rouge. We didn't see a show there because tickets to a show were over 85 Euros.

My trip to Paris was great. I did not think I would enjoy it as much as I did. Paris is a beautiful city and I definitely want to go back sometime. Anyways let me know how you guys are doing and what I am missing back in the states. Take care and I will talk to you all soon.

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Photos

P2210581
Shimmers every hour at night for the first 10 minutes