After a year of planning, the day of departure was finally upon us...and what a long day it turned out to be. We flew out of Chattanooga around 13:00 local time, bound for Atlanta, where we would catch our flight to Paris around 17:30. A number of us had planned to sleep on the plane. Not me and Ryan, mind you, as we both knew any efforts by us to even try and do so would be fruitless. However, others amongst us planned to drug themselves and try to sleep through most of the flight. We were leaving Atlanta at 23:30 Paris time, and would be arriving there at 8:00, so it would be a great opportunity to try and minimize the jet lag effect of traveling over 6 time zones, but best laid plans of mice and men...
In actuality, what ended up happening was our plane landing in Paris around 8:00 with none of us really having slept, yet the plan was to more or less hit the ground running, which made for quite an interesting day. It was with much glee that we finally reached our hotel, the Hotel Carofftel Gobelins, around 12:00 and plopped down in the front lobby, not even concerned with 
whether we could check in immediately. But we did not have to wait long and soon we were all in our rooms, perhaps feeling at last like we had arrived and our trip could now begin in earnest, and what better way to start it off with lunch at a local brasserie.
whether we could check in immediately. But we did not have to wait long and soon we were all in our rooms, perhaps feeling at last like we had arrived and our trip could now begin in earnest, and what better way to start it off with lunch at a local brasserie.Or so we thought. Lunch, it seems, caused about half of us to hit a wall. Good French food and wine combined with 24 hours without sleep will do that I suppose. Being the supposed 'machine' that I am, however, I was determined not to waste a minute in Paris and with my parents equally reluctant to give in to their battle with fatigue, we set off for the Eiffel Tower along with Beth and the Crabtree's while the rest hung back to rest a little. So we made our way to Gustave's towering achievement as what better way is there to have Paris really introduce herself to you.
I watched with great pride as my family took in the breathtaking views of this most iconic of monuments for the first time and surely here they came to the surreal realization t
hat they were indeed in Paris, France. Earlier in the day my Dad had noted that the only time he had ever left the United States was during a brief excursion into Canada from Detroit. I have to imagine that this probably topped that. There are many contributing factors to the beauty that Paris has to offer, but perhaps none more so than the Eiffel Tower. It is hard to imagine that this structure was in its early days considered nothing more than a glorified eyesore. Such critics are surely few and far between these days.But Paris has much beauty to offer, and we had plans to meet back with the rest of the group atop Montmartre to take in the Parisian sunset. And we very nearly did, but alas, our hardly impeccable timing meant that we did not quite make the sunset, but nor did the other group as they got caught in the rush hour
congestion of the Metro. While we did not make the sunset, we did manage to catch a few red embers in the sky as we looked down onto the hazy city below, and no less romantic was the setting atop that bohemian mecca with the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur the jewel in its crown.
congestion of the Metro. While we did not make the sunset, we did manage to catch a few red embers in the sky as we looked down onto the hazy city below, and no less romantic was the setting atop that bohemian mecca with the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur the jewel in its crown.The magnificent splendor of Sacré-Cœur, or Sacred Heart in English, was more beautiful and imposing than I even remembered. My Dad modestly called it 'impressive.' Any superlative will do when you are standing before it and taking in its majesty.
And soon, everyone was able to revel in its beauty as the Robertson's and the Grant's met up with us, making the group whole once again, and I cannot imagine that their initial impressions of Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur were much different than our own. I found Will and Christine sitting on the stairs below Sacré-Cœur, perhaps still recovering f
rom the long day, but I would like to think that more than that, they were just stopping to take it all in.
rom the long day, but I would like to think that more than that, they were just stopping to take it all in. That is certainly what I did, not for the first time atop Montmartre either. It was the first place me, Ryan, and Will went to on our last visit to Paris and it made me fall for the City of Love right then and there. No less than the first time do I love Montmartre and its ambiance. It may be a bit of a tourist trap, but I could happily live here and spend my days wasting away at a local cafe people watching followed by a walk around this bohemian playground.
We certainly spent a fair amount of time up here ourselves. After gawking at Sacré-Cœur and the city below (with Gustave's tower keeping watch over it all) a while longer, we headed towards the main square of Montmartre and took a break at a local bistro to try some crêpes, which were good, but probably no better than something your average Southerner could cook up with a little Bisquick. The experience here was more memorable for our families' harsh realization that 
Europe does not mess around when it comes to Coca-Cola, as a Classic went for a solid 7 Euros a pop here. It was a fine Coke, for sure, but not quite worth 11 bucks, but we had fallen into the tourist trap I suppose and paid the price. Still, it could not take away from our experience atop Montmartre.
Europe does not mess around when it comes to Coca-Cola, as a Classic went for a solid 7 Euros a pop here. It was a fine Coke, for sure, but not quite worth 11 bucks, but we had fallen into the tourist trap I suppose and paid the price. Still, it could not take away from our experience atop Montmartre.It had been quite a long day as one might imagine, but we still had one more stop for our first night in Paris...the Eiffel Tower...again. You must remember that half of the group had not seen it yet. Seeing it at night is certainly a different experience than seeing it during the day, and this time we would be going to the top for a view of the City of Light at night.
Not that you have to be a thousand feet up to appreciate the beauty of Paris at night as we enjoyed the views of the glowing tower across the Seine as we looked on from the Trocadéro. We had been here earlier of course, but it really does make for a grand view when you walk up the Trocadéro, in between the Palais de Chaillot, and there stands the Eiffel Tower in all her nighttime, radiant beauty, sparkling every half hour or so to make sure you remember tha
t she is still there, like an old dame at the ball who does not wish you to cast glances in any direction but her own. We were happy to acquiesce.
t she is still there, like an old dame at the ball who does not wish you to cast glances in any direction but her own. We were happy to acquiesce. We were soon standing in line, awaiting our turn to climb to the top. Unfortunately, there were only 9 of us at this point as the Robertson's had to retire for the night as Christine was not feeling up to the wait in line, an ominous sign for the next few days I am afraid. The rest of us braved the long line and brisk night for the climb. We all enjoyed the view in equal measure, but the time at the top was fleeting for some as a lack of bladder control found some of us, me among them, wanting for a WC. I consoled myself with the knowledge that I had at least seen it all before, but I could not help a laugh when I got back in line for the elevator to the bottom and found Danny, Lisa, Susan, and Alex already ahead of me though I was the first one to the top.
I am happy to report that my parents, Beth, and Ryan exerted more control than the rest and had more time to enjoy the nighttime views. And I am sure they did as there is much to admire from the top whether it be 
the that well lit boulevard that can only be the Champs-Élysées with the Arc de Triomphe at one end, or the twin towers of Notre Dame in the distance on the Île de la Cité. Then right under your very nose the Palais de Challiot reveals its enormity with the high rises of La Defense looming in the distance. There was some debate before amongst the group about whether it was worth going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Our bladder issues aside, it definitely was and is.
the that well lit boulevard that can only be the Champs-Élysées with the Arc de Triomphe at one end, or the twin towers of Notre Dame in the distance on the Île de la Cité. Then right under your very nose the Palais de Challiot reveals its enormity with the high rises of La Defense looming in the distance. There was some debate before amongst the group about whether it was worth going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Our bladder issues aside, it definitely was and is. Finally, we descended the Eiffel Tower and headed for the Metro, and we were happy to be heading towards our hotel where a well-earned night's sleep awaited us. It had been a long day; the longest, perhaps. By the time our heads hit the pillow, many of us had been up for close to 35 hours. It HAD been a long day, but we had made the most of it, and most of us suffered no ill effects from it. Indeed, it probably went some way into transitioning rather smoothly into European time given the circumstances. For now, though, the long day was over.
No comments:
Post a Comment