Au Revoir, Paris: The Conclusion

Before going to Paris I had very high expectations of the city and this trip far exceeded my expectations. I was able to see everything that I wanted to see, and I even saw things that I didn’t plan to. Although it seemed like we were always on the move, I also felt like I was getting a good mix of both relaxing and productive outings. Through these outings I was really able to experience the culture of Paris. There were so many things about the city that I loved:

People

Before coming to Paris all that I had ever heard about Parisians is that they are very rude, they don’t even bother to speak English to tourists and that they don’t really care about anyone else but themselves. What I experienced from people, however, was the complete opposite; they were very nice and helpful. And as soon as people saw us struggling with words, they were quick to start speaking English.

Another thing that I noticed about the people of Paris is that they are so diverse. There is a very big Afro-French population in Paris and, unlike most places were the white-skinned people and dark-skinned people don’t associate much with each other, I saw so many interracial couples and groups of people hanging out with each other regardless of their color. It made me very happy to see this.

And yes, the Parisian men are as gorgeous as they appear in the movies.

Food

There is no way that I can talk about my trip to Paris without mentioning the croissants. France is a country well-known for its delicious bread so I already expected greatness. The French croissants were perfect. They were so soft, flaky and buttery. They are very different from the croissants in Spain, which are usually glazed. The croissants were one of the best parts of the trip.

Also, you can’t go to Paris without having a crêpe. They are a great snack and they’re very abundant in the streets of Paris. You can fill the crêpes with so many different things: chocolate, egg, cheese, chicken, ham, strawberries and other fruit fillings. The crêpes were awesome.

I didn’t have many big meals in Paris but the meals that I did have were delicious.

Things to Do

One of the reasons why I think that Paris is such an amazing city is because there is so much to see and each place has such a deep significance and history behind it. There is no way that a person visiting or living in Paris can ever get really bored. There are so many important monuments, so many parks to relax and play in, so many different places to eat at and so many bars, clubs and other entertainment sites to go to with friends.

Scenery

In my opinion, it’s not very common to find a city that offers so much culturally, but offers even more naturally. Paris is naturally such a beautiful city. Every time I would walk out I would be amazed at how gorgeous the city was, from the shape and style of the buildings to the color of the trees to the beauty of the Seine River. The whole city has such a romantic appearance.

Language

Although I don’t know much French, it was fascinating to hear the people speak French. My favorite thing to do in Paris was listen to French conversations because they all just sounded so beautiful.

Sure, there were things about Paris that bothered me, like the smoking, the weather and the cost of living (Paris is expensive) but there were so many other things that I loved, and the things that I loved made the other things seem so miniscule and unimportant.

Visiting Paris with my friends was definitely worth sleeping at the airport, getting sick and leaving my iPod at the hotel. If I had to do it all again, I definitely would.

Au revoir, Paris