Paris, My Favorite International City
Written: Oct 29 '00 (Updated Dec 26 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tres magnifique! The most beautiful city I've even seen. Filled with treasures.
Cons: It would take forever to see it all!
The Bottom Line: Visiting Paris was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. The buildings were magnificent, the artwork incomparable, and the pastries divine! What more could one need?
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| diverpam's Full Review: Paris |
Paris is a city in which you could spend a lifetime exploring and never find the full extent of its marvels. In selecting it as my favorite international city I chose to share with you some of the impressions of Paris I recall from an all-too-brief visit three years ago.
River Seine
Filled with 2,000 years of history, architecture, charm, and beauty, the magnificent city of Paris lies along the banks of the River Seine, with a series of more than 30 bridges connecting the city around the river. Graceful stone structures, these bridges – or ponts, arch across the curving river and provide accent pieces for the tapestry of a beautifully-woven city. Most of the ponts are adorned with sculptures – each pont is named and is almost a work of art in itself. They often contain an inscription that offers visitors a glimpse into the past.
Reflections of a Dream
Visiting Paris was the realization of a lifelong dream as I stood in the center of a bridge in the quiet of the early morning. The water reflected the magnificent buildings and statues on either side. A light mist swirled slowly from the water and in the morning stillness I could almost feel the souls of countless thousands who had stood before me on this spot, reveling in the beauty of this city.
For hundreds of years people have triumphed and suffered in this City of Light. Armies have marched, crowds have cheered, Kings have been imprisoned and executed. Beautiful parks and gardens welcome you to her inner sanctum. Magnificent tree-lined boulevards lead you to the heart of the city, the Etoile, where almost a dozen major boulevards join at the Arc de Triomphe and the tomb of the Unknown French Soldier.
Eiffel Tower
The most famous Paris landmark, the Eiffel Tower, stands nearly 300 meters tall. You approach it from a distance, walking through one of the dozens of beautifully manicured gardens that adorn the city. It is unbelievable that this magnificent structure was almost demolished a hundred years before. Only its use as an antenna saved its demise. Now it stands as a beacon to all to journey to its heights and gaze upon the incredible vistas that lie below it.
With only two days (part of a business trip) to spend in Paris, the Tour Eiffel was our first stop. I was, after all, the consummate tourist complete with camera and guidebook. I felt like we walked into a picture postcard as we approached the Tower from the gardens. No picture can accurately portray the enormity and grace of this incredible structure. Arriving early to secure a place in line was a wise choice. Shortly after we arrived, the line behind us grew to an enormous length. However, we were able to purchase our tickets and get our place on the elevator fairly quickly
We took the large elevator to the top, where the view is incredible. Paris is a beautifully laid out city, with flowers, patches of green grass, and stunning buildings as far as you can see. We wandered around from side to side looking at the city in every direction, identifying buildings, monuments, and parks from a distance.
Then we found the gift shop. Wouldn’t you know it? Where else can you go from utter beauty to completely tacky in 30 seconds flat? They stocked a wide variety of cheesy souvenirs: plastic Eiffel Tower statues, pencils, postcards, and water globes for friends back home.
Then we started walking down to the next level. Only then did we begin to realize the enormity of the structure. At the next level, a few hundred steps and very wobbly rubber legs later, we decided to take the elevator the rest of the way down.
Musee d'Orsay
We then hopped on a double-decker open top bus and went to the Musee d’Orsay. This museum is smaller and less famous that the Louvre, which houses the statue of Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa. It is also less crowed and opens an hour earlier than the Louvre. With a limited amount of time to visit, the Musee d’Orsay was a wiser choice and one that I will never regret!
This lovely museum contains a wonderful collection of impressionist art previously housed at the Louvre. The museum is a renovated train station and the architecture is impressive from the minute you walk through the door. It is very open, with a high ceiling. The first thing that caught my eye was Rodin’s “Thinker.” It was a huge, impressive sculpture. And, yes, I have to admit it. I had a quick flashback to Dobie Gillis, for those of you old enough to remember that old television series.
The Ultimate Monet Experience
We quickly walked to the Impressionist area so we could spend time there before it got crowded. They have a very large and wonderful collection of Monet, my favorite. There I gazed upon the famous Lady with Umbrella. I had admired prints of this masterpiece hundreds of times before. Nothing could compare to the original. The painting seemed to come to life before me: the texture of the brushstrokes, the colors, the very essence of the portrait. I walked slowly from painting to painting, almost feeling myself drawn into Monet’s brilliance. I could easily spend an entire day sitting in this one area of the museum, experiencing the powerful emotions evoked by these beautiful portraits.
Monet’s works are in the company of other masters, such as Manet, Rembrandt, and Gaugin. The haunting self-portrait of Van Gogh will forever be etched in my mind. As much as Monet made me experience the peace and beauty of his paintings, Van Gogh’s tortured soul cried out to me from the thick, harsh strokes of his paintings, especially his self-portrait. It was a highly sensory and emotional experience.
Beautiful Gardens
After tearing ourselves away from the Museum we walked for a while, marveling at the lush gardens and parks, stopping at fountains and large flower gardens that decorate many of the corners. Much of Paris is designed for no other purpose than just to be beautiful. It is the only city I’ve ever seen that is truly beautiful by intent.
Block after block we saw more and more beautiful flower gardens and fountains. One corner seemed to be more beautiful than the next. We wandered for miles before we turned around and saw the Arc de Triomphe from a distance. I wanted to soak in every ounce of color and sound and smell.
Avenue des Champs Elysees
I was almost in sensory overload as we walked down the Champs Elysees. I was torn between window shopping at the beautiful merchandise in storefronts or looking down the wide expanse to the Arch. The walk is much longer than you realize from a distance. Everywhere you look is a picture you want to capture, either in your mind or with your camera.
We stopped for lunch along the way before completing our journey to the Etoile – the star formed at the junction of the city’s busiest thoroughfares. The impressive Arc de Triomphe stands at the center. Cars buzz around the Etoile, swerving haphazardly from lane to lane and darting out in front of other cars. This massive stone structure stands silently in the center, a tribute to the French Army with its etched inscriptions.
Notre-Dame
Far from this swirling traffic and from another era in time, the haunting Gothic architecture of Notre-Dame drew us back hundreds of years. I was amazed at the intricately detailed carving of the stones all along the outside of the structure. I almost expected to hear organ music coming from within as the gargoyles stood watch above us. Dark, carved wood and stained glass depictions inside bespoke the cathedral’s rich heritage. We walked slowly and reverently inside, almost hearing decades of whispered prayers still hanging in the air.
Riverboats
Our last view of Paris was from the famous “Bateaux” (riverboats) where we took a river tour of Paris. The Eiffel Tower, so beautifully lit, was even more magnificent in the evening darkness. Young lovers strolled along the riverbanks, stopping to kiss along the way, oblivious to those of us gliding down the river in the darkness. Statues on the many bridges were illuminated and lights sparkled in the distance. The river reflected the beauty of the city, doubling its magnificence. I marveled at the fact that I was truly in Paris.
Then I remembered a quote, on which I will end this review, “When a good American dies, he goes to Paris.”
This review was written as part of a write-off organized by elorraine. Thank you, Erika!
Please read reviews by Erika and the other participants:
elorraine, jo.com, ptiemann, coldsteel7, ifif1938, VeeZee, bluehawq, nollequeen, pianomam, doglover, ed_grover, jpmcgurk, augustwind, ritalee76, bigtrouble54, Teardrop..., shan1, murasaki, sheann26, Joubert, _Cassandra_, Chinook, Howard_Creech, samadust, Stephen_Murray, nightridrr2000 and Jiahong
Recommended:
Yes
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diverpam
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
Reviews written: 263
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~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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