paris solo

october 3-5

hi!

Last week we began our free week off of school! I had a few days before my visitor arrived, and made the executive decision to go to paris for a few days! due to the last minute nature of this trip, the only available train was at 5 am. luckily, morgan was on the same train to meet up with her family in paris; so we ubered to the dark train station together, while students still celebrated the night in the street.

I was extra excited for paris because I was staying with Dominique + Erik, my favorite parisian couple! My mom, grandma, and I stayed in their beautiful home when we visited last June. They had an extra room available for me, + I had the most lovely breakfast with them in their kitchen each morning. Their home is a little oasis in paris - a quiet garden, neighboring cats, rooms filled with art and light. I feel so lucky to have gotten to visit them.

I settled in + got dressed for the day. The metro spit me out near my next spot: a bike tour! Firstly I ordered myself a margherita pizza and un chocolat chaud (hot chocolate) all in french + felt very empowered.

my first time on an e-bike was successful! I was semi-nervous because it has been months since i’ve ridden a bike…the paris traffic is known for being crazy, and i had never ridden an e-bike. a string of 18 orange bikes wove themselves through the streets, relying on eachother to relay signals and directions from our tour guide ellie. I unfortunately was the only person traveling solo on the tour, but I had such a fun time. Paris on a bike was a new way of exploring for me, + I absolutely loved it. shoutout orange city bike tours! I did some shopping afterwards…sorry dad!

my thursday night was pre planned: a symphony at the philharmonic! I rushed back to Dominique’s to change + drop off my purchases, and literally ran back to the metro for a 43 minute trip to the philharmonic… I grabbed a burger + fries at mcdonalds across the street and followed the stream of evening-dressed parisians to the 6th floor of the concert hall. I sat in the upper balcony next to a kind french man + still had an incredible view. we chatted for a bit, and he told me about the history of this particular symphony, and the composer which was really helpful! Overall, the Marlo symphony was not my favorite, and i actually fell asleep. yes I know this was not on my agenda. a warm theater and peaceful music after being up for 16 hours already + running around paris meant that I was painfully fighting sleep. oops. a busy metro dropped me off 4 minutes from my sanctuary, and I was wonderfully asleep so fast.

DAY 2

I had a lovely breakfast before heading to the pompidou center. I had been once before, but the new exhibition was surrealism. at 12:30 I was transported to the art world of the early to mid 1900s, seeing the works of salvador dahli, rene magritte, + max ernst. I didn’t know much going in, but the pompidou puts on an incredible exhibition and I thouroughly enjoyed it.

I wandered in le marais + found lunch near the pompidou. I learned what a tartine was + had that for lunch: an open faced toast with butter, prosciutto, melted cheese, + pepper. it was so good. I treated myself to a limoncello spritz + it was actually terrible lol.

with nothing pressing, I wandered around several kilo shops (thrift stores where you pay by the weight of the item), + took a bus to Canal St. Martin, a beautiful neighborhood with weaving canals. steep metal bridges span the small distance and allow for boats to pass through! in my search for a bathroom, I paid in chocolates. (i purchased chocolates because I felt bad they let me use the bathroom for free.) I laid in a park in the sun + read before taking the metro home. I stopped for dinner things at franprix, + enjoyed a very relaxing evening at the painter’s house.

DAY 3

I slept in + enjoyed another breakfast with my hosts. upon dominique’s recommendation, I headed to the Liberation of Paris museum. This museum was about WWII in France, + the aid from america. it was really interesting but I did not have nearly enough time!

I hurried back + grabbed my things, said goodbye to Dominique + Erik, + promised I’d be back with my family for a drink.

Traveling by myself was so so much fun. I feel so comfortable in Paris, and was endlessly entertained. I had the best two days!