Our European Adventure: Part 2- France

The next stop on our honeymoon was France! We had a lovely time in England to begin our trip, but Paris took the cake! 

My desire to go to Paris probably began when my mom read my sister and I the book Madeline. Do you remember the book with the girls in two straight lines who lived in the school with the climbing ivy? I loved that book!
That love grew and when I was in 6th grade I had my whole room decorated Parisian style. I had a golden Eiffel tower and damask print on my blanket and pillows. It was Très chic!

So no need to say that Paris has been on my list for quite a while! My fantasies were not disappointed... Paris was amazing! 

On our first day in Paris we arrived via the train under the English Channel. We had a bus tour and saw many of the historical and architecturally beautiful sites. We ate macaroons and stopped by the Eiffel tower. Later that evening we took a boat tour along the Seine river. The Eiffel tower is so magical all lit up! The lights sparkle every hour. I have a video on my Instagram. Our hostel was amazing and had a great view too!

(Most of the photos were taken with my Sony A55 and some supplementary iPhone photos)

The next day we visited Notre Dame Cathedral. I can just imagine the inspiration it provided Victor Hugo as he wrote the Notre-Dame de Paris. We even saw a cafe named after Quasimodo. So cool! 

Note the picture I took juxtaposing the infamous "love lock" bridge to the Cathedral behind it. Parisians have already taken down an entire bridge of locks due to it weakening the bridge and speak strongly against the action. Tourists from around the world buy lockets to attach to the bridge as a statement of their love- however I found it to look like graffiti and ruining the historical beauty of the city. 

After our stroll around the Notre Dame area we went to the Louvre Museum- home of the Mona Lisa and many other famous originals! Just a warning.. the Mona Lisa is very small and very crowded! It is worth it to see in person, just make sure you research other things to see! Another note is to be aware of is the vents in the floor... I wore a dress and the vent blew my skirt up and a room of crowded people saw my underwear! And it was not like Marilyn Monroe! 

In the evening Josh and I walked down the main avenue with the stores like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermes.. and other brands I do not know because I have no desire to own.. but they are expensive! We ate at a small sandwich shop off of beaten path. I know limited french and I accidentally ordered a tuna baguette instead of a chicken.. but it was delicious anyway! We continued to the end of the avenue to the Arc de Triomphe. The monument is gorgeous and you can take the stairs all the way to the top to see the beautiful view! It was well worth the 284 steps! 

The final full day we went to the Palace of Versailles. This place inspired the French Revolution due it its exorbitant splendor in contrast to the poverty of the people living under King Louis XIV's reign. That may be... but let me tell you- it was gorgeous!  The place was packed inside and we got a guided tour of the rooms and artwork. After the tour, we walked through the gardens- so beautiful!  After, we stopped to eat and picked up cheese at a fromagerie and bread at a local bakery. I loved the freshness and the ability to buy one's food from local producers who specialize in their culinary craft. France does it right, people!

Next on the list was going up the Eiffel tower. The view was splendid! That evening we had our farewell dinner with delicious food and walked up the Montmartre neighborhood. We said our goodbyes to our awesome tour director, Elana. She made this trip so much fun! 

Goodbye, Paris! You've been wonderful! I do hope we meet again!