Second Stop: Paris (May 20th to May 23rd)

We arrived in Paris around 9:30 PM on May 20th, and we took a cab to our hotel. The next day we enjoyed a typical Parisian breakfast, including the best hot cocoa ever. Then we walked along av du President Kennedy and the Bir Hakeim bridge, then through part of the Champ de Mars to the Eiffel Tower. There, we started off by navigating the Seine River to enjoy the sights offered by the many neighborhoods and attractions in the City. Later in the afternoon, we enjoyed a walk along the Champ de Mars and then went to the Hotel des Invalides, where Napoleon Bonaparte is buried. It was a magnificent place, and we gain much more appreciation for Napoleon and his legacy to human kind. We then went to enjoy a gorgeous dinner at a Café located in the Jardins de Trocadero. Gerardo wanted to go up the Eiffel Tower right after sunset to observe the city as it went from natural to artificial light. It was a spectacular view. Little by little the city lights started to illuminate the entire area surrounding us. At 10:00 PM, the Eiffel Tower lit like a Christmas tree, with flashy lights going in all directions. We felt fortunate to be there.

On day two, we began with a visit to the Musee du Louvre, where we spent a good part of the day admiring the exhibitions of Babylon, Egypt, Rome and Greece, and the artists of the Renaissance, among many others. It was exhausting, but very beautiful and worth every minute of it. Later that afternoon we visited the Notre Dame Cathedral. We then took the Tour Bus to visit other city sights, like the Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, and the Place de l’Opera. We closed the day by visiting the Arc de Triomphe, and enjoying the sunset from the top of this beautiful monument. Knowing the Eiffel Tower lights went on at 10:00 PM, we positioned ourselves facing the Tower in time to take a video and pictures of such moment. From the Arc de Triomphe, it is easy to see the spectacular city design, where every street is adorned by beautiful buildings and trees along the sidewalks. We closed the evening walking along the Champs Elysees and dyning at Fouquet’s.

We spent our last day in Paris by visiting Montmarte and the Basilica du Sacre-Coeur, a stunning edifice with a charming interior. We also spent some time observing the artists at the Place du Tertre. The city view from Montmarte is amazing, and although we would have liked to enjoy all afternoon, I had a strong desire to visit Versailles, which is located in the opposite side of town. So we took a train and went to visit the castle at Versailles and admired briefly its exterior and incredibly beautiful gardens. Then we sprinted back to the train station, then to the hotel to get our luggage, and then back to the train station to take a train to Florence. We barely made it.