Camino 2014: Day 0.7 Paris, France (Mimi)

Well, today was a long day. It was good!! It was just super long!  We started off by getting up at 8:30 in the morning which shouldn't be early, however, getting up a 10am the proceeding days, 8:30am was quite 

early. By the time we headed out on our adventure it was nearly 11:00am. We started off towards the jewel of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, but our priority was food. We were starving!

Now, story time! I decided to get a panini with meat and cheese and tomato.  This panini cost 4,80€ but the bakery woman serving us knew no English, so a very sweet young lady translated. What she said was that my panini cost 4,80€ and I could make it a meal by adding a pastry (cookie or mini croissant) and a drink (soda or juice) if I wanted to. I only had to pay a -,30€. Yeah! She paid me to get a meal. If you want to know, I paid 4,50€ for a panini, juice, and a chocolate chip cookie! How great is that!?! 

I guess I can say we went to the Eiffel Tower after that. Now, lined, stand after stand, were vendors… crepes, bags, postcards, shoes, miniature Eiffel Towers and any other thing you could possibly imagine lined the sidewalk.  This forced us to look at the things they were selling. Then we had to pass by the people who walk around selling miniature Eiffel Towers, who would follow you. Along with them we had the posse of people asking you to sign a form so they could steal your money, phone or other expensive personal item.  After surviving the attack of people everywhere, we found a peaceful bench where we could eat our food. We took a few pictures and left for the next place, the Arc de Triumph.  

Now that place building was better than pictures.  There are so many details, I loved it! Now all I know is it is the finishing place of the Tour de France, however, I can assume there is some important historical thing that goes with it.  

Okay moving on… the next place was magnificent, extravagantly marvelous! The Louvre.  The pyramids on the outside, five floors of timeless art, and thousands of people from everywhere.

We had an hour and forty-five minutes to look at as much as we could.  30 of the minutes were spent looking for bathrooms, 45 minutes getting to The Mona Lisa, and the last time we had was spent wandering around looking at paintings and statues.  Honestly, I never was into art, but seeing these masterpieces, I was thinking of becoming an artist. If not anything, I have learned to appreciate it more.

Now I want tell you how much strength and determination it took us to get that 'selfie' (a picture taken of oneself, with only oneself and the objects in the shot). It was like a worm trying to eat through an onion, one layer at a time.  We would get past one group, then another and another, eventually winding up at the fenced off edge.  We got our 'selfies' and then a group photo.  *Shout out to the Seattle girls who took our photos!*

Last, but not least, the Chapel of Notre Dame.  I fell in love with it, stain-glass windows, beautiful organ, amazing architectural design.  Oh man, the way it was built using pulley system and all. I live only to see that building, and get married, but I don't think the second will happen, so I fulfilled half of my life's dream (I am just kidding). Notre Dame was magnificent also. I couldn't get over how beautiful it was and how ancient it looked. 850 years old and still getting older!

Paris was a great experience! We saw The Eiffel Tower, walked over the Love Locked Bridge (the bridge with locks), and the Louvre.  So much happened such short time, I am exhausted.  But despite the lack of sleep, I know Paris is a good city, but the experience could have been even better.  I would absolutely, positively, not hesitate to go back, but maybe next time, with my Lover?

Now that was just the four places we went.  After all that, we went and bought breakfast and snacks for our upcoming day.  March and Sahra bought stuff for spaghetti and banana Nutella crepes, dinner/dessert.   We chowed down and headed out again for the 23.00 (11 pm) Eiffel Tower light show. It was gorgeous! Obtained a few more photos and headed back to the apartment.

And guess what happened after that?? 

We went to bed.

Au Revoir,

Mimi