On our descent to the Hotel lobby on the morning of the 1st of June to enjoy French breakfast of croissants and hot chocolate, Michael and I had to keep reminding ourselves that we were now in Paris. In a sense, traveling around Europe is a bit surreal. Growing up, you hear about all these places, and if you are a book enthusiast, such as myself, you have spent hours reading about life in faraway lands. So actually waking up in a place that is so distantly familiar is a bit surreal.
My brother Michael and I flew to Paris on the 31st in order to spend a few days in the city of lights before heading to London on our way back to the United States.
For our first day we both had the objective of being at the summit of the Eiffel tower. After climbing up well over a thousand stairs (the Tour Eiffel website says there are 1665) we were able to take in Paris from a bird's eye view. Despite the strenuous prospect of so many stairs, if you go to the Eiffel tower you Must go all the way up, for the view over Paris is quite incredible.
After making our way back down the tower, we decided to take advantage of the great weather and take a river boat tour. I have become quite a fan of taking river boat tours. As long as the weather is good, a boat tour gives one a whole different view of the city. And in Paris with the city island in the middle of the river (where Notre Dame is located) the tour helps you put the entire city in perspective.
Back on solid Parisian ground we headed to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysees. Built between 1806-1836, the intention of the Arc was to glorify the French troops. Since we are so fond of stairs, Michael and I climbed around 284 steps to reach the top. With a round about surrounding the arc one feels as if you are in the beating heart of the city, and with the number of Parisian songs about the Champs-Elysees it does seem to be the case.
After having looked upon the Champs-Elysees from above, we descended to wander along the street, eventually getting to the Place de La Concorde.
For our first day in the city of Paris we were able to experience many of the must-see sights. Since on this trip we only have 4 days to experience this city, we will be trying to see major sites which we have heard so much about. Such as Versailles, Place de La Bastille, Louvre, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Luxembourg Garden/Palace, Sorbonne, and Panthéon.
Keep Checking for our Parisian adventures!
À Toute À L'Heure!!
