Où est le Moulin Rouge?

It's been two years, but I made it back...to Paris! I never thought I would get to see that magical city again, but I did once more and this time with friends who had never been.

Not only did I get to re-experience France, but I got to ride high in the sky on the beauty that is RyanAir. Okay, it is the cheapest way to fly throughout Europe, but their planes are so efficient and always leave on time--what more could you ask for? Also, on the plane, my friends and I met two guys from Texas who were also studying in England for a term. It was so nice to talk to people who were studying abroad like us and we shared some stories of our experiences in England. Very similar tales we'll have to tell when we get back to our families and friends. They were complete Southern gentlemen and really cool people to talk with.

When my friends and I landed in Paris, the four of us split into two pairs because we had separate agendas for the weekend. So, my travel buddy from the Bath and Stonehenge trip and I were now taking on Paris. (The other pair were going to make a trip to Disneyland to see what the European version had to offer.) After dropping our luggage off at the hostel--which was the least scary thus far--we headed to the Eiffel Tower. My first memory of the city was le Tour d'Eiffel and so was my friend's. Among our travels that weekend, we saw the Sacre Coeur Basilica, Arc de Triomphe, Opera House, Champs Elysee, Pere Lachaise cemetery, Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. What I love most about Paris is that no space is empty of art. Whether in a metro stations waiting under colored mosaic tiles, walking down a street adorned with unpredictably pleasant graffiti, or standing by an ordinary lamppost dignified by intricate craftiness, you can't escape the careful detail that artisans and craftspersons have poured into that magnificent city.

On our full day in Paris, Saturday, we were very fortunate to have perfect weather and we got to see everything on our agenda. Being blessed with a clean hostel and the fulfillment of our itinerary with gorgeous conditions, I couldn't be more thankful. The time we spent in Paris was approximately forty hours, so we didn't have much time to waste. And, the five years of French I took during school surprisingly came back to me for the essentials of asking for directions and speaking to waitresses and cab drivers which was nice. Chad and I only got extremely lost once, when we were looking for the infamous Moulin Rouge.

My favorite part of the trip was purchasing cliche souvenirs--a pink beret to match my scarf and a grey old man hat for Chad that a newspaper boy from the 1930s would have worn. We took cheesy photos by and on top of the Eiffel Tower at night to commemorate the occasion. Christmastime in Paris is as pretty as I imagined it would be. The Champs Elysee decked with garland and lights is nothing less than enchanting.

Now, I'm going to try to see Paris in spring and autumn...summer and winter are taken care of.

Peace.