Hello there, guys!

Congratulations to the French World Cup team! In a match against Croatia, France won the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Seeing all of the French fans partying on the news forced me to recall the time I spent in Paris. Champs-Élysées was filled with people celebrating the country’s victory; the view must have been amazing from the top of the Arc de Triomphe.

That led me to this idea: why not recall all of the amazing things about Paris in a post? 😉

Tangible Time

How can time be tangible? Look no further than the city of lights. As Paris evolves, the city’s rich past makes room for the future’s innovations— literally. Buildings created in the Middle Ages are now home to stores, residential areas, and offices that keep Paris a rapidly changing city. Walking through architecturally ornate streets while passing by the lively neighborhoods and sweet-smelling boulangeries of the city creates an exquisite feeling I’ve only attached to Paris.

The best example of seeing Paris’ ability to perfectly exhibit the past, present, and future all together is the view down the Seine river. The Seine, the narrow river that runs through Paris, has the best view of all the city’s infamous architecture; from the Eiffel Tower to the Notre Dame, I got a close view to these buildings.

From a boat, I passed underneath all of the bridges as well. The love lock bridge still stands packed with locks. I haven’t put a lock on the bridge but even if I decided to, I’m not sure there would be enough space! The view from beneath the bridges makes you feel a lot smaller than from walking on top of them. The Seine allows one to see Paris’ treasured past and the new additions to the city at the same time.

Ageless Architecture

The architecture from Paris not only originates from centuries ago but the city also constantly renovates, updating to the modern look while keeping a classic accent on its buildings. In the picture above, a photography store sits (in the door next to the white car) with a bunch artwork to purchase. My friend and I discovered this quaint hole-in-the-wall next to a Japanese exhibit.

I’ve visited Paris twice; the first occasion I was with my family and the other I went on a school trip. I didn’t get the chance to go the top of the Arc de Triomphe the second time I went to Paris, but the first time I did and since then, it’s been one of my favorite places in the world. I think the best view is at night.

To get the best view of all of the bridges and buildings, take a river cruise on the Seine river. The first time I went to Paris, my family and I hopped on a large tour boat that took us up and down the river. The second time I went with friends, we went on a dinner cruise and strolled down the river a lot slower. We even got to see Emmanuel Macron on a boat! Paris was celebrating that they were going to host the Olympics in 2024, so the entire city was partying. Consequently, there was a ton of traffic that day, too.

Garden Greenery

Not only from looking at my photos but also looking at Instagram and Pinterest pictures can you see that Paris has lots of flowers and gardens spread all throughout the city. The Luxembourg Gardens have benches spread throughout the park for people to sit down and observe the area. The green open spaces make room for people to have picnics on the lawn. The next time I get the chance to go to Paris, I am spending a lot more time in these gardens and bringing a journal with me.

The last time I went to the Luxembourg Gardens, I was on my way back to my hotel when my friend and I suddenly came across the huge open gate that lead to the photo above. We walked around the tourist packed park and found some nice people to take a photos of us on the lawn. If you’re a photographer, you cannot skip these gardens.

 

Now, I really want to go back! Hopefully, the next time I go, I’ll be a whole lot more proficient in French than I was last time 😛

Have a great week and enjoy the weather! Talk to you next time… 🙂

P.S. Is anyone else really sad that the World Cup is over?