My favorite things....

I had grand plans for documenting this Paris trip. I wrote down everything that we did throughout the week so that I could write about it later. Looking back, I'm not even sure I believe all of it! However, I'm coming to realize that half of my blog posts are dedicated to a city in which I spent a week. Clearly, I love Paris. But, at this point, there are so many Italy stories that have gone untold, that its time I curb some of my enthusiasm for La France, lest these posts become a novel. So to wrap things up, here are a few of my favorite memories:

The Eiffel Tower

Though I never actually made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower, I saw a lot of it during my time in Paris. The most memorable glimpses were on the boat and at sunset. At the time of our visit, there was a traveling exhibit of bears representing all the countries of the world. I had a lot of fun looking at them. 

Democratic Republic of the Congo bear.

USA!

In French class, we learned that the Parisians hated Gustav's Tower when it was first built. Apparently, they thought it was just an ugly piece of metal that dominated the skyline of their beautiful city. After seeing the Eiffel Tower during the day, I've become a bit more sympathetic to their complaint. However, there is something truly magical about seeing it at sunset or night. Pictures just don't do it justice!

Musée D'Orsay

I've always loved impressionism, both in art and music. Therefore, I was thrilled with the prospect of seeing many of my favorite works up close and personal. Musée D'Orsay certainly did not disappoint! I was able to discover some artists whose works I had never seen before, as well as see Impressionist sculpture for the first time. 

A clock inside Musée D'Orsay.

Food

Let the truth be told: I am a foodie. I have always loved good food, and traveling both in Italy and France has only strengthened these feelings. While in Paris, we took full advantage of the fact that the French know how to do bread and pastries. There was a small pastry shop just outside of the apartment where we were staying, so we went every morning to grab a delicious Choco Suisse for breakfast. We also consumed so many baguettes during the course of the week, that I lost count. We were able to eat very well and very cheaply throughout the week, but we wanted to treat ourselves to one great meal while we were in Paris, so we got all dressed up and went to a restaurant that a friend recommended. I felt as though I were at Babbette's feast. Each course seemed to be better than the one before it, and we finished it all with crème brûlée. I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life.  

This pretty much speaks for itself.

Friends

I am fully aware of how absolutely corny this is, but this experience would not have been the same without such great friends. I was a little worried about traveling with 7 other people. Would we all get along? Where would we stay? Would we feel obliged to stay together the whole week? All of these questions were floating through my mind before we left for the trip. During the planning process, I found myself wishing that I had just gone off and traveled alone. However, I can honestly say that the group of us were much better friends after we returned from the trip. I don't know why, but was expecting the exact opposite to be true. Spending time with these people filled me with joy, and I am so grateful for the experience.