Waking up to another day in Paris. Am I dreaming? Traveling abroad to France has been something that I have wanted to do since reading “The Most Fascinating Places on Earth” (Donna E. Hicks) in the fifth grade. 

After eating my daily croissant, a group of us hopped on the metro and headed to the train station from our hotel. After reaching the train station, we met up with our professor and the rest of the crew. We headed to the train together and the ride was about thirty minutes long. After departing the train, we stopped by a small bakery to pick up some on-the-go snacks and I picked out a small quiche. It was delicious, everything here is delicious! 

After picking up our snacks, we all headed over to the Palace of Versailles. When I first set my eyes on the architecture outside, I was blown away by how stunning it was; the gold detailing on the gates and the buildings were so pretty to look at. When we walked in to tour the museum, there were a variety of artworks. There were many paintings of architecture, people, and landscapes. They reminded me of my own personal hobby of painting. Painting is something I plan to do more often when I get back home after being inspired by the phenomenal artwork in Paris. 

Also displayed in this stunning museum were old antique pieces of furniture and sculptures. I am always impressed when viewing sculptures because they require so much attention to detail. Understanding form, shape, texture, and proportion, is vital when working on projects like these. 

After taking in all of the sights inside of the Palace of Versailles, we headed outside to view the gardens, and they did not disappoint! The grass was well-cut and all the trees were arranged perfectly. I loved how the wells of water added a pop of blue to the scenery. We decided to venture off and explore the gardens a little more in depth by walking through the mazes. As expected, they were also beautiful and they smelled very fresh and floral, making the experience feel even more enchanted. 

When we had taken in all that Versailles had offered to us, we headed back to the train. It was a twenty minute walk back to the station and we ventured through the heat that was progressively getting more intense. We made it onto the train and decided to visit a souvenir shop when we reached our destination. It was a very cool shop that had endless Paris themed items. I picked up some souvenirs for family members and bought myself some earrings and a tee shirt. I found a small metal Eiffel Tower that I have been looking for as a gift for my mother. After everyone had picked out their souvenirs at the shop, I headed back to the hotel for a little bit to get some rest after another wonderful morning and afternoon. 

After taking some time to relax in the hotel, I went out with a group of friends to a Korean restaurant. I ordered a bowl filled with beef, rice, and vegetables and it was outstanding, of course. It was not too far from our hotel and the weather was a lot cooler by then, so walking around was very nice. 

My initial impression of Paris was that it is a place where you can just stand on the side of a street and find joy in the scenery. Most Parisians are very friendly, and they seem to just go about their daily activities while us tourists flood the area and take pictures of absolutely everything because we are overwhelmed with excitement. There are also cyclists everywhere. It is definitely important to be aware of your surroundings when venturing out in the city, but it’s a fantastic place!

Our hotel, The Villa Royale Montsouris, is in a great location. The metro is close by and we use it throughout the day and evening. Both the metro and the train have been an excellent way to get to our destinations!  I’m also thankful for the air conditioned room. After a long, sometimes extremely hot, but amazing day of exploring, it’s nice to come back to it.

Some of my favorite things about Paris so far are the food, new friendships, view of the Eiffel tower (especially when it sparkles at night), museums, and the opportunities to shop. Prior to my trip to Paris, I wondered how the food would be compared to what I’m used to in the United States, and it is definitely exceeding my expectations! I have been to several restaurants and bakeries. Seems wherever I go, I am able to find something that I love. Some of my favorites so far are pizza, pasta dishes, fish and chips, and of course, the croissants!