Our following day in Paris was filled with so much stuff and a crazy early start. We had planned to hit the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Musee d'Orsay and the Eiffel Tower.
It was a complete view of the city. I was able to get a few awesome shots, like this one of Sacre Coeur in the distance. The last time I had been to Paris, my professor lived right around there in Montmartre, a fantastic, artistic part of the city. The only part I never liked about that part are the men who try to sell you the bracelets at Sacre Couer. They are very persistent and will try to grab your arm to put the bracelet on you and once it's on, they try to force you to pay because it's so difficult to get the bracelet off.
Our first stop was the Arc de Triomphe. We got there before it opened so we stood in line and waited for the doors to open. It was crazy how fast that line grew and how happy I was that we had gotten there early. I had forgotten why I had not climbed the arch when I had lived there in college. I was quickly reminded as to why: to get to the top of the arch, you have to climb a spiral staircase that seems never ending. Even the most fit people that were around us were struggling and panting by the time they reached the top. We stopped and took breaks and still felt awful when we reached the top. Our legs felt like rubber and you just trip over your own feet as you walk along the roof for the first few minutes, but the view was amazing...
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| Sacre Couer. 8/2014 |
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| Paris avenue. 8/2014 |
I also got to get a solid view of the axis of Paris. It's amazing what Haussmann did for Paris and how even today, it remains very much as he shaped it in to. Paris is just such a beautiful, wonderful city. I don't think I could ever hate it, even on my worst day.
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| Eiffel Tower. 8/2014 |
Afterwards, we stopped at a cafe where Phil got to experience his first Orangina and croissant and pain au chocolat. We decided to skip Notre Dame and head back over to the Eiffel Tower where we found probably the longest lines we have ever seen. So, we hung out and took pictures before leaving the tower.
Phil took me to lunch at a crazy expensive restaurant next to the tower where we had wine, and cheese and we split steak-frites. It was some of the most delicious food I have ever had. As we left, we got caught in a Paris rain shower and had to wait it out underneath an awning. It was just so very...Parisian.
We strolled down along the Seine and we watched the boats on the river. I was shocked by how many bridges tourists are just defacing with those stupid locks. We did not put a lock on any bridge because I find it to be such a crappy thing to do. The weight of those locks are destroying major parts of the city and causing such a fade that I was able to find locks on other bridges throughout our trip. And really, do you think your lock of love really stays there forever? It doesn't. They are eventually taken off by the city and the locks are melted down.
We got lost in each other and the city that day. We walked by the Hotel des Invalides and eventually hit the Musee d'Orsay. We didn't have time to go in because we had to catch our ride back to the hotel. We found two girls from our trip sitting on the bridge and we joined them. Kelsey and Ellie would become our good friends on that trip going forward. This is also where Phil gets approached by a man who says he has dropped his ring. Phil does not wear a ring, but the guy keeps insisting and then demands money until Phil tells him to pop off pretty much. The guy leaves in a huff after begging for money because now he hadn't eaten in days.
Earlier that day, I had had a woman approach me to give money to the deaf children of Paris which we did not and walked on. She probably would have tried to pick pocket my purse had I not had an anti theft bag that was zipped up and close to my body. I was amazed with how many schemes we ran into. I had never had an issue in the city before, but not that day.
I was also amazed by our tour company and tour manager that day too. We caught our ride back, but two girls were chasing our bus trying to get on and our tour manager just did not care. He would have had us keep going had we all not started to say something. This was a big issue I had with Contiki. As a tour company that markets to young singles that are often women, I thought as a company they would do more to ensure safety, but as my TM said that day and several times after, "if you're not on the bus when we leave, we assume that you're just having a fun time elsewhere." I had booked the trip before I met Phil and had planned to do this trip alone. That concerned me because I had chosen a tour company for this adventure because I was single and I thought if nothing else, a tour would keep me safe and clean, but what I came to find is how they largely didn't care about either.
By the end, I was thankful to have gone with Phil because together, we made a great vacation and a lot of memories with one another. I think I would have been miserable had I gone alone.
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