Paris - The City of Love and Lights!

This past weekend I went to Paris! Saturday morning at 7:30, we took the Eurostar from London under the English Channel and got to Paris in just over 2 hours.... pretty cool :)

I was so tired on Saturday from getting up at 4:45, but had a great day overall. The first thing we did after checking into the hotel was go on a walking tour to the Notre Dame cathedral. It was beautiful inside and out. I couldn't believe all the history of the statues and architecture as my tour guide described it. After that, we walked to the Louvre! Along the river, there are hundreds of street vendors that sell old books and prints, I wish we could have stopped and looked. I didn't get a chance to tour the inside of the Louvre, but I never knew how big that place actually is! I feel like it would take 6 months to walk through and see everything there.

We walked across the "Lock Bridge" - it's a famous bridge where couples write their names on a lock and place in on the bridge for good luck in love. :) 

Next, my tour leader left us to on our own, and my group walked to the Royal Opera House, yet another beautiful building in Paris! We then took the metro to the Eiffel Tower where we got some pictures, then found some dinner in the square there. By the time we were done, it was about 8 and we wanted to see the Tower sparkle at 9. I was in complete awe when the Tower lit up.... I never thought I'd see that in person!!! Words cannot describe how amazing of an experience that was. 

Sunday morning, we left on another walking tour of a section of the city called Montmartre. We walked to the top of a hill to a cathedral called the Sacre Couer, and the views of the city from the top were stunning. We were lucky to have a clear day! There was a food/tasting festival going on outside the cathedral, and I got 2 jars of fig jam. I may have a slight obsession with figs ;). We then left the Sacre Couer and walked around Montmartre - this part of the city was more of the typical quaint Parisian town you would picture when you think of France - and I think it was my favorite part of the city!

When the tour was over, my friend and I took the metro to the Arc de Triomphe, then found the Princess Diana memorial near the bridge where she died, and then walked to sit under the Eiffel Tower for a little while and eat lunch before heading back to the hotel.

Paris was an incredible experience and something I will never forget. I'm still reminding myself that I'm actually in Europe seeing these famous sites and cities in person! Incredible.

Lots of Love,

Casey