... (speechles)...
This is the first thought that comes to mind when I think back upon these past two days. Although I went through severe jet-lag despite all the preparations I did such as not going to sleep until 5 am the day of my flight and only sleeping for 3 hours... people were right I hardly slept on the plane, but to my surprise was completely energized when I arrived at the Paris airport.
Driving into the city was quite interesting... not completely what I expected. But after a quick power nap... truth betold.. I was peaking out of the coach overlooking the river onto the city. The city is really the city of love. Whether they call it that because you fall in love with it or because people fall in love inside it.. I have no clue.
A little thing that one takes from Europe and admires is its architechture. Why is it that in the US, we don't have towering buildings full of history and art. Driving through the alleys and the 6 lane plazas, you can see all the richness in the buildings. Specifically speaking we are staying at the Place de Bastille. In the center of the plaza there is a tainted green statue called La Colonne de Juillet. Right around the corner, we sat at a bistro where all the group ate lunch. The service was quite, polite, and efficient. Differences in the European dining experience is that you don't tip the waiters, nor are you given ice with your drink, and also people are encouraged to enjoy their meals instead of "Having it your way" like our fast food chains in America. Although different, still enjoyable.
Being exhausted from the long ride, we took a nap and went out venturing. Before our adventure in Paris, we did the cliche but enjoyable thing... sitting in le patio drinking some wine... which is very cheap by the way and sharing different cheeses. The best was yet to come and that was the sight of the Eiffel Tower. It's just like I expected...big and impactful. The towering structure represents everything wonderful about the country. Correlation though... imagine Canal Street in NY with all the illegal vendors... well the Eiffel Tower has their own... and guess what they still run away from the police (or chickens...thats what Pariseans call them) too! Oh and they run quick. Their main mission under the tower is to sell 3-5 keychains for 1 euro depending on how much you can haggle them.
To say the least... my first day was more than I expected. I couldn't wait to see more of what France has to offer!
On your comment regarding our building lacking art and creativity, I agree. It seems like we are more focused on the corporate look and interested on money over artistic substance. That's a generalization, but for the most part we have very little places with extraordinary architecture. I think it's time to be a bit more creative with our cities.
ReplyDeleteWhen I went to Spain, I told you that it was like living in a history book. You start to wonder why things are so plain, to say the least, back home. Enjoy the sights and remember that you never know when you will be back, so make sure to soak it in,
ReplyDeleteThe churches really amaze me. The amount of detail that goes in to making the stained glass and the material used for the different structures. I think that Americans are very impatient and would not be able to wait for buildings to take the length that is needed to make a building of this magnitude. Since our country is so young to many European ones maybe a reason to add as well.
ReplyDeleteOh, I think maybe we're being a bit harsh towards the U.S. Like Andrew said, we're still a young country, so of course we don't have many historical buildings. Our oldest buildings simply haven't been around as long as Europe's buildings. As far as architecture goes, I don't now much about that topic, so I won't comment. But, Andrew, I am so glad you're having a spectacular time in France! I will definitely keep reading your fascinating blog! :)
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