Paris-30/11/2022
In the past, Paris has often been described as one of the most romantic and beautiful cities on Earth, especially with its cultural landmarks from the Notre Dame Cathedral, The Louvre Museum, and The Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower. However, let us not forget the Seine River, the Arc de Triomphe, the Parisian Catacombs and gardens such as Jardin des Tuileries etc.
The 30th of November arrives and with it the 24-hour day trip in Paris, with the rest of my companions I travel to St Pancras Station at around 3:45 pm to get the Eurostar train at 7:01 pm. Many people have the same destination as we do in mind, and the security checks are surprisingly seamless and straightforward. It is on the train itself, that we experience problems which will affect our time in Paris, such as travel commuters trying to force us out of our seats even though they were supposed to be on the train a day before, an electrical issue with the train tracks halted the journey and a medical emergency, which resulted in the train temporarily stopping at Lille. Overall, these issues culminated in a four-hour delay, which severely affected the number of iconic tourist attractions from our planned itinerary we could see that day. I could've been annoyed or frustrated by this series of issues of the Eurotunnel but instead of succumbing to those emotions, I adopted a positive and calm attitude, of looking forward to embarking on this adventure.
The Arc de Triopmhe, Paris.
Tourist Sites in Paris
Anyway, arriving at Paris du Nord station was packed with many people and queues for both taxis and trains were overflowing and the traffic was terrible, so we had to take an unorthodox journey in an Uber through some of the back streets of Paris. On the way, to the Eiffel Tower, we saw sights such as the Sacré-Coeur, Basilica Champs-Elysees, and the Arc de Triomphe. I was especially taken away by the Neoclassical architectural design of the Arch de Triomphe, as traffic revolved around the outstanding landmark. Standing on the western end of the Champs-Elysees, the famous monument was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806 to commemorate those who fought and died in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. On its inner and outer surfaces, it also has inscribed great French victories and generals. Although I only saw a passing glance at the famous monument, it really takes your breath but its design and elegance really grab your attention.
After finally reaching the Eiffel Tower, I couldn't help but look at the steel frames of the tower itself but I was also gobsmacked by the magnitude size of the building, which dominates the surrounding Parisian environment. Not only was I marvelled at the design and the scale of the building but seeing from a low angle also has the effect of making one feel insignificant. After passing through the security checks and being bundled into a lift with other people that resembled a ski lift we were taken to the two levels of the tower. Upon reaching the floors, there are many shops, and cafes, you also get to see Gustave Eiffel's apartment from behind glass but the outlooking views were otherworldly and surreal. Luckily on that trip, I brought my Sony 80-200 telephoto lens which enabled me to capture excellent detail on sites situated around the Parisian cityscape from the Hôtel des Invalides, Notre Dame Cathedral, Trocadéro Gardens and The Seine River to the Hôtel des Invalides etc. After spending a significant amount of time on the Eiffel Tower, we travelled across the Debilly Footbridge, taking photos of the iconic tower and the Fountain of Palais de Tokyo. Whilst waiting for an Uber to take us to our next destination, we went up a nearby street and its stairs getting to see a side of Paris, which I would say isn't seen usually by tourists.
Farris wheel ( Lower Left), the Louvre Museum (Upper Left) & The Seine River (Centre), Paris.
Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1503. Held in the Louvre Museum, Paris.
The Last Destination
Our last destination is the Louvre Museum, which was hard to find at first but on the way to the museum, you can't help but notice the friendliness of the French people but common societal issues associated with any city such as the growing gap between the rich and poor, poverty, loneliness and immigration still prevalent. Walking towards the Louvre Museum you go through an archway from the main street, which kind of mirrors the archway entrance towards Somerset House. As we walked towards the Louvre Museum, I immediately feel engulfed by the architectural layout of the surrounding buildings, intrigued by the Louis XIV sculpture and the Glass Pyramid but I almost felt compelled by Hollywood's popular culture to think of the DaVinci Code even with its historical inaccuracies. The Louvre Museum is such a unique museum, I am unsure if there is no other museum in the world that can rival its collection of artwork and historical artefacts but I was just glad to have this experience within the museum. Getting to see historical artefacts from the civilisations like the Carthaginians, Egyptians and Etruscans and artwork from artists such as Da Vinci, Caravaggio, Delacroix to Rembrandt was extraordinary. The beauty, lighting contrasts, storytelling and techniques employed in various masterpieces of those masters, really take your breath away and give an insight into how those artists viewed society but also a deeper understanding and appreciation of those eras. I remember learning that if you viewed every item in the museum for 30 seconds, it would take around 200 days to see all the artwork and cultural artefacts in the rooms of the Louvre but to fully appreciate all the items housed in the Louvre, I feel you would at least need two lifetimes. After going from room to room and experiencing different pieces of artwork like Liberty Leading the People (Delacroix, 1830), Leonidas at Thermapolypae (David, 1812) to The Mona Lisa (Da Vinci, 1503) etc, time really gets away from us stepping out of the museum, it was cold and you can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, highlighted in yellow glow against the dark background with its towering lighting encircling the Parisian landscape. After much sightseeing, we went to a French cafe and enjoyed some French cuisine, although I bought French cake which was delicious, it was also very sweet. As I enjoy the meal for the day before, we get the train back to London out of the corner of my eye on the upper floor of the cafe, I notice a rat scurry across the floor into another room, which was surprising to see. At the station, as we wait for the train to be ready I bought a box of French macaroons, which turned out to be very delicious and savoury, which leaves me thinking I should have bought more.
In that space of twenty-four hours, I found that although I gained a memorable travel experience in Paris, I feel that I've only slightly touched upon the surface of French culture I find myself wanting to travel back to the Parisian capital to experience other marvellous tourist sites and immerse myself more in French culture in order to gain a deeper understanding of its cultural identity. Paris is a home for intellectuals, and artists but a place where the past and future are intertwined with each other. However, I'll say this Paris does leave an everlasting impact on anyone who travels there and I look forward to returning one day to see more significant tourist sights on my itinerary.
