Postcard from Paris
When traveling abroad, it is important to travel with people who share similar travel intentions.
Choose travel mates who like to experience the same things, want to try new things, and make the most out of the time spent traveling.
Some people enjoy relaxing on vacation; others prefer to spend their time visiting every tourist attraction in the city. Some like to shop, while others enjoy dining at various restaurants. Some choose to be frugal with their money, while others opt to splurge.
In my time abroad, I have been on many trips with many different groups of people. Choosing the right group to travel with can shape your views of a country and your overall experience.
DAY 1
I landed in Paris at 9:30 a.m. on Friday. The trip to the hotel was approximately 45 minutes so I decided to wait for Kieran's flight to get in at 10:30 a.m. We took an Uber from the airport to our Airbnb which was located across the street from the president of the French Republic embassy. This was the ideal location to stay as it was within walking distance of most of the major hot spots in the city. We checked in, got ready for the day, and started our walk to the Louvre. Though it was my second time at the Louvre, I still got chills walking through the exhibits. As we walked through the museum we were amazed not only by the incredible art but also the architecture of this exquisite building.
In an attempt to save money, we decided to walk home while exploring the city. Europe is the definition of a walking country. Public transportation is the ideal way to go long distances because Uber can be expensive. You must travel with someone who can agree on transportation. We got ready for dinner and took the metro to our meeting spot. Because we were in Paris for Valentine's Day, we decided to save the money on gifts and spend it on experiences. For that reason, we decided to splurge on a Valentine's dinner boat cruise. The dinner was a set menu with the most delicious food. For $150 per person, we were provided a four-course meal, a bottle of wine, and a tour of the entire city. The boat company timed it out so we would be directly in line with the Eiffel Tower on the hour. As the lights began to sparkle everyone got up from their tables and rushed up to the top deck. This was truly the most surreal and romantic experience of my life thus far. We ended our night meeting up with friends at Caveau De La Huchette which is a LaLa Land-inspired jazz club. To anyone visiting Paris, this is a must-see club. I suggest going early as it was packed to the brim.
DAY 2
Saturday morning, we woke up and walked to Le Bistro which had the most amazing pancakes. Kieran got the bacon egg cheeseburger. After that, we walked in the direction of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre which is a beautiful white church overlooking the city. There is a ton of uphill walking and windy alleyways so be sure to pack comfy walking shoes. When we reached the top of the hill we were rewarded with an incredible view of the backside of the church. Around the right side of the church, there is a quaint small town full of petite shops and traditional pubs and a man playing the accordion with his cat resting on his shoulder. After a bit of sightseeing, we bought a lock and found a nice spot to take in the view where we sat for a while. We put our lock on the fence right next to where we sat and headed over to the small town where we walked around the square full of artists presenting their drawings, and into small shops before stopping for a drink at La Boheme. We chose to sit facing the street to people-watch and enjoy each other’s company. After an appetizer or two, Kieran thought it would be a good idea to take a gondola down the hill, only to find that it took us down about 300 yards, oops! Once at the bottom of the hill, we ran into a pop-up coffee shop with delicious sugar doughnuts and mulled wine.
Next stop… Notre Dame! We took in the views of the beautiful landmark and then explored the surrounding area. After heading into a couple of vintage shops, I found a beautiful trench coat for Kieran to buy. We weren't sure where to go for dinner, so we popped into a cute boutique store and asked the owner for suggestions. She led us to Presto Fresco where I had the world's best truffle and burrata pasta. After dinner and a couple of drinks, we agreed to head home as we had an early flight the next morning.
I had been to Paris before and was debating on whether it was worth the money to return again, but it absolutely was! This weekend brought once-in-a-lifetime experiences and I believe this was because I decided to travel with the right person who wanted to experience Paris in the same way I would myself.
Stay tuned for a postcard from Dublin!
Julia
