Oh, Paris.
Where do I even begin? How can I possibly articulate how it felt like to walk through a city that is arguably the world's most iconic travel destination? To hear the bells of Notre-Dame; to eat a flakey, buttery croissant while picnicking on the Champ de Mars? These are the quintessential Parisian moments that so many people dream of and I'm still in disbelief that I got to experience them.
Now, I'll be honest. It wasn't love at first sight for Paris and I. It was crowded and sweltering and outrageously expensive compared to the other European cities we visited. I arrived with romantic visions of quiet strolls along the Seine and was taken aback by the hordes of people everywhere we went. "I hate Paris!" I told Alan as our train pulled out of the station and carried us back to Brussels. "I'm so glad to be getting out of here!" That said, distance makes the heart grow fonder. The more I reflect on our time in the city, the more I appreciate the time we spent there. I realize that perhaps I didn't give it a fair chance and allowed my (crazy high) expectations to get the best of me. I'd like to go back and give it another go.
If I had to pick a favorite Parisian memory, it would be touring the Opera Garnier. I'm planning to write a whole blog post devoted to the Opera because it was just that incredible and I have way too many photos to try and squeeze in here. Stay tuned!
No comments