For the long weekend, a group of friends and I decided to visit Paris for a quick trip. After two weeks in San Sebastian, I was a little worried about how different the rest of Europe would be.
We had gotten accustomed to the safety and culture of the city as well as the location itself. I feel like I could get around without any sort of map. However, Paris was an entirely different beast. I had been warned countless times about how dangerous Paris can be, as well as the sheer number of pickpockets. My father even suggested that my friends and I watched Taken before we left. With all these things in mind, I didn’t have high expectations for the trip, but was looking forward to seeing the culture and food.
After comparing different modes of transport, we decided that the train would be the most cost efficient way to get to the city. Our airbnb was around a 7 minute walk from the Paris Gare Montparnasse which allowed us to reach the airbnb quickly thursday night.
Friday morning our trip truly began. We began our day by taking the bus into the Notre dame area and grabbing a traditional french breakfast, during which our waiter recommended we visit “Rue Mouffetard” which was not originally on our itinerary, however we kept the street on our minds. Soon after we left for the Notre-Dame Cathedral which had previously re-opened to the public after the 2019 fire. The inside of the church was stunning and really showed off the brilliance of gothic architecture. After, we walked to the Musee D’Orsay, which houses some of the most brilliant artwork of all time, including Van Gohn’s “Starry Night Over the Rhône”and Monet’s “The Water Lily Pond”. Finally we ended the day seeing the sunset at the eiffel tower and eating crepes at a nearby restaurant. It’s an interesting feeling to experience something you’ve only ever seen pictures, and it’s strange to think that something we’re for the first and potentially only time, is part of someone’s everyday life.
On Saturday, we visited a few more attractions before our train ride back to San Sebastian. Our first stop was the Montparnasse cemetery, which houses more than 35,000 graves, including some famous writers like Simone De Beauvoir. After having breakfast at Millie & Un, a French-Korean bakery, we took a quick stroll through the Luxembourg gardens. I really enjoyed the gardens a lot more than I expected, it was lively and had stunning views. We then had tickets for the Paris catacombs, which i was very excited for. I noticed how seriously they took safety, they counted multiple times how many people entered and left the catacombs, and had a live counter making sure no more than 200 people were inside at all times. The inside of the catacombs were eery but also fascinating. It’s hard to process just how many remains are actually in the tunnels, there are millions more buried in the catacombs than people living in Paris. Finally, to end our day we had some free time and we decided to check out the street that our waiter had recommended earlier. I am so glad we did because Rue Mouffetard was gorgeous and so lively. We had delicious authentic french food. I also tried steak tartare for the first time, which while it wasn’t bad, the texture would definitely take some time to get used to. We finally finished off our evening with some crepes before starting to head back to the train station.
Overall, I loved our trip to Paris, and I’m so glad I got out of my comfort zone to see Paris. While San Sebastian has that charming coastal city vibe, Paris’ high energy and fashion was an incredible contrast to witness. I was very aware of the saying that Parisians were rude and hated Americans, but every single interaction i had was kind and welcoming. A Mexican waitress even gave our group free macarons after we spoke to her in Spanish.
One thing I noticed in Paris, is that they very quickly will switch to english once they realize you’re not French . This is very different to San Sebastian, where a lot of locals can’t speak English and you’re almost forced to learn the language. Both have their pros and cons, but I can see how living in Paris can be annoying if you’re trying to learn the language. With only two weeks in San Sebastian, I feel like my Spanish has gotten much better. While some of it is due to the Spanish classes, most are just listening and speaking to the locals, who are more than happy to speak Spanish, even if you’re still learning. I’ve noticed that as long as you try to speak Spanish, the locals are much more patient and kind.
This trip to San Sebastian has been my first time in Europe, and I’ve fallen completely in love with everything. The food, culture, and even languages. Both San Sebastián and Paris will forever have a place in my heart.