The Wonders of Paris

Having now seen Paris, I can understand why so many people say it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  But its not just because it houses an extraordinary collection of art in the Louvre, the Musee D’Orsay and the countless other museums within its borders.  Or because it has the gorgeous Seine river winding through it, stunning architecture at every turn, and cuisine delicious enough to satisfy even the most sophisticated palate. It is, instead, because Paris has all of the these things in one densely-populated area causing any visitor to have immediate sensory overload. We spent our days in Paris walking 7-8 hours a day, touring every nook and cranny of the city — from the gothic splendor of Notre Dame, to the awe-inspiring mass of the Eiffel Tower, to the shops along bustling Champs Elysee ending at the Arc De Triomphe, to the Sacre-Coeur basilica at top of Montmartre, to the charming neighborhoods of the Saint Germain des Pres and the Marais. Needless to say, my feet were completely blistered and covered with band-aids, but it was worth all the pain. At least the hours of non-stop touring made me feel much better about the carb-laden food I indulged in, including endless baguettes and other types of French bread, all types of cheese, foie gras, wine and desserts, just to name a few. In France, it is not uncommon to have multiple dessert courses after a three or five-course meal — a pre-dessert, two main dessert courses, and then yet another post dessert sweet. No, I am not kidding. Yes, I ate every bit of each course. I’m not proud of myself, but it had to be done. My boyfriend, Frank, was a wonderful tour guide keeping our schedule jam packed full of sight-seeing, eating, drinking and laughing every day. He is very lovely.

That’s all from Paris. I am now in the Dordogne Valley in the south of France, exploring the wonderful chateaus hilltowns, villages and wineries of the area. Feel free to follow the rest of my adventure on Twitter and Instagram (username: elizabethkeene) as I continue to explore all that this beautiful country has to offer.