Despite the title and my 264-day Duolingo streak, my French still needs some work. But bonjour and enchanté, I’m glad you’re here.
It’s always been a dream of mine to visit Paris, and from a young age I found myself obsessed with the Eiffel Tower and everything Parisian. My bedroom was filled with posters, clothes, and basically anything that had to do with the “City of Love.”
So, as a high school graduation gift my parents planned a trip to Paris! On April 5 we arrived at the Buffalo airport ready to go, but even in the most exciting moments life will throw you a curve ball. Our flight was delayed, and delayed, and delayed again until it was official that it was not coming. Despite this setback and the fact that we lost an entire day in Paris, we were back at the airport bright and early the next day.
Finally, after 6 hours cramped on a plane, we arrived in Paris! We threw our stuff down in the Airbnb and ran out to explore. The second we stepped onto the streets, I immediately fell in love. There were bakeries on every corner, a woman playing the violin in the park, and people eating baguettes by the Seine River. It was a dream.
The language, clothing, architecture, and the food were all captivating. I tried escargot, truffle ravioli, and one night I had a plate of plain feta cheese. Apparently, sometimes even Google Translate can’t fully make sense of a completely French menu. We spent time exploring the endless maze which they call the Louvre and while the Mona Lisa is beautiful, the Napoleon Apartments were by far my favorite part. The Palace of Versailles was an unbelievable experience, the gardens alone were ginormous.
During the nights, we climbed the 220 stairs to see the city from Montmartre, danced with the Parisians along the Seine, put a love lock on the bridge, and of course watched the Eiffel Tower sparkle. Truly, no words will describe the feeling of seeing that view in person. The views from the top of the Arc de Triomphe and the seven-story mall, Galeries Lafayette, were also remarkable.
Additionally, we spent days in locations that might not be on the typical person’s schedule. We took a bus tour that showed us all the landmarks and museums in Normandy and spent another day in Paris Disney. Every aspect of Paris exceeded my expectations. Nothing since has compared to the joy I felt wandering Paris with my favorite people. I truly hope I am blessed enough to return someday, but until then the memories will replay in my head over and over. To my first love, Paris, thank you for the memories.