Paris, France

It was Thursday March 21st and midterm week was finally over, which meant it was time to go to Paris! We landed that evening and got dinner five minutes away from the Eiffel Tower. We called it an early night after an exhausting week of exams and little sleep.

The next morning, March 22nd, we woke up and walked to Carette, a cafe famous for its hot chocolate with whipped cream. We ordered croissants and bread with jam to pair with the hot chocolate, and it did not disappoint. Afterwards, we walked to the Arc de Triomphe and continued walking until we made it to a delicious Italian restaurant called Mamma Primmi. We ordered drinks and pizza but the burrata appetizer was the star of the show. We walked some more until we reached the Sacré-Cœur Basilica which was absolutely beautiful. We even decided to sit on the steps and enjoy the perfect weather in Paris. On the way home, we stopped at the Eiffel Tower to see it during daytime.

Saturday, March 23rd, our day began at the Louvre Museum where we walked around for nearly two hours, enjoying the endless amounts of arts, sculptures, and artifacts. Of course we had to see the beloved Mona Lisa. After, we walked through the gardens and found ourselves eating lunch at a French bistro. The weather was pretty terrible this day with on and off rain and heavy winds so we all split up so everyone could do what they wanted to. I found myself at a vintage store and ended up buying a couple of things. Then, I walked to the Notre Dame, when suddenly the weather took a serious turn and it started hailing. Luckily, I was able to find an Uber home. That night we grabbed dinner at a restaurant near us and we walked to the Eiffel Tower to see it sparkle which was probably the highlight of our trip!

Our last morning in Paris didn't go as expected, as the two girls I was with woke up sick. They stayed home while I ventured out by myself. I walked to Hôtel national des Invalides, also known as The National Residence of the Invalids. This landmark is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and an Old Soldiers' retirement home. Here I saw Napoleon's Tomb and so many other artifacts relating to French history. I walked around for an hour and a half taking everything in. On my way home, I stopped into a French pharmacy to pick up some new products. That afternoon we had a flight to catch for our next destination, Amsterdam. Paris was lovely and I'm excited to be coming back so soon!