Dear Paris

What a unique experience this has been! The city, the culture, the people, the fashion, the food, and so much more have contributed to an unforgettable experience! As a first-time traveler to Europe, this city and experience will be hard to top in my future travels.

Before coming to Paris, I expected what you often see in movies: people in berets, cafés on every corner, and designer fashion stores everywhere you go. Boy, was I wrong!

Paris is so much more than the typical movie stereotypes we see in films, read in books, and hear of online. It’s an entirely different culture and experience from America, and I won’t forget what I’ve learned and who I’ve become in my travels here.

I’ve taken the time to discover so much that I wouldn’t have found anywhere else, than by being thrown into a part of the city and left to explore on my own.

When I first arrived, I was jet-lagged, of course, but I was getting ready for my first taste of French and European culture. Entering the hotel made me realize that the real estate and properties are smaller than in America, but it was somewhat expected. What struck me at first was all of the food I’ve tried. For dinner, we stopped at Bistro 32. The food was served quickly and with fresh ingredients without processing, and I certainly felt fuller than usual after every meal.

The culture of Paris is far different from America in terms of how Parisians live life. In the USA, we live life fast, get our coffees filled to the brim with ice in a plastic cup, eat pre-packaged and processed foods, and have an overly consuming work-to-life balance.

As in Paris, they live life like nobody is ever rushing them. Every corner I would turn and metro stop I would walk out of, there were cafes and restaurants filled with patrons enjoying an espresso cafe, or a freshly made meal with only the purest ingredients.

At lunch, some brasseries and bistros shut down between the hours of 2 pm and 6 pm for a well-deserved lunch break. This allows the city and employees to slow down and enjoy a lunch of their own.

Paris is a city of not just cars like we use in America, but also traveling on foot and by metro. By taking public transportation and walking 20,000 steps a day, I’ve realized the beauty and the mindfulness of everyday life I have yet to achieve in America. In Paris, you see Parisians walking down every street, on the train, not rushing to get from one place to another. People enjoy their time and that is their concern than being on time.

After meeting our group the next day, we ventured out into the city, explored Notre Dame Cathedral, and had classic Paris crepes for dinner. Our journey was just beginning, and I was all in. As the days went on, they flew by. The Hemingway walking tour taught us about the places Ernest Hemingway wrote and resided during his time. The Seine river cruise was a beautiful trip filled with history and architecture as we floated along in Paris. Following that, we visited the Luxembourg Gardens, which were a place of peace and beauty. We did a walking tour of the American revolutionaries, where we learned about those who made a difference in French history and saw sights where these impactful individuals resided or stayed. The Louvre museum was filled with many different types of art pieces that influenced different cultures, not just in France but in other countries. The museum of liberation was quite a different but historical experience that dove into how France adapted. Through war, Nazi takeover, and developed into the nation we know today. The Père cemetery tour taught us about important individuals who rest in a famous place and made an impact on French culture. The Black American culture walking tour taught us so much about how black history was seen in France and came to be. Individuals like Josephine Baker contributed to black women’s appearance in French culture and came from a different “origin” than the French described. The Musée d’Orsay showed us how French artwork developed and changed over the years. From pieces that were unacceptable to pieces that thrived in the late 1900s.

The farewell dinner was our big goodbye from the group with whom I shared all of these experiences. It was quite sad saying goodbye because I grew very close to some of my group members through this experience. While exploring the city and the culture, I didn’t expect to find an amazing group of individuals and friends with whom I experienced the city. We walked to an old apartment where Hemingway resided to say our goodbyes. After that, we reagrouped and met some friends at the Eiffel Tower to watch it sparkle one last time. At that moment, I knew this experience was over. But it had changed me into a more culturally aware individual and has taught me to slow down and enjoy a nice cappuccino when life is passing me by. Living like the Parisians may not be as easy as it appears. But I will never forget what I learned from this experience and how it shaped me into a more culturally aware individual.

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! 

The day started with the smell of warm flour and butter wafting out of a small artisan bakery near our hotel. Our windows wide open taking in the fresh air that Paris has to offer. I grabbed a fresh baguette, the kind that cracks perfectly when you tear it, and feels warm as you chew it. I walked through quiet streets that were slowly waking up. There’s something about eating bread still warm from the oven that makes you feel like you’re participating in something timeless, like stepping into a small, edible ritual.

With baguette in hand, we made our way to Père Lachaise Cemetery. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect—cemeteries, to me, have always felt quiet in a kind of eerie, distant way. But Père Lachaise was different. Somehow, the space felt sacred and alive at the same time. Ivy crawled up the old tombstones, birds sang from the trees overhead, and scattered throughout were visitors walking slowly, reverently, reading names and leaving flowers. It wasn’t just a place for mourning—it was a museum of memory. You could almost feel time folding in on itself.

We learned that the cemetery was established by Napoleon in 1804, partly as a way to relocate the dead from crowded inner-city graveyards. In order to make it popular, the city moved in some “celebrities” of earlier centuries—like the philosopher-theologian couple Héloïse and Abélard. They were buried together long after their deaths, their love story becoming part of the cemetery’s mythos. Their tomb became a symbol not just of romantic devotion but of how France chooses to memorialize both intellect and passion. For me, standing in front of their grave felt like standing at a threshold between the private and the public, where a deeply personal story had been transformed into national memory.

What really struck me throughout the visit was how seriously Paris takes the act of remembering. Even graves here seem to be curated with aesthetic care—sculpted angels, stained glass, engraved poetry. There’s a sense that the lives lived here deserve to be remembered beautifully. In some ways, it reminded me of other places we’ve visited throughout this trip: Hemingway’s favorite cafés, with their worn wooden tables and framed photographs, or even the ornate halls of the Palace of Versailles. Paris doesn’t just preserve the past—it honors it, wraps it in gold leaf or granite, and invites you to pause in front of it.

Walking through Père Lachaise also felt surprisingly relevant to our course. The American writers we’ve been studying—Hemingway, Baldwin, Stein—each came to Paris seeking inspiration, but they also came to preserve themselves in some way. Their work, their cafés, and even their apartments have now become literary landmarks. There’s a kind of quiet irony in the fact that Jim Morrison, an American artist who found fame partly through his rejection of American norms, is buried here too. His grave was crowded with visitors, many of them quietly mouthing lyrics or leaving handwritten notes. It made me wonder if he realized that in death, he would become part of the city’s curated legacy—just like the poets and painters before him.

After the cemetery, I wandered through Le Marais and stumbled upon a vintage market that felt like its own kind of archive. Vendors were selling old film cameras, stacks of postcards, and art deco jewelry. I flipped through a crate of vinyl records and found an old Billie Holiday album. It felt like a continuation of the morning, but instead of marble tombstones, these were everyday artifacts—objects once held, worn, used. And like the graves at Père Lachaise, these objects weren’t just remnants of the past—they were stories waiting to be re-lived.

Later, as I sipped a noisette at a café nearby, I started thinking about how Paris holds onto things. Not just buildings or objects, but moods and moments. Maybe that’s why so many American writers found a kind of freedom here—not just because Paris allowed them to express themselves, but because it gave their expressions permanence. In America, things often move fast and are forgotten just as quickly. But in Paris, even the most fleeting idea can be given a statue, a plaque, or at least a café table to rest on.

I keep coming back to something a classmate said while at a café Hemingway consistently went to: “Paris makes you feel like you’re part of a bigger story.” At the time, I nodded, thinking it was poetic but a little idealized. But now I understand what she meant. Walking through Père Lachaise and Le Marais, eating baguette from a neighborhood bakery, tracing the footsteps of writers and thinkers and lovers—it all makes you feel like you’re being folded into the city’s collective memory. And the more time I spend here, the more I realize that the city doesn’t ask you to leave your past behind. It asks you to bring it with you.

Even the baguette from this morning, eaten while walking to the cemetery, felt like a nod to some older way of life. In Paris, memory isn’t frozen—it’s baked fresh daily, passed down in stories, preserved in stone, and waiting on a table beside your coffee.

In Paris sometimes the plan will be a lack of a plan – going wherever the wind takes you. This lack of a plan became apparent for the start of our free weekend, after me and my girlfriend Ashlee’s plans to visit Disneyland Paris had fell through. I’ve found that the best way to experience the city is to be thrown directly into the unknown without a clear path in mind. With Ashlee being sick, I left her some time alone to catch up on rest while I could explore on my own.

I began walking from our hotel in the 14th Arrondissement to the metro station and caught the first train on line 4 heading North. With no clear goal in mind, I chose a random stop to get off at. After around half an hour on the metro I decided to get off at Château Rouge, a stop far north towards Montmartre.

Leaving the metro station, I passed a number of small cafes as I started towards a large staircase, climbing probably around 300 steps. When I reached the top, I was greeted by the Sacré-Cœur Basillica- a beautiful and massive historical church that is overlooking seemingly the entire city of Paris. Sitting at the highest point in the entire city, it’s no wonder that the building is known for its amazing views of the city.

I had already been in Montmartre earlier in the week and saying that Montmartre is my favorite spot in the city wouldn’t be an overstatement– the live music and incredible view in front of the Sacré-Cœur is enough to make anybody return here. Looking out onto the city I could see Notre-Dame, The Eiffel Tower, Pantheon, Louvre and so much more. The feeling you get while looking out onto the city with the music in the background compares to nothing. This is probably what I will remember the most about this trip. If it wasn’t so hot, I would have stayed in Montmartre all day to take in the stunning view.

On the move again I left Montmartre in search of some refreshments. I took Line 2 to connect me back towards our hotel stopping at a supermarket on the way back to avoid spending too many euros.

~
Slightly later in the day I got dinner with Ashlee at the Bistro down the street (Bistro 32). We have been there multiple times this trip as the service and food are really good, while it also offers cheap prices. Places like this are a great example of how there are plenty of affordable options within an expensive city. I ordered a Caesar salad and a drink before calling it a night. Caesar Salads are very different here compared to back home. Each time I’ve ordered a Caesar salad here they always add fries as a topping– which I can’t complain about!

Day 10

Next morning with Ashlee feeling much better, we awoke and went out for a coffee. Riding the metro for around 20 minutes we finally got off at Odéon, a stop near the Seine River and ordered iced coffees at a more modern café called Goodnews. I had one of the best Matcha drinks I think I have ever had here. Ashlee clearly agreed judging by the large amount of my drink she had.

Walking with our coffees, we walked around for a while before reaching Place de la Concorde, a large gathering location with two beautiful fountains, view of the Eiffel, and an iconic Egyptian monument (Obélisque de Louxor) in the center. The Obelisk is a 3,300-year-old ancient Egyptian monument which was gifted to France in 1829 as a diplomatic gesture between leaders. I had seen the obelisk earlier in the week during our tour of the Seine and can say this is one of my favorite structures in Paris. Something about the mystery behind the hieroglyphs, gilded top, as well as its central location in such a vast square make it very appealing to me.

Leaving here, we walked to Petit Palais, an art Museum across the street from the Grand Palace. We toured inside to see many pieces of art, sculptures, antiques and beautiful architecture. I actually enjoyed this museum a lot more than the Louvre, I found the art and layout of the building to be less draining, and I had a larger appreciation for each individual piece.

After finishing the museum and on the move again we looked for some refreshments. We stopped at a bowl and smoothie bar and shared an Açaí bowl before returning to line 4 back towards the hotel. The bowl was amazing – literally all of the food in Paris is so much better than back home.

Today was a great example of how you can stumble upon interesting and historical things without planning in Paris. This makes it a great city for exploration, even if you can only stay a couple days.

Packing my things to spend the weekend in Belgium, I had a quick look at the website for the Musée de la Libération to try to determine if I would have an issue bringing a large backpack. Since the tickets for all our scheduled outings have been obtained in advance, I thought little of the notice pinned to the home page, explaining that a “social unrest” had prevented the ticket office from opening on the morning of 13 June.

However,  upon our arrival at the entrance, we were met with an employee who seemed reluctant to let us in. They went back and forth between our group and (presumably) their supervisor two or three times to determine if they could allow us to enter. In the end we were granted access and given a time of 12 o’clock to take a self-guided tour of the underground Command Post of Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy of the Forces françaises de l’Intérieur. As it was already close to 11, we moved swiftly through the museum.

Though there was not ample time to linger with the weight of all we were seeing, emotions ran high nonetheless as we read the stories of those involved in the resistance, studied their surviving possessions, uniforms, and letters, and contemplated the ugly realities of the war and the devastation brought to the world by the Nazis.

The armistice signed by France in 1940 that ceded to occupation by the Germans was a crushing blow to Allied morale. Britain, with its impressive navy, was able to withstand the Nazis for the duration of the war. France, sharing a border with Axis-controlled nations as well as Germany itself, suffered heavy casualties attempting to hold her ground. It was as though in a single day, hundreds of years of successful military campaigns by both land and sea were undone: nearly 85 years later to the day, folks are still likely to think of the French as a bunch of “cheese-eating surrender monkeys” for their capitulation.

Of course, it was not a total surrender. The site of the museum itself, and the Command Center below it, is evidence of the fierce opposition that burned in the collective heart of the city and the republic as whole.

Shortly before noon we were gathered at the entrance to the Command Post, a bunker around 20m below the museum. Another group exited, winded from climbing the nearly 100 steps back to the surface in 100% humidity. The employee who approached us shortly thereafter was not, unfortunately, there to allow us in, but to show us to the exit. Apologetically, he explained that the “social unrest” — workers on strike to voice their dissent of management decisions– was causing them to have to close the museum.

Before we dispersed for our various free weekend excursions, we continued our discussions on the sidewalk outside as a notice of the closure was taped to the outside door and would-be visitors approached and quickly realized they could not enter. We talked of atrocities past and present, of how the decision is made to sabotage, undermine, and destabilize facists rather than passively hope that keeping one’s head down will mean safety, of the things people did in order to survive the occupation.

In the end, it turned out to be fortuitous that we’d had to move quickly, since it allowed us to cover more ground before having to depart. Though I was disappointed we didn’t get to go underground, I was also kind of ecstatic to have been present for and affected by just about the most French thing ever: a worker’s strike.

My body feels like it’s on fire. It’s like the sun shot a fiery ray of intolerable heat into me. My skin is slick with sweat and I feel as if I could die. My mind begins to melt and I start to become delirious from the intense passion of the sun. I never knew Paris could get this hot. The hot Parisian summer weather reminds me of yesterday’s hot Amsterdam day trip. However, yesterday’s weather in Amsterdam was much more tolerable than in Paris. 

Yesterday, I started the day off in the middle of the street in the 7th arrondissement. The day has already started and I haven’t even gone to bed yet. Moments of drunken laughter and banter replayed in my head as I skipped through the streets of Paris. My friends and I met up for a picnic dinner in front of the Eiffel Tower the night prior. We ended up enjoying her presence all through the night. 

It was nearly 1 AM when I arrived back in my hotel room. My friend Ethan washed up in the bathroom as I sat on my bed and looked out the window. The view wasn’t anything crazy; just a small Parisian neighborhood with a playground. But still, there was something so nostalgic about it. Maybe it was the playground. Little me would’ve never thought that she’d study abroad in another country. To have the opportunity and privilege to be able to study abroad in another country is a life-altering experience that can only be understood when you’ve experienced it yourself. 

The last thing I saw before falling asleep was a streetlight facing the night sky. I was awoken by the loud blaring sound of my alarm. It was 4 AM. I immediately shut off my alarm and stayed in bed. I had gotten less than two hours of sleep. Nevertheless, I pulled myself out of bed and got ready. The sun was still in bed. 

The train to Amsterdam leaves at 8 AM. However, Ethan and I decided that arriving earlier would be good as it leaves us enough time to go through border control and TSA. So we woke up at the crack of dawn and snuck out while the sun was still asleep. We took line 4 on the metro and enjoyed the quiet peaceful environment of the metro before it got swarmed with the 8 AM rush hour of people heading to work. 

My feet and legs were sore and aching from all the walking from the day before. The muscles in my calves tensed and relaxed as I stretched my legs across the empty seat in front of me, trying to give my legs some sort of comfort and ease. I wondered how different or similar Amsterdam would be from Paris? 

We reached Gare du Nord and the peaceful atmosphere suddenly shifted into a lively chaotic energy. People dragged their suitcases as they rushed to their trains. Ethan and I arrived hours earlier than our scheduled departure. It was here that we realized that we would not have to go through border control and TSA. We had woken up early for nothing…

Nevertheless, the excitement of going outside of Paris gave us more than enough energy to be able to wait for our turn to board the train. On the train, the seats were a bright red. They were velvety to the touch and hugged my body in a nice yet uncomfortable way. The windows were wide and stretched over multiple seats at a time. As we rode, the view changed from a dull gloomy concrete station to an open vast field of green grass and trees. Herds of cows grazed in those fields. Their fur colors and patterns varied. From white to brown to black, the cows looked like an assorted mix of chocolates. 

The sleep deprivation finally caught onto us and for the majority of the ride, we tried our best to make ourselves comfortable in those train seats. The head rest just barely wrapped around my head, causing me to sleep in a strange angle and waking up with and soreness in my neck. But I ignored the pain in my neck as I realized we had made it to Amsterdam. 

From the moment my foot touched the ground of the Amsterdam station, it was very obvious that we were no longer in Paris. As we walked out the station, the streets were packed with bikers and trolleys. It almost looked like the bikers and trolleys were competing to see who had the right of way. Bicycles sped up and swerved around corners and pedestrians. It was just as chaotic as Paris, I would even argue that it was more dangerous considering the bikers loved to sneak up on you and barely miss you by a split second. 

The streets were much more narrow and the houses were more vertical and rectangular compared to Paris. Amsterdam was like the city of flowers and all things botanical. Every house had potted plants and a main flower bush. The type of flower varied from building to building. The flowers ranged from typical roses and peonies to vibrant tropical hibiscus-like flowers. The edges of the canal were decorated with parked bicycles, plants and flowers, and cars that gathered cobwebs from being idle. 

Unlike Paris, it was common in Amsterdam for plants and vines to grow on buildings. Every neighborhood looked like a scene from a Studio Ghibli movie. There were boats parked along the sides of the canal. Walking through the streets felt whimsical and unreal, until a biker rides past you and nearly runs you over. 

Ethan and I walked to the nearest cafe to let ourselves have a moment to process that we are literally in the Netherlands right now. I got myself an almond and pistachio croissant and we continued our way through Amsterdam. 

We were here to meet up with one of Ethan’s cousins who lived in Amsterdam. But along the way, we stopped to sit by the edge of the canal to enjoy our croissants. While snacking, we were visited by a couple of ducks and their little duckling. It was like they instinctively knew they would be given some food so they brought their child with them. So I shared a croissant with them. We both enjoyed the croissant, they may have enjoyed it more than I have. 

These ducks were not the typical gray ducks with green or purple neck markings that I see back home. They were black with a white beak. They looked like someone had rubbed charcoal on them until there wasn’t any color left other than black. The dark contrasting black made their white beaks glow in the water. 

Ethan and I said bye to the duck family and began to head our way towards Ethan’s cousin’s apartment; Dylan was his name. As we walked, the sun’s rays got stronger and the heat from nonstop walking became unbearable. We arrived at Dylan’s doorstep exhausted and soaked with sweat. 

The three of us enjoyed a cup of coffee while Ethan and Dylan caught up. Dylan recommended some museums and other places for us to explore while me and Ethan caught our breaths. After, we said our goodbyes and then we were off to explore the city of Amsterdam. 

Ethan and I wandered through the streets. We had no specific destination in mind. We only had a day in Amsterdam and we just wanted to take in the scenery. We walked through a flower market and a shopping center. We got some stroop waffles and continued our walk through the bike-filled streets. Soon enough, the day was coming to an end. 

We didn’t do much in Amsterdam. However, the scenery of Amsterdam itself was enough for us to enjoy the trip. The atmosphere and architecture was nothing like Paris. The people give you a nice smile when you walk past. Much different from the Parisians that don’t even bother to look at you while walking past you. Some may say that the Mona Lisa smiles more than the average Parisian. Amsterdam and Paris are two different cities but both are unique and incredible in their own way. 

The Louvre is the largest museum on earth occupying nearly 73,000 square meters of space and roughly 500,000 objects and 35,000 works of art. Today we visited this famous museum and while the size of the museum can be overwhelming to tackle, visiting was an incredible experience. We started out altogether as a group to first visit the Mona Lisa, the famous artwork created by Leonardo da Vinci through its mysterious depiction of an italian woman. A big reason for its fame was that the painting was stolen for a period of time. It was an experience like no other to stand just feet away from the famous painting.

Following the visit of the Mona Lisa we went as a group to visit the French paintings section. It was interesting to see events depicted in the paintings that have been previously learned about. On Day 5 when we learned about the revolutionaries in Paris we saw the house where Jean-Paul Marat was stabbed and assassinated by Charlotte Corday 1793 while in his bathtub. At the Louvre the painting The Death of Marat was displayed painted by Jacques-Louis David. It was fascinating to hear the history behind the moment to then see the physical depiction represented within the museum. Another interesting painting we saw was the Coronation of Napoleon also by Jacques-Louis David. It spanned a large amount of the room reaching 6 meters high and spanning almost 10 meters wide. 

After exploring this section our group broke off into smaller groups to explore different areas of interest within the Louvre. After perusing through the area containing paintings from Great Britain, the United States, France, and Italy we made our way to the Greek and Roman Antiquities which were then followed by the Egyptian Antiquities. This was interesting because when I thought of the Louvre I thought of primarily paintings as the main form of art present as opposed to sculptures and objects as well. Next my group made our way to the Decorative Arts and Europe section which contained fascinating displays and setups. Some of the eye-catching displays included Mary Antionette’s bedroom and furniture sets. One last room I found interesting on level 1 of the Louvre was section 705 which contained the French Crown Jewels in The Galerie d’Apollon. This room, despite being gorgeous due to decoration and design, contained the remaining pieces of the French Crown Jewels which I found to be very interesting.

After spanning the entire level we went down to level 0 to explore. This floor contained mostly antiquities and sculptures as opposed to paintings. The Egyptian Antiquities were especially fascinating to me because I feel like I do not experience physical art or see photos of that type of art in the United States. Additionally we visited the rest of the sections on that floor and then decided to briefly visit level 2 containing Paintings from France. An amusing aspect of this trip was that our group of 6 each found a doppelganger painting of ourselves and took a picture with it. While it was not identical representations it was interesting how similar we looked to some of the paintings. As we were wrapping up our time in the museum there was a pop up section for Chinese art located close to an exit that we briefly explored. I thought this was a unique addition because it was not the famous works inside the Louvre at all times but it brought a new variety of artwork to the area to be explored. As the time in the museum hit late afternoon we had walked over 4 miles within the museum and had climbed 27 flights of stairs while exploring. A large amount of art had been viewed and it was definitely a successful day at the museum, but the night was not done! 

After leaving the museum we took the metro back to the hotel for a short bit to sit down and relax before dinner. A group of 8 of us had made the decision to do a picnic dinner at the eiffel tower. We met up in the lobby of our hotel at 8pm and all headed to the market to collect different ingredients for our picnic. An assortment of baguettes, croissants, meats, cheeses and fruit were all collected to be brought to the picnic. We took the metro from line 4 to line 6 to get to the eiffel tower where we set up our blanket and food in a grassy park area. As we enjoyed our picnic we bonded with each other and enjoyed the beautiful views of the eiffel tower at night. We got to see the eiffel tower sparkle at 11pm and we got to see the unique sparkle at 12am where the tower sparkles white. It was an incredible experience that I will not forget, the people and the place make it all worthwhile!

Today, we undertook a walking tour of Paris, where we experienced the many places that held high importance during both the American and French revolutions. To begin the day, we took off to meet our tour guide in front of the statue of Danton. We were informed about the significance of Danton to the revolution, and the location where his house once sat. Danton was one of the leaders of the revolution, and the statue itself was a representation of the speech he gave, where he encouraged the people to overthrow the government and utilize weapons to protect themselves from the force of the French government. It was marked with the most famous quotes from Georges Donton, such as “Audacity, more audacity, always audacity”.

After discussing the rich history behind the statue, we embarked on a short stroll to a small hidden walkway across the street, lined with its original cobblestone pathway. The passageway holds some of the richest history in the city, especially in regards to the revolutions of both countries.  This is where we found one of the first shopping malls invented. The idea of shopping malls was not common at the time, as the poor were unable to afford shopping around, and the rich would have their clothes made for them personally and at their house. But this street was created to encourage those in different classes to go out and look for premade items in windows as well as visit cafes, all in one spot. We also learned that instead of window shopping, the French use the term Leche vitrine, which literally translates to window licking. On the street, there also lies the printing shop that was specifically used to spread news of the revolution. At this point, most everybody could read and was better educated than they had been in the past. This was the main way that news and ideas of a revolution were spread and allowed the idea to take off. As the street continued, we were able to visit the oldest café in the city. This was the place where many American revolutionaries, such as Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin, once gathered while visiting the city to gain support from the French to fight in the revolution. The café was the first place to launch coffee as an exotic drink for sale. Across from the café is a restaurant that still contains the original wall of one of the towers that once stood in the spot. The street was also home to many of the revolutionaries of the time, including the owner of the print shop and many other historical figures.

After leaving the passageway, the group wandered the streets of Paris along side our guide learning the rich history of various places, such as the University of Paris, the home of Marie Antoinette’s final letter to her children, the place in which the first American Bar was, the original Shakespeare and Company, and the home of Thomas Paine. We also learned about the place where the Tennis Court Oath took place. This happened on some of the original indoor tennis courts of Paris, in which a court was booked for a few hours until the King’s booking, which gave them only a couple of hours to pack the people into the court and plan out the French Revolution. Walking along, we were able to see some of the government buildings and view people protesting laws outside. We also got to see some of the ways the revolution was acting against royalty, such as building the metric system. The original measurement system was created by referencing the size of the King’s body parts, such as feet, fingertips, and more. To convert to a more stable system, they measured the distance between the poles and sized it accordingly, as well as posting examples on buildings around the city.

After we toured revolutionary Paris, we headed over to the Pantheon. The Pantheon is one of the most intricate and historically important locations within Paris. It is a monument that was used to honor St. Geneviève and her protection over the city of Paris. To this day, lining the walls are paintings of Genevieve through the years and her impact on the people. Now, the Pantheon is the final resting place of hundreds of influential individuals, including those of the resistance, scientists, writers, and more. Many of the individuals who are not buried within the monument are given an honor with their name around the crypt. The building models numerous different cultures and blends them, such as Italian, French, Latin, and more, to create the beautiful interior and honor of the structure itself. The outside of the building is lined with stone heads of the most influential people, as well as Latin around the interior and exterior.

Overall, today was one of the most informational and entertaining experiences thus far on our travels. It was wonderful to connect the writers and people that we had been discussing and researching with the events of history and places around Paris. Following our eventful day, I was left wanting to learn more about the city and its rich history, as well as excited to visit more historical places.

The day started with sitting in the Luxembourg garden and having a discussion about the impressions we got of Paris from the texts we read, versus the impression of Paris we got after visiting it, or seeing as much of it as we had so far. We talked about how the Paris the books described was full of diversity ranging from sexuality and gender to cultures and customs. In the books, Paris was also portrayed as a calming place to sit down, have a coffee and write the day away, or have a discussion with a friend. There were also less constraints placed on people’s creativity and expression, such as the looser laws on censorship and homosexuality. Paris seemed like a place of liberation, as well as being peaceful during the day and lively after dark.

But once I got to Paris, I noticed some differences that brought me back to a real, less romanticized version of the city. From my experience, Paris is lively all times of the day, and I have had many daily encounters with homeless people and slow walkers. And though there is acceptance and liberation to be found here, there is also the pressure to blend in and look like a local, not only to gain a little respectability, but to avoid pickpockets as well (the fear that someone is always eyeing your phone or back pocket stays until the second you step foot back into the comfort of your own home). Now, this isn’t to say that Paris isn’t a beautiful city, rich with culture and adventures around every corner that leave your feet aching, but just proceed with caution and the expectation to be overwhelmed at times.

After the discussion, my friend and I got some food at a cafe in the gardens and walked around a bit more, before leaving and running into a flea market on Rue Vavin. There were vendors of all sorts: jewelry, records, honey, cultural masks. There was also an old seafoam green Cadillac parked in the road, drawing attention to a petition, and at the end of our small adventure my friend and I left with 3 free teacups, 2 hours well spent, and slight sunburns. After walking through the market and interacting with local vendors, I felt closer to the friendly, classic, lively Paris Hemingway described in the 1920s.

Though the sun was making its way further West, our day didn’t stop after our vibrant, yet relaxing, detour down Rue Vavin—my friend and I then decided to visit Parc zoologique de Paris, one of the many Paris zoos. Making our way down the metro, we ran into a photo booth and decided to make some memories that we could physically take home. Then, as we waited for the train, a man with an accordion decided to play us a tune, and boarded our train as well. It felt like a scene right out of a movie.

Finally arriving at the zoo, we were ready for some more exploring. Walking around we saw zebras, rhinos, giraffes and pumas, and there was even a smaller section with manatees, caimans and clown fish. We ran into a little girl sitting on the ground talking with a monkey seated on the other side of the glass, and I felt like I was witnessing something out of a Disney movie. There were birds wandering around outside of their enclosures, ring tailed lemurs exploring their trees, and many, many pigeons wanting in on the action. Walking back from the zoo, we passed a park with many people having a picnic on the lawn or floating in canoes on the water, and we stopped to listen to street performers singing Frank Sinatra in Italian.

Once we were back in the 14th Arrondissement, we decided it was time for dinner, and I had remembered a place mentioned when we went on our Hemingway walking tour earlier that week: La Rotonde. Walking in and taking a seat, we could see why it was such a place of inspiration for Hemingway and fellow American writers that found their way to Paris: intricate lamps and paintings adorned the walls, and there was a warm and welcoming air that kept us there until we couldn’t put off leaving any longer (and the penne was delicious).

Though the discussion in the gardens at the beginning of the day left me feeling a bit let down with my experiences in Paris up until that morning, moving throughout the different districts of the city and getting a taste of local life (and food), as well as taking a break from urban exploration in the zoo and park, I realized that my understanding of the city thus far had just been surface level—though the architecture is certainly a topic of conversation, the people and wildlife are adventures in themselves, and I was left with a feeling that the most impactful and inspirational aspects of Paris were found by enjoying the people, peace, and penne the city has to offer.

It would simply be expected on a trip to a new that at least one day began with a panic as some of us ran late to the opening event. The undying stress as you race across the streets, watching each second tick away on the clock knowing that at any moment the group will depart without you and you may never experience such an event again. It is a pain most intolerable but still forced upon us by our own mistakes. Yet, for all of us, any fears that we may have felt arriving melted away the instant we boarded the ship. The gentle breeze flowing through out hair and the warm sunlight shimmering on the water’s surface made it all worth it.

Before we departed, we met our guide for the trip, Paul. A Paris resident himself, he seemed excited to share what knew about the city’s two islands and everything in between. He seemed particularly thrilled to tell the story of the dozen bridges that we passed beneath which no one can blame him for. While there is not enough time to discuss every single one, a quite notable bridge was the Pont de la Concorde. It was built from the remains of the Bastille, the infamous prison that was stormed and marks the start of the French Revolution. It is quite appropriately now the pathway between the Place de la Concorde and the National Assembly. Another bridge was Pont Marie which is said to grant a wish if you kiss the person next to you while going beneath. Of course a lot of us were sitting next to strangers so we did not, but instead we looked at each other and had a good laugh.Of course, it was not just talk about bridges. Paul talked about everything from the Zouave statue that is used to gauge the height of the river, to the Palace that inspired the look of the White House back in the US. Every stone was turned in his discussion!

We took a quick break by the Eiffel Tower, where we all collectively stood up and took pictures of its glory. We tried our best to include ourselves in them but the boat was so crowded with people that it was difficult. Paul went around answering people’s questions. He was especially keen share the location of his favorite ice cream place, Berthillion. After trying it myself with Elliott and Kaylah, he was correct. It was amazing. Sadly, no pictures were taken because it was melting too fast, but I personally recommend the banana flavor.

As the boat turned around we got one final look at the likes of the Louvre that seemed to stretch for miles and the large clock of the Musée d’Orsay. It was a shame that it was already ending, it was an occasion that we wanted to last forever. However, the boat was docked and so we departed from it.

We gathered in the nearby park together to discuss what we saw before landing on a talk on the Bastille and the French Revolution. The storming of the Bastille was actually done in the hope of getting the gunpowder inside as the revolutionaries had already stormed the armory. Yet, the prison was still a symbol of the injustice that plagued the French people and so its demise marks the beginning of the revolution. Originally a good thing, as the revolution grew the people became overzealous and executed more and more including some of the first revolutionaries who were against this. Then, the Reign of Terror began when more people were massacred. Then finally came Bonaparte who began to conquer Europe and beyond and who crowned himself Emperor.

This not to say that the French Revolution was bad or wrong. The royalty and bourgeoisie controlled the country with a firm grip and imprisoned anyone who tried to speak against it without trial. So, the people finally grabbed their pitchforks and torches and got to work.

Our discussions led to how Paris was not always the way it is today. It was formed and molded by its bloody history. In the words of Jean-Paul Sartre in his work Existentialism is Humanism, “existence precedes essence.” The world is shaped by our actions and so we are shaped by the world. While we as a group have only been in Paris for three days, we can already feel the affects of this experience. The awe and wonder that comes the towering architecture, to the foreign yet familiar foods, and the welcoming attitudes of the locals who live here. This existence is incredible and so our essence shall be shaped.