Paris, France

    Ah Paris... there is just too much to say about this wonderful city. Jerry and I stayed in a beautiful hostel in the Montmartre region, north of the river Seine, next to the breath-taking Sacre Coeur Cathedral. The cathedral sits at the peak of Paris and gives you a jaw dropping view of the city. This is just one of several fabulous attractions that Paris offers. It is impossible for me to cover all that there is to do in La Ville-Lumiere(The City of Light), and it was impossible for us to do everything in the 4 days we we there. What we were able to do is almost beyond words. I'm going to try to write it though.
     Paris is the home to beautiful works of art and architecture. The Catacombs offered a little bit of both and was my favorite part of the trip. You take a bone chilling descent that puts you in front of a creepy sign that reads: "Arrete! C'est ici l'Empire de la Mort"(Stop, here is the Empire of the Dead). Beyond the door, the walls are covered by skulls and bones, expertly crafted to form solid structures that extend the wall. It is a sight to see, if you can stomach looking at the millions of bodies that are used to make up these structures. Several of the bones are formed into pieces of art on the walls and make up huge pillars in the larger chambers.
     Although I found the Catacombs the most enjoyable attraction, climbing down into the depths of Paris was almost matched by climbing up the Eiffel Tower. The hundreds of pictures that you have seen throughout your life does not prepare you for the size of this monument. It is enormous! I mean, huge. The neighborhood around it is full of delicious cafes and beautiful gardens. Climbing the Eiffel Tower was a pain, though. It was crowded and the lines were long. There are two main levels you have to go through, and that means two long lines if you do not want to take the stairs. The view though... oh the view. The height of the tower almost matches that of the Empire State Building, if you can imagine it. From the tower, you can get a perfect view of all of the great monuments of Paris: Sacre Coeur, Notre-Dame, L'Arc de Triumph and the Louvre.
     The Louvre, one of the worlds' largest museums and home to La Joconde or the Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is a must see if you travel to Paris. The painting is highly overrated, but the museum is immense and full of several beautiful pieces of art and history. The Code of Hammurabi is one of the museums' large attractions, as well as the statue of Ramses II. The medieval structure that was the Louvre has been preserved within the museum, and it is quite wonderful to explore. Unfortunately in the three hours that we were in the Louvre, we only finished half of the museum. I recommend going as soon as they open if you want to see the entire museum.
     Beyond the normal attractions of Paris, you have to find a cozy spot just off of the beaten tourist track, and enjoy a cafe au lait and a Parisian favorite, the macaroon. Nobody does macaroons like Paris, and when I go back, the first thing that I am doing is finding the nearest Patisserie and munching on a chocolate macaroon.