Paris in Review: Part 2
I want to thank everyone for reading part one of my trip to Paris. I appreciate everyone taking the time to read and sharing kind words with me.
Day 4: Musee d'Orsay
This was my favorite gallery of the trip. The museum sits along the Seine and was once a train station. In a few of the windows, you could look out past the clock and see the city. It was hard to decide which to look at —the paintings or the view. They had several paintings from Van Vogh and Monet, which I loved. I also enjoyed the daily life scenes and landscapes on the first floor. A few paintings here covered the entire wall. The size of the space allowed you to see everything the museum had to offer. Since we visited Monet’s home a few days earlier, it was great to see many more Monet’s. A few of the paintings were in a slightly different style which I enjoyed. I felt like these paintings really showed how well Monet mastered shading with each small brushstroke.
“View from Paris in a Balloon” -Victor Navlet
I loved this one. It took up the entire wall with an overhead shot of Paris. I couldn’t believe the detail and scale–a 1800’s version of a drone shot.
Day 5: The Louvre
You always hear people talk about how big the Louvre is and how long it would take to get through it all. They are right—it is huge. After starting out, we decided to select our top choices and tackle those. It was easy to get lost in the rooms, so we kept our map close by. With everyone else, we made our way to see the Mona Lisa. She was the star of the show and required a line to see up close. We stuck to the side and got a closer look. I was glad to see the Nike of Samothrace. A statue that I spent a lot of time studying about in art history. It was fun to see pieces in real life that you’d dedicated time to learning in class.
We picked the perfect time to do a river cruise. It was the “golden-hour” of Paris around 8:00 p.m. The temperature was cooler which made for a perfect night. The cruise departed at the base of the Eiffel Tower, so we got yet another view of it. Throughout the hour, we were able to see many landmarks as we cruised along. It seems like most of the action is centered around the Seine. Many groups sat along the water having picnics and relaxing. It was one of those pinch me moments that reminded you why Paris is so special.
Day 5: Shopping
On our last day, we wanted to do some Parisian shopping and take it easy. We visited a department store called Le Bon Marché in the 7th arrondissement. It was very impressive with big fashion brands. Of course, we enjoyed the stationery and art section the best.
Next, we visited a luxury grocery store called La Grande Epicerie de Paris that was attached. I was blown away by the selection. The “food hall” had three levels connected by escalators with different sections for cheese, meat, seafood, jams, wine, and so on. Many sections had tables to sit and sample the options. I took a picture of the “USA” section which included condiments, marshmallows, boxed macaroni, and baking soda.
We also visited the Arc de Tromphe. This monument has so much detail when you get up close. I know I’ve seen many views of it in pictures and movies, but you need to be up close to really appreciate it. To visit the monument, you travel underground to bypass probably the worst roundabout ever. This location is a circular road with no lines, heavy traffic, and lots of honking.
Food
Each morning we would have a “complete breakfast” or a croissant and baguette. We were able to walk a few minutes to several great cafés and bakeries. The complete breakfast includes a baguette with strawberry jelly and butter, an omelet, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a croissant. I was able to enjoy several cups of hot chocolate. Parisians really enjoy the act of eating and take their time to enjoy their meals. We were able to experience several classic French meals and a few others.
We learned a trick—go to a café close by a good bakery because they will go across the street to grab more croissants when they run out. Because we averaged 20,000 steps a day, we enjoyed many French desserts. This includes macrons, lemon tart, crepes, Italian gelato, and the French version of French toast.
Paris was filled with so much inspiration. I feel very grateful that I had the opportunity to go. When my Paris study abroad trip in March 2019 got canceled because COVID, I told myself “it just wasn’t meant to be.” I learned a lot of patience through the waiting. After returning home from the trip, I decided it that was indeed, “meant to be.”
