Perusing through Paris

My trip to Paris was on short notice, I had a long weekend due to some unforeseen circumstances and a dream of visiting the city of Love. With a small budget, I decided to go by bus and I got acquainted with the landscape without drilling holes in my wallet. The eight-hour journey from Paris to London cost 25 pounds. A lot more people use the road because you spend a shorter time at the immigration checks and the bus takes you right to the centre of the city so you don’t incur the cost of moving from the airport to the city.

The iconic Eiffel tower stood right in the heart of the city within the posh residences and restaurants. A friend of mine said we shouldn’t be surprised if we were asked to move by a Film Crew because of the several movie scenes shot around it. It was amazing to look at and one of those things I’ve always wanted to tick off the bucket list.

Paris is the land of fancy. Yes, even the McDonald’s. The shopping malls are seriously done up for your eyes to feast. The products were so beautifully laid out even i the minimalist aspirant was almost tempted to get my hands on something. I had my first CouchSurfing experience and my host was living a 15-minute walk away from the beautiful Arc de Triomphe. They were so kind we talked hours on end, as they played tour guide. They had hosted over a hundred people and made friends from all over the world. It was interesting to hear the stories.

The train stations, on the other hand, were underwhelming as I was hit in the face with a stench of piss. Otherwise, Paris is very modern and tourist friendly. They understand English but will still insist on speaking French. Overall the people were nice and the place was expensive. It lived up to my expectations, there are people that disagree leading to the rise of the ‘Paris Syndrome’ a disease of the Chinese with super high expectations.

At the Louvre, I was charged a small entrance fee, seeing the Mona Lisa of over five hundred years was baffling, my jaw dropped at the sight of her. The eye thing is real, they literally follow you around the room at whatever angle you look at the painting. I had good company talking about the paintings which I find important for art galleries, especially big ones. Discussing what the artist was saying and what each piece meant to us, considering we were from different backgrounds was amazing. It definitely was a worthwhile experience. I enjoyed being in the Louvre, I could live there.

The pastries tasted amazing from the croissants to the macaroon but the prices are as obscene as the toothaches that come with the indulgence.

France might seem like a small country but there are still many places, I hope to see in France mostly Monaco and the south of France. For now am happy for this experience the sound of the accordion walking through that little art town will remain with me.

Your humble traveller,

Keezire.