Bonjour Paris! Part 2

DAY 3: NEVER OUT OF STYLE – PARIS, FRANCE

The morning in Paris is, like any other place, very quiet. The only people seen up and on the go are the elders, all buying their typical baguettes and French pastries, getting ready for the bright day ahead? The birds flew in the wind and from a distance; I could once again see that sun beginning to rise over the tall, architecturally beautiful buildings along the street. After preparing myself for a long day ahead, we began the guided tour. Her name was Agnes and this tour guide was very knowledgeable, however, what tour guide isn’t? Most people took the time on the comfortable tour bus to sleep, but I had gotten a lovely sleep in the double bed that I was ready to embrace a busy day ahead. The first stop on the tour was the Notre Dame Church. The minute we arrived, my eyes opened wide, like the eyes of a child in a toy store. The oversized doors held such detail that it would’ve taken me a day just to look at it carefully. As we entered the church, the smell of burning candles and holy water raced through me. Everyone went quiet and all that could be heard was the typical cry from a child nearby. The large pillars that stood between the pews were covered in gold, which really did impress me. The alter, one of the biggest I had ever seen in my life, was set up beautifully, considering the flower arrangement in the center of it all-there were perhaps at least fifteen different types of flowers that stood peacefully in the center of the alter. Once outside, the chuckles and conversations once again resumed. We walked along the dusty road back to the bus and made our way along the Champs Cartu and Champs Elysees again, but by bus this time- we even got to see parliament.

As the tour ended we went for a small lunch at a quaint little bistro near Le Louvre Museum. I ate a nice baguette with some French cold cuts and let me say, that it really did taste delicious, like most things in this city. When we entered Le Louvre we were left to go wherever we wanted. Luckily, the first place my group of friends went was the Mona Lisa. We walked far and wide until we reached the room with the swarm of people and flashing cameras. It was ironic how a sign indicating “no picture taking” was not being followed by the people nor the guards of the museum. So, what did I do? I made my way through the crowd by pushing, squeezing and sneakily passing between the empty spaces. I was wearing a sweater and as there was more than one hundred in this small, limited space, I began to get really hot. So, to avoid beginning to sweat, I took the picture of the famous painting and escaped by the side. To be completely honest, I don’t really see the big “hype” in the Mona Lisa. Of course, it’s a lovely painting; however what is it that makes this painting so much more valuable than the other 130,000 in the museum? Is it the half smile, half frown that the Mona Lisa wears? Perhaps. After scanning threw the museum (as we had limited time) and admiring all the amazing paintings, sculptures, monuments and drawings, we went back outside to take a picture in front of the Louvre. Of course, I took a picture of the classic view where I’m touching the tip of the glass pyramid, but that’s what makes going there so worthwhile, bringing back cute pictures.

As we left the beautiful, palace looking Louvre, we were given free time, so I explored the city a little more. I walked the narrow streets of Paris, went into their famous Galleries Lafayette, which was another overpriced shopping mall and simply tried my best to see the last of the main attractions in Paris. Enjoying a small coffee and snack in a Paris Cafe was also quite nice because it was at points like this where I was truly experiencing French culture and simply embraced the customs themselves one hundred percent.

When the day came to a close, we went back to our hotel and needed to pack for the departure to Nice tomorrow. I once again, stayed out a little late and, for the last time, embraced the city of Paris. I stared at the cute, downsized cars that raced on the concrete streets; I touched the rough soil on the ground and ate a Croissant au Chocolat from the nearby Patisserie. The chocolate soothed my mouth and gave me an extra boost for the final few moments in Paris. As I take a few last stares into the window of the dark Patisseries with the diversity of foods, I went back up to the hotel and prepare for the departure tomorrow.