P A R I S

Let's start at the very beginning. Paris was the first stop on our European adventure. From the very moment I could see the Eiffel Tower through the fog from my window seat on Air France, I knew I was about to begin the journey of a lifetime. I don't think my feet really hit the ground until I stepped off the train near Luxembourg gardens. The beauty that surrounded me at that moment is a picture I will always carry with me...



There is so much hype about Paris and romance, the city of love and as I was about to discover with my own two eyes, all of it is with good reason. Sharing the love of Paris is probably easiest through photos like this and I have 1,700 of them! But romance here isn't just love between two people, but rather a love of life and presence. Just being here, whether you're happily married or single, brings about a love all its own.

The parks, the gardens *Jardin*,the cafes, the architecture *Eiffel*, the people (the French are very pleasant!), the food, the wine *vin*, the shops *Champs Elysees*, the natural wonders *Seine*, the museums *Louvre*, the churces *Notre Dame*, and the nightlife *Moulin Rouge*, all of them make Paris a place of wonder and enchantment. 

My favorite way of getting around Paris was the Velib. Velibs are bicycles that you rent at any given station around the city for just 1.50E. You can then ride them and turn them in at another location. When you're ready to go, grab another! There are Velib stations at all the major attractions. Many locals use them as a form of everyday transportation. We rode ours to Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and down the streets of Saint Germain at midnight! And yes, there are bike paths on every street but this is a rather large city so the streets are busy with cars, buses, and taxis. Velibs are fun but not for the faint at heart.

I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty beneath the Eiffel Tower as well as the structure itself. There are gravel pathways through trees and gardens, as well as a beautiful pond just below the base of the magnificently grand tower. My time in Paris taught me one thing and that is to enjoy my surroundings more. Opening your eyes automatically opens your heart. 

Nighttime in Paris is spectacular and it doesn't have to be all champagne and caviar (although those are good too) but one of my favorite memories in the city of lights and love was alongside the Seine river. While watching the lights sparkle and the beams hit the moon off the Eiffel Tower, I had the best beer and official FRENCH fries of my life! Fasten your seat belts all you romantics out there, because Paris has every wonder and glory of all big cities, including night creatures such as rats. That's right, look up and you see what's in this picture, look down and you have company enjoying the view!

My visit to Paris wouldn't be complete without a train trip up north to Montmartre and some high heel fun at the Moulin Rouge. The cabaret dinner club was built in 1889 and has been a part of Paris nightlife ever since. It became hugely popular after the hit movie starring Nicole Kidman was released in 2001. The street is lined with erotic stores, not exactly a place for children, but a fun night on the town indeed.

Leaving Paris was no easy task but I remind myself every day to keep opening my eyes, the way Paris taught me to. One of my favorite authors puts this into perspective. "Il n’y a que deux endroits au monde où l’on puisse vivre heureux:  chez soi et à Paris." which means "there are only two places in the world where we can live happy, at home and in Paris"
Ernest Hemingway


I'm happy to be home but we'll always have Paris.....