For the past week, I've been showing Mom Paris. It didn’t feel real, considering that it seemed like it was just yesterday that we were looking for Air BNBs and hotels that we could stay in. It scares me, how quickly time goes, but it also reminds me that I really need to live in every moment. That’s what we tried to do on this leg of my trip together.
After four days in Rome, we flew back to Charles de Gaulle, taking a taxi to our Hyatt right outside of the airport where we’d be staying for the night. The hotel itself was stunning, with a courtyard lobby accessible at the ends of hallways, some rooms overlooking the hotel down below. Fortunately, ours was not one of those rooms and we got pure sunlight. We spent the night lounged in bed, watching Cheap Weddings on Netflix (a show about low-budget Australian weddings) until we were overcome with sleep. We were able to finesse a late check out, sleeping until ten and taking our time as we got ready for the day, repacking our bags from our trip to Rome. Around 1:30 we checked out of the Hyatt and hailed a taxi to our hotel right outside of Montmartre, Odalys City Paris XVII.
After a long Uber ride to our hotel, we were incredibly dismayed to discover that our hotel had no air conditioning. Of all people, MY mother picked a hotel with no air conditioning. After unpacking a bit, we got Chinese food from a little Chinese restaurant on our street and bought cappuccinos to take back to our hotel while we finished unpacking. When we were as unpacked as we were going to be, we decided to walk to Montmartre and the Scare Coeur. We visited both the cathedral and the smaller church, Paroisse Saint-Pierre de Montmartre next door where we it some vigil candles before going into the Sacred Heart itself. Afterwards, we walked to the Rue de Martres (Street of Martyrs), and stopping in another church there before walking two miles back to the hotel, stopping to take pictures outside the Moulin Rouge on the way and grabbing some snacks from a Monoprix.
We'd initially had planned to get dinner along the way home, but exhausted from our walk (which ended up being several miles longer than planned), so we decided to lay in bed and eat the snacks we'd bought at Monoprix instead while binging Big Bang Theory, as we'd finished the Cheap Weddings show too. (In our defense, there was only one season available on Netflix, so it wasn't too insane that we finished it in a day and a half.)
On our second day in Paris, Mom and I woke up and made our way to the Eiffel Tower. My relationship, if you can call it that, is an interesting one. I'd spent my entire life loving the Eiffel Tower, what it represents, its history, and its legacy on Paris. It was even more magnificent in person, and I treasured every moment I had looking at it. But to be able to go up the Eiffel Tower, to the absolute top, was unlike anything I'd ever experienced.
We did make a bit of an error by not buying our tickets to go up ahead of time, but overall, it took bout an hour to wait in line to buy our tickets. Once we finally got up, it was well worth the wait. No one told me that I could buy and drink Champagne on top of the Eiffel Tower while looking down at the city I loved! While we were up there, we FaceTimed my mom's sister Mary to brag that we were drinking champagne on top of the Eiffel Tower. No big deal. After our day at the Iron Lady, we went over to Beaugrenelle Shopping Xenter where we got lunch and did some shopping and ate Macaroons from LaDuree (and bought a fan) before heading back to our hotel. We ate dinner at a restaurant down the street from our hotel before turning in for the night, watching, of course, Big Bang Theory.
The following day, I took Mom to the Rue DaGuerre, the street where the center for my program was located. It was a very surreal day, brining my mom to a street that I spent so much time on, that I walked down every day to get to and from class. We did some shopping and got cappuccinos and split a crepe at a cafe I'd frequented often. But the real excitement came from having to go to a Parisian doctor to take care of an infected blister Mom had gotten from a pair of shoes she'd bought in Rome. Fortunately for us, the doctor spoke English -- I could only try to explain so much in French, as my French is more academic and social than it is medical-- and we were given prescriptions for medicines that would fix her right up. Just in time too, as we were to go to Disneyland Paris the next day. God forbid we had waited any linger to go, because the infection was getting worse day by day, and I can't imagine what would have happened if she'd had to try to navigate Disneyland with an infected ankle. But the medicine helped immensely and by the end of the day on Thursday, we were ready for Disney. It was one of those instances that we couldn't help but laugh at, even in the moment. Of course we were in Paris, on the trip of a lifetime, and of course a little blister, something both of us had had so many times, would get infected to the point of needing antibiotics. It was just our luck.
But first, we took a trip to the Champs Elysees where we saw the Arc de Triomphe for the first time, and popped into the Disney store, getting in the mood for our Disney day on Friday. We grabbed dinner at a pizza place that had been recommended to me by friends near the Moulin Rouge called Pink Mama. If you're ever in that area, you have to go to Pink Mama. Not only is the food phenomenal, but the decor in the restaurant is unlike anything I've ever seen. Antique art covers the walls, and the restaurant itself is five stories, with greenery and pickled fruits and vegetables filling shelves hanging from the ceiling. Oh, and the pizza is awesome.
That night, we watched Rapunzel on my laptop to get even more into the Disney mood, then rested up for the big day that waited for us tomorrow. We woke up early on Friday morning to get dressed and to catch our train to Disneyland Paris. The train ride itself wasn't too bad, and it was free, by far beating what it would have cost to fly to Disney World in Orlando, stay in a hotel, and buy the tickets to the park. All we had to do this time was buy tickets!
The first thing I noticed was how many less people were at Disneyland Paris than were at Disney World, and I assume Disneyland. We were able to actually see everything around us right upon opening, and the lines to get into the park were pretty short and easy. We started the day out by going on some rides and doing some browsing. My favorite parts of the day were the Rhythms of the Pridelands show we went to and lunch. We found ourselves in Adverntureland and saw a sign for the show, not really sure what it was. We figured it would be cool African drumming or something of the sort. What we weren't expecting was for it to be an almost abridged version of the Lion King musical, with live singing, amazing dancing, and arial stunts. It was breathtaking and got us really excited for the Lion King movie that would be coming out in a few weeks. It was also a really powerful moment for me when I saw how much everyone there was impacted by the show. Disney is something that comes from the U.S. and is integral to U.S. popular culture; to witness first hand the impact it has on people of countries across the world showed me the magnitude my culture really has.
For lunch we went to a South Western grill nearby and I had some of the best fajitas and churros ever. Maybe it was because we were starving, or maybe it was because they were truly that good, but it's a meal I'll never forget.
We went on more rides and explored the park, buying a few nicknacks and a crew neck sweatshirt for me before making our way towed the castle so we could get good seats for the fireworks show. My friend Rosie had gone to Disneyland Paris a few weeks prior and recommended the show very highly.
All in all, it was an amazing day, but it wasn't without a few drawbacks. One of the first thins Mom and I noticed was that Disneyland Paris isn't nearly as magical as the Disney Parks in the U.S. There was something about it, maybe the size (it's much smaller), the characters all speaking French, or the fact that Parisians in general aren't very cheerful and don't like to smile, but it didn't have the same "happiest place on Earth" feeling that the parks at home do. We also quickly discovered the European tourists are really, really rude. They have no sense of personal space, cut you in lines, and generally don't care about anyone but themselves, and will purposefully disregard rules if it serves their desires. One instance that particularly bothered me and mom was before and during the fireworks show. We'd showed up two hours early because we were exhausted and wanted to get seats for the show. Slowly, more and more people began to take their spots across from the castle. Next to us there was an Italian family with two adorable little girls. My mom, being the friendly person she is, struck up a conversation with them, quickly befriending the family. They swapped photos and Mom told them about our time in Italy and they told her about their first communions that had just occurred. The girls were probably four and six. The family was incredibly nice and you could tell how excited the girls were to be there.
On the other side of us was a family with two little boys, also getting their spots for the show, arriving right around when we did, playing with each other and waiting patiently for the show to begin. As the night went on and more and more people began showing up, a family who was either Portuguese or Spanish, made camp in front of us and the Italian family. They family was made up of the two parents and two adult daughters right around my age. For a while they were sitting and being polite, but as the time got closer for the show, more and more people began coming in and standing, despite being told by employees to sit down so everyone could see the castle. The dad of the Italian family asked if the family in front of us could sit down, and very rudely the younger of the two daughters said they would when the show started. Rude, but fair. However, when it came time for the show to start, they were still standing and groups of people had pushed the family with the two little boys that was on our other side completely out of the way. I couldn't even see where they had been pushed to, or if they'd just given up. The one daughter from the family in front of us did sit down upon the show's starting, but after a few moments of the rest of her family not sitting, she stood back up and they all completely blocked the views of the two little girls next to us, despite myself, mom, and the parents repeatedly telling them to sit down.
I think it bothered us so much because these adults thought that their experience was more important that that of two little girls. I completely agree that Disney is for everyone and not just kids, but when you're taking away from the first experience of children, when you could sit down and see fine, being so much larger than they are, it's incredibly selfish.
I'm heated just writing this, so I'm going to leave it at this: be cognizant of those around you and aware of your surroundings. Don't ruin someone else's experience when you could adjust yourself a little bit and make it fair for everyone.
We finally got back to our hotel, completely exhausted, and fell into deep sleeps. Saturday morning, I brought Mom back to the Marche Dauphine which was within walking distance from our hotel. However, we had to walk through the outdoor part of the market in order to get to the real thing, and I was approached by a man who tried to sell me dresses, purposely stepping in front of me and harassing me until I yelled at him in French. We finally made it in safely, and though we didn't buy much. I didn't buy much my first time at the market either, weeks before, but it's more of something you go to as an experience if you're not a serious thrifter. It's really cool, with all the vintage furniture, the dresses from the 18 and 1900s, and old games. Though, I did finally find an oversized vintage Levi Jeans jacket, that I bargained down from 55 to 40 euro. So it wasn't a completely unproductive day.
After that we went to dinner with my friend Rosie at a place near Trocadero, the same pizza restaurant I went to with Uncle John and Aunt Ann -- Mokus L'Ecruil. I got the same mushroom and ham Pizza, but more than anything I was excited to get to introduce one of my study abroad friends to my mom. We talked for about an hour and a half, before Mom and I went to look at the Eiffel Tower up close one last time. It was a very bitter sweet moment for me, knowing it would be my last time right there, looking at it. The tower is such a symbol of France, of Paris and the culture that I love so much, and it's become even more symbolic for me during my time in Paris. It was really hard to say goodbye.
Sunday was Bastille Day, and initially Mom and I had planned to try to go to the Champs Elysees for the parades, but decided we were far too tired to get up early enough to do so. And thank God we did, because it turned out that all the stations and streets near and around where the parade was were closed, making it impossible to get there any way but by foot, which would have been several miles for us. So instead, we laid in bed eating pastries for breakfast and watching it on TV, more comfortable by far than we would have been out on the streets of Paris. In the afternoon we went on a walk near Montmartre again to do some souvenir shopping and had some of the best pitas I've had in my life at a little hole in the wall Mediterranean restaurant. We finished off the night watching fireworks over the Eiffel Tower, which we could see from the rooftop of our hotel. It was a magical day.
On our last day in Paris, I took Mom back to Shakespeare and Company, which still holds the title as one of my favorite places in Paris. We had the apple pie again as well as a few other goodies, looking at my Notre Dame and sipping cappuccinos. We went into the bookshop, which I think Mom loved as much as I did. I was excited to go back because I was able to spend more time in there than I had been able to with my friends, and bought a Beatles Encyclopedia and a Shakespeare and Company bag.
Afterwards, we had planned on going to Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie, but little did we know that Musée d'Orsay was closed on Mondays. I was heartbroken. Despite having already seen it myself, I so badly wanted to share it with Mom. However, the Musée de l'Orangerie was incredible itself as we both love Monet's Water Lilies. We bought some more souvenirs before stopping for dinner in a little Italian restaurant, which I have to say was probably our worst meal in Europe. Especially compared to the Italian food we ate in Rome -- I mean honestly, why did we even try.
However we made up for it by stumbling upon the Paris Opera House, the setting for Phantom of the Opera, one of my favorite French novels and musicals, and bought tickets for a self guided tour. It was one of the things I had really wanted to see during my time in Paris but didn't think I would be able to. Getting to fit it in with Mom was so special. We finished our last night in Paris packing up and saying our final goodbyes to the Eiffel Tower from our roof before heading to bed.
Our last morning in Paris was compromised of packing up to go home, checking out, and Ubering to the airport. It was a very bitter sweet morning for me. As excited as I was to go home and see the rest of my family and get back into a routine, my heart was breaking to be done with this experience. I'd looked forward to it for so long, and even though I truly believe I sucked all the marrow out of it that I could, (Thanks H.D. Thoreau), I was so sad to leave. But I want to finish this post on a high note-- we'll have the sappy stuff in my next one. I'm so thankful for the time I got to spend in Europe, and even more grateful for the time I got to share with my mom. These memories, the good, the bad,the ugly, and the beautiful are ones we'll treasure for the rest of our lives and I'm so thankful I got to experience new adventures with her, and share some of my favorites.
Comments