Paris

This being my first trip out of the country, I was a bit apprehensive. I was worried about the language, the people, and just being...lost. Yes, although most of these proved to be barriers, I still had a blast and found that I can be anywhere in the world and be ok. The flight was long, our hotel was in shambles, and we walked about 50 miles during the 5 days we spent in Paris. Ok, the last part may be a bit overexaggerated, but seriously I could barely walk from all the soreness in my muscles. The city of Paris is a bit on the dirty side. It smells like garbage and everyone smokes. The amount of people walking the streets all the time is mind-boggling. There are people everywhere. Doesn't anyone work? We did have a couple of snooty looks, but overall the people there weren't as rude as I've been told. The food...my goodness...the food. I loved how fresh and simple everything was. Sandwiches, crepes, pastries and even the Coke tasted better.

We mainly stuck to the touristy sites. I've never seen so many sculptures and paintings. Notre Dame was awesome! After climbing up the the bell tower I thought my knees were going to give out. Definitely worth it though. The Louvre was very grand and it was hard to take it all in. The Mona Lisa was a bit disappointing since I'd built it up in my head. Still cool though. I loved the Eiffel Tower. It was amazing to stand atop and look down onto the city. And when the twinkle lights came on after dark, it was simply breathtaking. The day before we came home we made a quick jaunt to the Arc de Triompe since we missed it during the first leg of the trip. I wouldn't say I loved Paris, but I did love the architecture and culture that represents it. I do hope to go back someday.