Falling In Love with Paris
Day 1
I landed at Paris Charles de Gauelle airport at 8:30 in the morning. Navigating through the gigantic airport and walking alongside my fellow travelers, I was reminded of the luxury I have of being an english speaker. Getting around the airport in Paris wasn’t that difficult since most everything was translated to my native tongue and almost everyone spoke at least a little English. I can’t imagine how scary it might be to travel to a foreign country where you don’t even share the same alphabet. What a privilege it is to be able to freely travel without many worries. What a privilege it is to be American.
I met up with my mom, we bought SIM cards and exchanged our precious greenbacks for a more colorful currency, and began our trip to the beautiful city of Paris.
We jumped on the Paris metro and got to see the beautiful French countryside from the comfort of our train car. It had been awhile since I’ve relied solely on public transportation to get around on a vacation and I was nervous at the thought of getting lost in a foreign city. I wasn’t in the United States anymore, and I couldn’t expect even the simplest things like public transportation to be easy. I had to check my entitlement at the door, learn to rely on the kindness of the locals, and laugh at myself for the stupid mistakes I was going to make as a “typical tourist”.
After checking into the hotel, my mom and I went on a stroll along the canal to go see the gigantic metal sphere at the science and industry museum. Lining the canal were wide walkways littered with moms and their kids, businessmen, bikers, students, and lovers. Cafes were buzzing with energy from the caffeine in the espressos and the alcohol in the wine.
After a quick visit to the metal sculpture outside of the museum, we got back to the hotel just as it began to rain. We agreed to take a quick nap while we waited for the rain to let up, which happened to be perfect since both of us were feeling a little jet lagged.
Once the rain stopped and we were refreshed from our naps, we made our way via train to the Galeria Lafayette - a shopping center that houses a beautiful stained glass dome ceiling and a distant view of the Eiffel Tower.
Wandering the streets around the mall, we stumbled upon cute Parisian streets with cafes. We stopped into one of these sweet little restaurants and enjoyed a delicious gnocchi and risotto dinner.
The night was coming to an end so we took the scenic route down the narrow neighborhood streets of Paris back to the train station and back to the familiarity of our hotel.
We made a quick game plan for the next day, I taught my mom how to use Snapchat, and before long, we were fast asleep with anticipation of tomorrow’s adventure to the famous Palace of Versailles just outside of the city of Paris.
Day 2
My mom was really excited about taking me to the Palace of Versailles. She visited the palace with her friends a couple months ago, but wanted to take me to see the extravagant palace that Marie Antoinette called home in the 1700s. We took an hour long train ride to the town of Versailles, getting a double-decker view of the French countryside. I was expecting Versailles to be similar to Paris, with narrow streets crowded with people, cafes and restaurants on every corner, and metro stations every couple of blocks. Of course, having not done my research about Versailles, I was very wrong.
There were a couple narrow streets and beautifully old an ornate buildings, but they weren’t bustling with people. There weren’t busy cafes and restaurants on every corner, and definitely no metro stations. Versailles was a quiet town that felt like it had been abandoned centuries ago. The only thing kicking up the dust in this town were the tourists visiting the famous palace that once housed the royal family.
We glided through each of the rooms in the palace, stopping at each one to listen to our audio guidebooks and learn about the purpose and history of that room. After making our way through the public wings of the palace, we made our way to the garden. A beautifully ornate fountain sat in the middle of the path in between the palace and the immaculate lawn. Once we reached the edge of the lawn, we noticed the fatigue in our legs and the incoming of dark storm clouds, so we snapped a couple of photos and made our way back to the station to head back to the big city.
When we got to the train station in Versailles, we were met with crowds of people in short shorts and tanks, and we realized that a marathon had just concluded and many of the runners were heading back into Paris. After enduring the 1 hour train ride surrounded by sweaty and smelly passengers, we were glad to deboard.
It was a little past 1pm and we were getting restlessly hungry, so we decided to scout out a place for lunch. Although many of the tourist maps guided us to an area called "Latin Quarter" for the best restaurants, our kind hotel staff instructed us to go to "Place des Vosges" instead for more a more authentic Parisian experience. We took the train to the nearest metro stop and began to walk toward Place des Vosges but stopped out of curiosity for what appeared to be a market in the street. We were drawn in by the smells of freshly baked bread and pastas, and stayed so we could get a little taste of all the different dishes available.
The rain came suddenly, so we retreated back to the hostel for another mid-day nap. When we woke up 2 hours later, we grabbed our bags, strapped on our shoes, and went North to explore the art district. My mom found a guidebook that laid out a path to walk to explore the art district of Paris. It began at “the love mural”, which we unfortunately couldn’t get to because the park had closed early on this weekend. We continued walking along this path that took us down the residential streets of Paris and before I knew it, I was falling in love with the city.
I never understood what it meant when people would refer to Paris as the city of romance. But walking through these side streets of Paris, I finally realized what that meant. It’s almost impossible to describe, but walking around the city of Paris made me want to be in love.
There’s something about the ambiance. The slow pace of life, the beautifully decorated balconies, and the aesthetic design of shops and restaurants. It’s as if the whole city was designed for intimacy and love, from the placement of chairs in the cafes, forcing lovers to be close to one another, to the narrowness of the sidewalks encouraging intimacy with each stride.
We continued on the art walk path as laid out in the guidebook, and stumbled on the Moulin Rouge cabaret. The bright red windmill was gloriously decorated on top of the building and was lit up with red LED lights. Looking at Google Maps, I found another windmill so we decided to wander in that direction.
The windmill was at the top of a hill in a quiet, romantic neighborhood. The street was laid out in stone and the sidewalks were lined with warm glowing lamp posts. The windmill sat on top of a dimly lit restaurant on the corner of the street, filled with lovers and friends.
We continued to the town of Montmartre to visit the famous cathedral Sacré-Cœur. As we reached the top of the hill where the cathedral stood, darkeness was closing in, the lights of the city spread across the ground like the scar of a lightning bolt. As the temperature dropped and hunger settled in, we began our journey back downhill to the nearest metro station. Most restaurants were closed at this time of night so we stopped into a bakery next to the train station, grabbed a baguette and pastries, and went back to the hostel to rest.
I went to bed wondering if I wasn’t able to describe the intimate and romantic feeling of Paris because I’ve never truly been in love. With a mind full of thoughts and a heart full of hope, I fell asleep.
Day 3
We began the morning wandering the streets of the Saint Germain neighborhood looking for a place to have some coffee. So far on this trip, my mom and I have been pretty fast-paced with our adventures and had yet to leisurely enjoy coffee on a street-side cafe, so I took this opportunity to slow down our excited spirits over a nice cup of coffee.
Side by side with our backs against the glass, we sat in silence, sipped on our coffee and watched people go by. With each person that walked by, my heart filled with curiosity as I wondered about each of their stories, burdens, and passions. One man looked like he was going to work, carrying a leather briefcase, probably filled with important documents and a laptop. A young girl - probably about 8 years old, and her mother were walking hand-in-hand, and I imagined these were some of the last days the little girl would be willing to hold her mom’s hand without a fight. A college age guy looked as though he didn’t get enough sleep and his shoulders appeared to be weighed down by more than just his book bag.
Soon enough, our coffee cups were empty and we were getting antsy about the day’s adventure. We were on our way toward the famous restaurant-filled street of Latin Quarter, but were stopped on the way by a sweet voice singing a familiar tune. We stopped in the middle of the square to listen to a very handsome man sing Gravity by John Mayer with a faint french accent.
Crossing the street we made our way to the lively streets of Latin Quarter. We weren’t hungry enough for a meal, so we carefully maneuvered through the bustling street without being drawn into any of the restaurants by the eager hosts.
The madness of tourists only grew as we approached the Notre Dame Cathedral. The distant view of the cathedral was breathtaking enough - the watchtowers standing powerfully on either side of the large entrance to protect the sacred house of God from unwanted visitors, the river flowing far below the cross as if bowing down to the majesty of the stone structure. As we drew near, the artful design of the building became more apparent. The oblong arches were craftily adorned with symbolic imagery and characters and the gaze of the terrifying gargoyles never seemed to break.
It was nearing noon and we were ready for lunch. We were only a couple blocks from the much anticipated Place des Vosges, so with only a few stops to snap a couple photos, we made our way to find a restaurant to eat at. I was instantly drawn to the aesthetics of a restaurant that adopted a white and gold color palette and made the executive decision that we would be eating there.
Scanning the menu, we came across a plate of escargot and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try something new. We were pleasantly surprised with how delicious the snails tasted and were excited for the remaining dishes. For lunch we shared a salmon appetizer, a pasta entree, a salmon entree, a chocolate mousse dessert, and a bottle of red wine from Bordeaux.
I’ve always felt that the finishing off a bottle of red wine with my mom would be a momentous occasion, a right of passage of sorts. There’s a level of commitment and closeness required to share a bottle of wine with someone. As with any alcoholic drink, conversations tend to be more honest and open, and since a bottle of wine is equivalent to six glasses, there’s no rushing through conversation.
My mom and I haven’t always had a close relationship, but as I’ve grown older and become more self-aware, I’ve recognized the ways that I’m a lot like my mom. As we spend more time together, we’ve learned to open up more to one another and share our lives with each other. Sharing a bottle of wine with her over lunch was a sweet way to get to know her and share our thoughts about life.
I was feeling pretty full and buzzed by the end of our 2-hour lunch so we began toward our next destination - the most colorful street in Paris. I saw this image on someone’s travel blog and was determined to stop by for a visit.
This place was an Instagramer’s paradise, and definitely not well known to tourists. My favorite house was the bright pink one, which was decorated with some porch plants and a well placed bicycle.
We were still feeling pretty jet lagged so we decided to head back to the hostel to rest up. We overslept our alarms and when we woke up, it was already dark.
It was too early to go to bed and too late to go far, so we decided to get a proper night view of the Eiffel Tower. After some googling, we found that the Tower Montparnasse was a popular viewpoint of the Eiffel Tower and surrounding city. Within 10 minutes of arriving to the rooftop of the tallest building in Paris, we got to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle.
I laid in bed and reflected back on the day, and gave thanks to God for another precious day with my sweet mom.
Day 4
My dad was scheduled to arrive at around 10am in the morning so we decided to take it easy while we waited for him to get to the hostel. He had been contemplating whether to join us because he had a last minute dental emergency and wanted to calculate the risk before making a rash decision.
I was so glad that my dad was able to join us. My relationship with my dad has also been growing stronger as we’ve been more open about our thoughts on life. In fact, a conversation I had with my dad over a year ago had shaped me and inspired me to live the adventurous life that I do now.
I was just beginning to go on weekend hiking trips in Seattle and posted some of my photos on social media. When I visited my parents one weekend, out of the blue my dad said to me “It’s so good to see you going out and having fun with your life. Growing up I was too focused on my career and didn’t take the opportunity to go out and enjoy my life. So I’m just beginning to do that now at xx years old.” I wasn’t ready to say the same thing to my children when I was xx years old so that honest conversation with my dad inspired me to live every day to the fullest.
Not surprisingly, my very punctual dad arrived right at 10am and after putting down his luggage and getting changed, we headed out for our day’s adventure.
Even though it’s the most typical tourist thing to do and we tend to avoid tourist destinations as much as possible, I was determined to go to the Eiffel Tower and try my hand at snapping some artsy pictures.
Our plan for the morning was to hit all of the touristy spots since they were all so close to one another. We took the train to Arc de Triomphe and walked along the Elysees Avenue to get the famous distant view of the Arc de Triomphe.
We then continued along the river toward the Louve. It was a Tuesday so the Louve wasn’t open to the public which was the perfect time to go since there wouldn’t be too many people around. We weren’t interested in visiting the museum, but I wanted to see the glass pyramids and see the courtyard that housed the world-famous museum.
We were incredibly hungry by this point in the day so we headed straight toward Latin Quarter, somewhere we knew was guaranteed to have a wide selection of cuisines. Within 15 minutes, we were walking the streets of Latin Quarter looking for a place to satisfy our stomachs.
After a quick and filling lunch, we headed due north toward the river and back toward Notre Dame. My dad had yet to see the extravagant cathedral, so we were glad to head back in that direction. We noticed that there weren’t very many people waiting in line, so we decided to take a peek inside. Once seated inside, the pasta induced food coma set in and my parents both fell asleep on either side of me. Luckily while they rested their eyes and feet, I moved forward to the front of the hall, only to realize that a catholic mass was beginning.
I couldn’t help but reflect and realize how disconnected I felt while foreign words in monotone voices echoed through the procession hall. Even though the room was filled with people moving about, the room felt empty and solemn. Strange to feel so far from God in a place of worship.
After leaving, we didn't have anywhere in particular we wanted to go so we began to wander. There are two islands that sit in the middle of the Seine river that cuts through Paris, so we decided to wander the streets of those islands.
There wasn't much to do or see, but walking these streets brought me a level of peace that I hadn't on this trip yet. The quietness of the neighborhood made it feel like I was walking through a still-life painting.
We eventually worked out way back to the nearest metro stop and began our trip back to our hostel. Satisfied with how much we fit into one day, I quickly fell asleep.
Day 5
Today was my last full day in Paris, and there were still a couple places I wanted to visit - one was a small backstreet of Paris with a artistic view of the Eiffel Tower. We found a corner cafe and sipped on some coffee while watching the people go by. While my mom was on the phone with the credit card company, my dad and I had a chance to catch up and have a heart-to-heart about some of our frustrations and struggles in life.
In recent years my dad came back to faith, and since then it's been a blessing to see him learn about God, himself, the people around him. A heart that had once been rigid to change was beginning to soften through a relationship with Christ. A wounded heart was being mended by the love of God. Hearing about the ways my dad is hurting and how he’s exploring avenues to heal and mend those broken relationships was evidence to me that God is real and can work miracles.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, illuminating the once dark street, we decided to move on to our next destination. My mom was looking to get a pair of sneakers, so we went back to Galeria Lafayette so she could go around the stores and do a little shopping. My dad had yet to see the ornate dome in the shopping mall so we went our separate ways. The rooftop of the shopping mall was a popular viewing point for the Paris Skyline so we decided to wait for my mom up there.
Unfortunately, my mom wasn’t able to find a pair of shoes that she wanted so we continued on to our next destination. We wanted to grab some lunch so we headed toward Place des Vosges, since we were very happy with the food we had there a couple of days ago.
On the way there, I was looking at the metro map and I realized that there was a stop for Palace Royale - one of the other places I wanted to visit. We got off at the Palace Royale stop and walked over to a unique courtyard filled with black and white columns and column stumps. I didn’t realize until we got there that my outfit happened to match the columns perfectly.
We went back to Place of Vosges for a late lunch/dinner. Ironically, we went to the restaurant that was directly across the street from the restaurant that my mom and I shred a bottle of wine several days before.
After a nice meal and some more wine, we hopped on the train and headed toward Saint Germain, where our boat tour would be taking off. We were interested in getting a unique perspective of the city and were encouraged to take a boat tour to hear some interesting stories about the history of Paris.
The most interesting information we got about the city of Paris was the history of all of the different bridges. Each bridge that ties the North and South segments of the city had functional, political, or ironic/satirical purpose. It was a great time to laugh with our fellow passengers as we learned about the history of Paris.
We only had a couple of hours left in the day before we had to go our separate ways so my mom decided that we would go and visit the Luxenbourg Gardens and Palace. The sun was setting, the temperature was comfortable, and people were scattered around the gardens chatting with friends, reading, studying, more or less enjoying the evening. The reality that my time in Paris coming to an end was slowly sinking in, but I was surprisingly was ready to go back home.
Having visited the same place several times made me feel like I’d done most everything I wanted to do here. Of course, there is so much more to discover and so much more to Paris then I’ve experienced, but for now I was pretty satisfied.
That’s the thing about travel. There’s always a feeling that you missed something. A feeling that there’s more that you still haven’t seen or discovered. That feeling only grows with the more places you travel to. But as a avid traveler, it’s my challenge to allow that curiosity linger, and to allow it to fuel me on my next journey. I think the biggest mistake is to over explore a destination and exhaust all curiosity and interest of that place.
So here’s to my next adventure. Maybe I’ll be back to Paris, but maybe not. And that mystery is what makes travel so much fun.
Au Revoir!
