The morning was a free day for us students, and I used that opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest. It was rainy outside, and my friend Sarah and I decided to start my day by getting brunch at Bakery Café down the block from the hotel. There, I had amazing chicken sandwich accompanied with a dessert that I couldn’t pronounce. Here, I had easily the best cappuccino I’ve ever had. After eating, we walked to the metro and took it to the Louvre. By now I have gained a good understanding of the public transportation system in France and love the ease and efficiency of it. It’s much more extensive than any other system I’ve used in cities in the United States. The metro station by the Louvre was certainly memorable. It was entirely unique from any of the other stations and contained sculptures as if to create even more anticipation for what likely followed for getting off at that stop. By the time we found our group and made it into the Louvre, it was already 3:25pm. The Louvre closed at 6pm, so we had to be calculated with our time and use it wisely. The Louvre is large and contains an incomprehensible number of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts. As a group, we made our way to see the Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci. The crowd around the painting was thick and bustling. After some time, I made my way to the front to get a closer look. It was hard to take in all the details with the commotion of the crowd, but the painting was impressive nonetheless.

Next, we viewed Liberty Leading the People as a group, which depicts a gruesome sight of young soldiers bearing arms beside woman with a France flag representing Liberty with corpses riddling the battlefield. Another notable painting was The Young Martyr by Paul Delaroche which depicts a young woman in a white dress in water with her wrists bound. She has a halo over her serene face and appears to be lifeless. Additionally, The Scene of the Flood which depicts a man trying to save his family from falling by holding onto a branch and his wife while an old man clings to his back. I don’t remember all the names of the paintings I took time to admire, but the aforementioned were the most notable to me. I’ve been the to the Louvre before, but no matter how many times I go it feels I will never be able to see and admire all the works of art it contains. Also, going as an adult makes for a much more stimulating experience as I’m better able to appreciate the pieces. While I was amazed last time, I felt awestruck thinking about how not only did people create these pieces but they’ve lasted long enough for me to witness in person.

After viewing these as a group, we split off so everyone could see the exhibits most interesting to them. Sarah and I saw the Venus de Milo first, and then navigated to the Egyptian artifacts. There were ancient tools, bowls, jewelry, papyrus writings, stones with hieroglyphics, sarcophaguses, and crypts. The other exhibit we wanted to see were the crown jewels. To get to that part of the museum, we walked through a large section that contained lavish room replicas, and it’s impressive how much effort the Louvre puts in for those displays. The crown jewels exhibit was easily the most breathtaking room I’ve ever been in. The walls and ceilings were filled with beautiful detail and art. The jewels on display were stunning and highly valuable. This room was one of my favorite parts about visiting Paris so far. These treasures included King Louis XV’s crown, the crown of Empress Eugénie (wife of Napoleon III), several famous diamonds including the Regent, and other jewels of French monarchs.

After viewing this exhibit, Sarah and I left the Louvre since closing time was near. This was the only activity on the group itinerary, so we set off on our own excursion. Supposedly, the most beautiful Starbucks in the world resides in Paris, and we were close enough to try to cross this off our bucket list. Unfortunately, it was closed when we got there, but had a nice experience in a Nespresso bar instead.

Overall, this day was incredible and a bit overwhelming. There is so much to take in when exploring Paris that it can be hard to truly absorb these experiences. The Louvre was so big and impressive that I could have spent all day wandering and taking in the fascinating exhibits and information, but still left knowing there is much more to see.