Well, finally I have a little bit of time to write a blog post!! Even when I got back from Fall Break, I had to organize my life, and then school started up again today, but luckily I have a bit of time between class and the play I have to attend tonight, so here we go! I think I will divide up my fall break travels into three different posts: Paris, Rome, and Florence/Venice.
So, Paris! It’s been my dream to go there since I was little. Let’s be real, what girl doesn’t want to go to Paris?? Unless, maybe a girl who already lives in Paris. Anyway, Ellen and I took the Eurostar to Paris on Thursday right after class, and luckily our hostel was pretty easy to locate. Thank goodness they spoke excellent English there! We were in a six person female dorm, and for the most part, our roommates were pretty normal and nice. There was one girl who stomped in at one in the morning one night and basically tried to be as obnoxious and inconsiderate as possible getting ready for bed, but things could have been worse for sure. We also got a pretty good breakfast each day from the hostel. Granted, it was all bread products (baguette, croissant, cereal, toast, etc.) but there’s the French diet for you!
Friday was our first full day in Paris, and we spent it at the Louvre, Notre Dame, and generally wandering around. I just LOVED the Louvre. It was definitely very overwhelming in there, and there was so many famous things to track down in such a large space, but I enjoyed every second of it. I saw the Mona Lisa, Hammurabi Code, Venus de Milo, Victory Leading the People painting, and so many other renowned pieces of art. And so many of them, I didn’t even realize were at the Louvre till I got there! Like the Hammurabi Code, for example. I just stumbled upon that and got so excited. Who knew?! I certainly didn’t. There were also a lot of other cool things, like Napoleon III’s apartments, Egyptian and Grecian antiquities, and even the original walls of the very first Louvre castle from medieval times in the basement of the museum. We spent over three hours there, but I felt like I saw everything I wanted to see, so I was pretty happy. OH, the Mona Lisa was amazing! I actually didn’t have to elbow people out of the way to get a picture. Surprising.
Notre Dame was our next stop, and that was amazing! I literally had the entire soundtrack of the Hunchback of Notre Dame stuck in my head the entire time. Unfortunately, there was a lot of construction around the area of Notre Dame, but of course the inside was spectacular! I can’t explain how vivid the colors of the stained glass windows are in there. I don’t know how they get them to be that vibrant. It was really peaceful just sitting in there and reflecting on life. Except, Ellen and I got shushed by a cranky lady, and we were barely whispering! Some people just need to calm down. But it really was quite lovely in there. Later, we stopped by the site where the Bastille once stood, and made our way to the Opera Garnier, which inspired the Phantom of the Opera! So exciting. I was basically singing to myself the entire time. A very common occurence in this trip.
The next day in Paris was completely jam-packed! We went by the Moulin Rouge, took our token picture, I obviously sang “Elephant Love Melody” to myself a bit. Then we popped by the Sacred Heart Cathedral, which was just magnificent. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed on the inside. Also, it was pretty crummy weather that day. Just saying. Anyhow, our next top was the top of the Eiffel Tower! I think because of the crappy weather, the line was not as long to wait for tickets, so that was nice, but I do wish it had been nice weather because the view from the top was less than spectacular. But not everyone can say they’ve been to the top of the Eiffel Tower! We next went to the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc is totally impressive, but oh my god, the roundabout of cars surrounding it was ridiculous. I don’t know how there isn’t an accident there 20 times a day. I would certainly cause one if I drove there! We walked along the Champs-Elysees next, which was quite nice too. I wish the weather could have been better that day, but oh well! The next day, we left for Rome! Exciting times!
Overall, it was a very nice trip to France, one that I am so thankful I had the opportunity to do!
General impressions of France:
- I know the secret to French skinniness. THE STAIRS. There are stairs everywhere!! In the metro, on the streets, everywhere. I definitely felt a difference in my leg muscles after two days of traversing Paris.
- I have been told that the French tend to be a bit snooty and rude, and for the most part, I encountered indifference rather than rudeness. I think we only met one rude person while in Paris. Everyone else was either slightly friendly or indifferent. But oh well.
- The French diet consists of bread for days. That was pretty much all I ate while there. Bread and cheese and tomatoes. Which is all delicious and yummy, but I was definitely bloated from all the bread and longing for a bit of meat or some fruit at least! Being in France was my first time being in a non-English speaking country. I mean, people still speak in English, but it’s not like being in England or the U.S. It was very odd not being able to speak the language or be able to understand what people were saying around me, but that’s all part of the cultural experience I guess!
- Paris was actually quite dirty. I don’t know if I’ve just been spoiled in regard to the overall cleanliness and tidiness of London, but there was definitely trash on the street, graffiti everywhere, and lots of unpleasant smells. The Metro was very convenient and cheap to use, but it was kind of sketchy. Nothing can compare to the London Tube. NOTHING. haha.