Meet Me In Paris Under The Eiffel Tower

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On our first day in Paris we had two things we had to do:  go pick up our Paris Passes, and meet Bob under the Eiffel Tower at 4:00 p.m.  What a more perfect way to start out in Paris than going to the Eiffel Tower. Bob a friend of ours, who is an airline pilot was going to be in Paris that day and would meet us under the tower.

After getting lost for two hours and finally finding our way to the Paris Pass office, we headed for the Eiffel Tower. Upon exiting the Metro at Trocadero,  I was trying to figure out where we were when Katie comes over to me, grabs my arm trying to turn me around and excitedly saying, “Mom, mom, LOOK!” As she turned me around, there it was, the Eiffel Tower. It was ‘Love at first sight’.  I had no idea how huge it was plus I had not noticed from photos how beautiful the iron work on it was. I literally stopped in my tracks, mouth open, and then the tears started swelling up in my eyes. I couldn’t believe I was in Paris looking at the Eiffel Tower!

I asked my daughter Katie “didn’t you cry when you saw it”, she said no because she was so taken by my reaction to seeing it for the first time.

Your whole life you see pictures, watch movies of this site, but I wasn’t expecting the actual size of it. Seeing the surrounding area with the long water fountains, green grassed park areas, I was frozen and struck with awe. I couldn’t believe I was standing here in person, me! Both Katie and I just stood there trying to take in the moment “Maybe you should pinch me, because I still can’t believe I’m here,” I said.







Our tree. You can see the towers reflection in Katie's sunglasses.
 

We had a little extra time before Bob showed up so we walked over to the grassy park area, and found a tree to sit down by and lean against, and just stare up at the tower, watch the people around us. There were people having their picnics with a baguette, cheese and wine. It really is an amazing thing. 

After spending the day with Bob, walking the East bank of the Seine, going to the Norte Damn, seeing the Lovers’ Bridge with all the locks on it, having dinner at Bob’s favorite restaurant and then having desert at a crepe stand, we walked back to the Eiffel Tower after dark so we could see it all lit up and to get to watch when it sparkled. This time of evening we saw a lot of couples sitting there on the grass with a picnic, but we noticed instead of wine it was Champagne.   I asked Bob, “Because you travel all around the world as a pilot, and get to come here often, do you appreciate these moments?” And you know what he said? “Yes, I do, every time I come here and see it.” 

A few days later Katie and I went back again, wanting to go to the top of the tower when it was still light outside, but then see the lights come on while we were at the top. Our wish came true, and all in perfect timing.

Like in life itself you always want the last moment of something or the last bite to be savored. So on our last day in Paris we decided to end it at the Eiffel Tower. We sat by the fountains, listened to Edith Piaf’s music and watched as the sun set and the lights came on. Ooh La La

 

 

Meet Me in Paris

Our last night in Paris

 

"Let's not go to bed tonight, then maybe we won't have to go home tomorrow." That was how I felt and what I told Katie as we said our goodbye's to the Eiffel Tower. It was Katie's idea that we go to Paris, I wasn't so sure because I had heard that it was a dirty city, that the people were rude and the lines to get into anything where awful. But Katie wanted to go and spent her full ten days of leave there, so of course a mother can't say no.
   We had four months to prepare and get ready, so prepare I did. It had been twenty five years since I had taken a French class, so my husband bought me the Pimsleur conversational French audio set. Every day I worked on my French until I left, I also downloaded French music, watched French movies, and used YOUTUBE  to learn even more French, found and followed blogs of people who live in France, and even FB sites like 'Paris Pass', my favorite site is: http://www.thegoodlifefrance.com.
   I researched the do's and don'ts, tried to learn as much as I could so not to insult or anger anyone while on their soil.
   Now, I'm not for sure if it was all of the above things or what, but.....I LOVED PARIS! We had the best time and found the people absolutely wonderful. We had no trouble getting into places, and didn't find the city dirty at all! Maybe it was the time of year, who knows? When I travel to foreign countries I don't expect or even want them to be like America, that is the reason to go. Yes bathrooms can be VERY different, but I always carry my own packets of Kleenex just in case and you have to remember that some countries are poverty stricken, or maybe the area is hundreds of years old.  I like to camp too and I have seen and used some interesting sites here at home. When I've gone to amusement parks, professional sport games, Disneyland, etc. I have stood in lines for quite
 some time. Yet, I found most of everything in Paris just the same for wait times. So there was nothing disappointing to me.
   I wish I could actually go live in France for a few months so I could travel to see more of it. In fact my husband and I decided that every time we go to Europe we will stop in Paris for a few days, because even after ten days there I still didn't get to see everything Paris has to offer.