Picture of me at The Eiffel Tower before going to the top floor.
My vacation in Paris was unexpected. Three months before traveling, I thought I was going to spend my summer working in Miami. But my boyfriend convinced me that Paris was the best place to spend our vacation.
One of the things that really attracted me to Paris was the feeling of living in the 1700’s. The historical places, museums, gothic architecture, and old buildings make the city look untouched by time and technology. Paris keeps alive and honor some of the most famous artists and heroes by displaying their paintings and sculptures in museums. Every painting or work made by a French artist or hero is preserved in a museum or in a public place. Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb is an example of the French honoring their heroes. To see more about Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb go to Stuff to do.
Paris is famous for its cafés and baguettes. Every morning I stopped in a café to eat pastries and drink coffee. Although food is not cheap in Paris, a baguette or pastries with coffee are worth it. The cafés are very popular in France and represent part of the French culture. In the past, they were used by artists as a place to discuss philosophy and literature. Café Voltaire is an example of a café that was frequented by the artist François-Marie Arouet Voltaire.
The best experience that I had in Paris was to go to the top of The Eiffel Tower. At the beginning, I didn’t think that it was so high. But, when I went to the top by the elevator, Paris became small and I felt a little dizzy. The view of the city was incredible. From the top, I appreciated how the Seine River divides Paris in two parts and how all the buildings have the same height.
Experiencing the French culture was fun and at the same time it was also a learning experience for me. French people are very natural and allow themselves to enjoy life. They eat refined dishes, drink a lot of wine, and smoke a lot. They have a tendency to prefer the natural and old, rather than the new and artificial. They also reject other cultures, such as the American, and don't enjoy speaking other languages. That's the aspect of the French culture that I disagree with.
Lastly, Paris is a great place to visit. In this trip I learned a lot about the French culture and history. I also visited places that I have seen for years on T.V., such as The Eiffel Tower, and it was amazing to finally see those places in front of me.