This day proved to be very momentous for me. I woke very early and climbed on the "night bus" by 5:30 a.m. in order to give myself enough time to get to King's Cross before my train departed for Paris. I was a little iffy about the bus service given my horrible experience on Tube strike day. However, I was able to make it to King's Cross with no hassle, and I had enough time to grab a coffee to perk me up a little at such an early hour. I had once again booked my trip through Golden Tours, and they made this day almost effortless for me!
Before boarding the Eurostar train, which would take me under the English Channel and into Paris, I had to pass through boarder control. I was pretty happy about this because I got some more stamps on my passport! Everything went smoothly, and I was thrilled to find out that my Eurostar ticket was first class! I rode in style to Paris, which took a little over two hours. I had been given a packet of information about my trip, and, to my surprise, Golden Tours had included a hop-on, hop-off tour of Paris for me! The included map allowed me to start planning my stops before I even left the train, so I was really able to maximize my time.
Stop 1: Hard Rock Paris
I had to purchase a shirt here for my collection, which now includes Paris, London, and Madrid.
Stop 2: The Louvre
Probably the most famous art museum in the world, The Louvre was one of the places I knew I needed to visit. I really wish I had had more time to look around, but I was able to see some beautiful works. Of course the Mona Lisa was the biggie!
Stop 3: Notre Dame Cathedral
If you want to see something amazingly beautiful, all you have to do is visit Notre Dame. I have been in many cathedrals, but there is something glorious about this building. Built in the Gothic style, Notre Dame features flying buttresses and gargoyles, which add to the already elaborate carvings on the exterior. Inside, elegant friezes and stunning rose windows add to the majesty of this cathedral. Even though I had to wait for a while to go inside, it was totally worth it!
In Transit: The Seine, the Champs-Élysées, and the Arc de Triomphe
While I did not disembark at any of these locations due to time constraints, I did get some very good pictures. The Seine is the major river in Paris, which features prominently in Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The Champs-Élysées is an avenue famous for its restaurants, shops, and theatres. It is quite fashionable to stroll down this street; sadly, I didn't have time for a stroll. At the end of the Champs-Élysées is the Arc de Triomphe, which Napoleon erected to celebrate all French victories up to 1836. The French Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is underneath the Arc de Triomphe.
Stop 4: The Eiffel Tower
OK, so I'm going to guess that you all knew this one was coming. I mean, who goes to Paris and doesn't see the Eiffel Tower? The Eiffel Tower, erected in 1889 for the World's Fair and standing an impressive 1,063 feet tall, has become the face of France and is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. After taking tons of pictures here, I enjoyed what was called a hotdog (it was really a baguette with a frankfurter inside, plus a little ketchup) underneath the beautiful lattice work of the tower. The only downside to this stop was that street vendors kept approaching tourists, sometimes rather forcefully. I actually saw the cops take down one of the vendors before I left.
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| Lunchtime view! |
Stop 5: Napoleon's Tomb
After visiting the tomb of the Duke of Wellington, I figured I'd be fair and visit the tomb of the man he defeated. Napoleon's tomb is located at L'Hôtel des Invalides under the central dome. While he died in 1821, Napoleon's remains were not entombed at L'Hôtel des Invalides until 1861. The sarcophagus is huge and the building is extremely regal, both of which I'm sure Napoleon would have loved. Additionally, the rest of the building complex houses the French Military Museum; since the admission price got me in both, I did a little exploring in the museum as well.
Stop 6: The Moulin Rouge!!!
I've been in love with the Moulin Rouge ever since I first saw the Baz Luhrmann movie of the same name. This cabaret in the red light district of Pigalle is famous for being the birthplace of the modern can-can. It was also a favorite haunt of artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Standing before the iconic red windmill on the building's roof, I had to smile. Only a few months ago, I was frantically piecing together a replica of this very building for my school's prom; now, I was standing in front of the real-life version. Life's coincidences are pretty amazing!
I managed to catch the last bus back to the train station, then made my way through border control for the second time in one day. After settling into my comfy first-class Eurostar seat, I had time to think about my amazing day in Paris. While I was able to see all of the highlights, I already wanted to come back some day. Audrey Hepburn was right: Paris is always a good idea!
Long days and pleasant nights!
**Good night, Mrs. Hall, wherever you are!**
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