Date of trip: March 2005

Right around Christmas I was having a drink with my good friend Catherine and she mentioned that she was going to Paris to visit her sister while she was studying abroad. As a travel enthusiast, I was interested immediately. “Paris?” I said, “Wow…I have never been there…I sure would like to go.” and she said, “Why don’t you?” Me being me, I bought plane tickets the following week. Not only were we happy to be going back to Europe, but I was so excited to be able to hang out with my friend Catherine because she is so much fun…not to mention her French is better than mine! So voila….we were off to the city of lights…..

Highlights:

-Seeing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre was a bit surreal. I’ve often heard it’s smaller than expected so I was actually surprised at how big it was. The Louvre is huge so I suggest pacing yourself and not trying to see everything. Look through a museum map and pick out what interests you most. In addition to the Mona Lisa, I recommend checking out the Venus de Milo and Napoleon’s apartments.

-The Musee d’Orsay is famous for its impressionist paintings. Art museums can be overwhelming, so again I suggest consulting a map and picking out what you’d like to see instead of wandering for hours on end.

-Climbing to the top of the Arc de Triomphe will give you one of the best views of Paris. I should warn you that there’s no elevator and the spiral staircase to the top can make you a bit dizzy. Still, you do feel a sense of history knowing the structure was there during World War II and the climb will reward you with great pictures.

-The Eiffel Tower is the most important and identifiable structure in Paris. Going to the city and not visiting this landmark would be a travesty. It can get very crowded though so get there early and go during the week if possible. Another way to cut down on your wait time is to walk up the first two levels. Will and I really enjoyed this, but it was physically demanding. Luckily there are some places to stop as you walk up so you can just breathe and take your time. At the first level there is a restaurant, a snack bar, a post office and a gift shop. I loved being able to send postcards from the top…they get a special stamp. From the second level, you can take an elevator to the top. The higher you go, the more you pay, but hey…when are you coming back? It’s the Eiffel Tower!

-My favorite museum in Paris was the Centre Pompidou, the modern art museum. What makes it special is that the structural parts of the building are on the outside rather than the inside giving it a very unique appearance. You ride an escalator to the top through tubes located along the side of the building. The art is fun and spread out. There are even exhibits that you walk into and I felt it was more interesting than the museums with art just hanging on the walls. Don’t miss the wacky water fountain outside.

-The food in Paris was good, but I feel it is a lot like New York in that you need to know the good places because many are just average. Some great places I would suggest are Angelina near the Louvre where I recommend the Mont Blanc chestnut pastry, Mariage Freres, a tea house not far from the Centre Pompidou which has been open since 1854, Berthilion on the Ile St-Louis which is home to the best ice cream in Paris and finally, Chartier , a French favorite not far from the Hard Rock Cafe where you can get classic dishes at a great price in a really fun atmosphere. I found the bread, cheese and pastries to be the best things to eat in Paris. If you like Nutella, you’ll find it everywhere!

-If you have money to spend, I don’t think there’s a better place on earth to shop. Sure it’s expensive, but you can find anything and everything here. It’s truly a shopper’s paradise.

-Will and I walked so mush we had blisters, but we loved every minute of it. I think the best thing to do in Paris is to grab a map and just walk. You will find so many places to eat or stop into and you really get a sense of the city. If you’re not the walking type, the metro is clean and efficient.

-I have one safety tip. Although it is very safe to walk around the city, there are gypsies around who may try to trick you and mug you. They often approach you and ask, “Do you speak English?” If anyone asks you this, say no and walk away. Watch your purse and pockets in the touristy areas.

I should address the attitude that French people are rude. I was very nervous about this going over there and I have to tell you, I found it to be completely untrue. I think you would be hard pressed to find nicer, more helpful people. True, I do know a lot of the French language, but I didn’t encounter anyone who was the least bit rude. So please don’t let anyone discourage you from visiting this great city with this false rumor.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Paris Links:
Paris Official Site
Louvre
Musee D’Orsay
Eiffel Tower
Centre Pompidou
Mariage Freres
Chartier