Une Journée à Paris

So, back to Paris!

The day my friend Matthieu picked me up at the bus station, he drove me back to the apartment he and his girlfriend share. Both of them had worked on making dinner that night--duck breast with a honey dressing. It was my first time trying duck, and it was really, really good! I was a little nervous to try it, but I ended up really enjoying it! There were several other parts of the meal as well, but that was so long ago, I honestly can't remember...although I know I enjoyed everything.

I spent the night in a spare bedroom in Matthieu's parents' flat, and the next morning, Matthieu and I headed out for my speedy, one-day-tour of Paris. The day started with a boat tour of Paris, which headed down the river Seine. From the river, I saw the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Invalides Bridge, and the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was really, really amazing.

When the boat ride ended, we headed to shore and walked alongside the river to the Invalides Bridge. On the way to the bridge, a woman stopped me, pointed to the ground, and said "Excuse me, the ring, is it yours?" There was a gold-looking ring on the ground, and she picked it up and handed it to me, wishing me good fortunes when she did. Then we turned to leave and a few seconds later, she called out "Excuse me, but do you have money? For food?" This was a woman who looked well-dressed and very well-fed. I told her I had no money, but I gave the ring back. She shot me a nasty glare, took the ring, and headed off. My best guess to explain this strange encounter is that this was her way of getting money from strangers--tourists, like me.

I crossed the Invalides Bridge, a bridge that I've seen in so many photos and movies that I couldn't help but be amazed by the fact that I was in Paris, crossing such an iconic bridge. This road led directly to the Invalides, a grand building with a golden dome that can be seen from several parts of the city. Matthieu and I didn't have time to tour the Invalides, but we did go into the courtyard and onto the grounds. I even got to see some soldiers! (I think that's what they were, they looked very official).

After leaving the Invalides, Matthieu and I headed toward the Eiffel Tower. We stopped for lunch, and I felt very French, eating French cheeses and drinking wine on the gardens in front of the Eiffel Tower. Looking back, the whole thing was surreal and absolutely incredible. It rained a bit, but fortunately the rain didn't amount to much. Then, it was time to go up into the tower. The line for elevators was so long that Matthieu and I agreed the stairs would be better. It was a long climb! In total, I think we climbed over 600 steps. There were two levels where we could stop and enjoy the view of Paris from high inside its iconic tower. It was an amazing experience--one that just one year ago, I could never have imagined would be possible.

This seems a fitting place to stop for today. I'll post pictures soon, and then I'll have another post to finish the story of my day in Paris. A tout a l'heure!