Paris!!

Bonjour!!

I'm in Paris. IIIII'm in Paris. Nope. Still don't believe it. Yesterday was my first full day in Paris and I covered a lot of steps. Seriously. My fitbit said I walked almost 30,000 steps yesterday. So let me start at the beginning. It's a good place to start. I woke up early to get to the Louvre Museum around the time of opening. It opened at 9:00. I got there at 9:45. Not bad, in my opinion. My friend Jenna who I met in Barcelona said to go through the entrance that's under the Carousel since the line would be undoubtedly shorter than the main entrance through the pyramid. She was right but even though I got there shortly after it opened, the line wrapped around the whole underground shopping mall. I even adventured to the main entrance to see if Jenna was pulling my leg about the main entrance should be avoided. She wasn't. Back down I went! The line moved quickly and soon I was in the Louvre!! Wow. Just wow. I went into the Denon wing and spent the majority of my time there. That's where amazing Italian and French art and statues were kept and also the very famous Mona Lisa. I saw the painting with my own eyes! Not from a postcard or a movie. I wrestled my way through the crowd and got to see her lack luster smile for myself. Who gets to do that??

Let me also just comment on how amazing the Louvre is as a whole. Nothing compares to it. I remember being impressed with the museums in Greece. They are in the minor leagues in comparison. I found out that it would take you approximately 4 weeks to see every piece of art at the Louvre. And that is without eating or sleeping.

I was there for only a morning. I only scratched the surface. Such a great morning.

Afterwards, I made my way to the Sandeman's free walking tour that started 1:00. I got there early so it was a perfect time to have my first crepe! Nutella and banana. Yum. Glad in haven't had one until now because I'd eat them too much. In the walking tour we started in the Latin quarter (named for the university in the area that would only allow you to speak Latin in the area. That's no longer a rule but the name stuck). We walked there to Notre Dame. I only saw the outside but I learned a lot about the history of the building before and after the French Revolution (example: during the FR people cut off the heads of the statues on the building because they thought they were kings... They were saints.. Oops)

Then we walked to Pont Neuf (new bridge) that was made by Louis IV, the lock bridge, and then to the Louve. Louvé meant stronghold in French and was used to defend against the English.

And did you know that the famous glass pyramids were made by an American? Take that! (But it's been said that the pyramids were the French president's way to pay respect to his lover the Egyptian disco singer, Dalida.

We took a break and I had desserts from Eric Kayser, which was recommended and was delicious, but is a chain. You can find one in New York. We walked through Jardin des Tuileries and ended our tour there.

I left the tour and headed towards the Eiffel Tower. When I got there, it was already closed off in preparation for Bastille day. Bummer.

But I had time though to go the Montmartre tour I was planning on doing the next day. Got there just in time!

Started the tour at the Moulin Rouge. Moulin Rouge in French means Red Windmill, so that's why there is a red windmill on top of the building. The tour guide Alexander asked us questions to see how much we knew about French history.

Alexander: "The Moulin Rouge was built the same year as the Eiffel tower. Does anyone know what year that was?"

Me: "1889."

A: What dance is the Moulin Rouge famous for?

E: the can can

A: what is absynth known as?

E: the green fairy

(That last one I knew from the movie Moulin Rouge)

So I kind of looked like either a French scholar which I clearly am not, or a smarty pants. But whatevs.

Everything you'd think of about quant Paris is actually Montmartre. That's funny because for the majority of history, Montmartre wasn't a part of Paris and was not taxed or renovated like a part of Paris. Saw famous restaurants, saw the last standing windmill of Montmarte: Moulin de Lagalette. Buckwheat windmill. The Russian destroyed all the others during Napolean's reign. We also got to see and go into the Sacré Coeur! Very pretty. And if you ever go and look at the gargoyles, on one side there is a pig instead of a gargoyle, and a goat on the other side.

To add to the smarty pants image, I guessed that St Dennis would be depicted with two halos, one on his head and one where his head should be (he was decapitated by a soldier). And I also knew that bistro was not a French word but in fact Russian, meaning fast.

The Russians aren't a very patient people.

But yeah! I learned a lot on that tour, but also realized how much I already knew about French history.

I highly recommend Sandeman's New Europe tours. They're such a great way to get to know a city, the culture, and the history.

I'm loving Paris and am so glad I'm here.