Blog #2: A walk through Paris

One of the most memorable days of my stay in Paris was on a class trip to the historic Opera. It was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen, with its pristine architecture and elegant decay, that is until I stepped inside and saw even more beauty! From the walls to the ceilings, one could see the golden masterpiece shining brightly and captured me into a trance. Beautiful artwork wrapped the walls and tears formed from it all. The first thing I did was call my girlfriend Liz and showed her the amazingness that was before me. As I gazed upon the ceiling, my body started to spin as I tried to capture it all in. The ceiling was fifty to sixty feet high and gazing upon it felt like my eyes were bathed in warmth. It was an honor just to step in a room of such majesty, but it was only the surface of the true art that occurs every night on stage. The opera is typically booked months in advance, so none of my group nor I had the opportunity to see a show, but as we stood within the theatre seats, it was a mind-blowing feeling I would never forget. On our tour, we explored the hallways, enjoyed the art and took a breath of awe for each room in its own way. As the tour came to end, my friends and I planned a walk through the center of Paris and explored the city to see the sights of the greatest city in the world.

 My roommates, Drew and Micahi, some other classmates, and I joined together on a quest to march forward and take on the city. Before any great quest, we took a quick pit stop to eat lunch. We took the metro to a cafe in the center of the city near Notre Dame as that is where our quest began. As the tables and chairs spread out near the entrance and across the traffic of the streets, we inhaled the scents and aromas of the fine French cuisines of the cafe. My friends and I tried different dishes, excited to see what we could all try. I had the lasagna and my dish overflowed with different cheeses and vegetables that melted in my mouth. Everyone was excited about what they got too!

 With our bellies full, we marched on to Notre Dame. As we approached the charred building encased in a cage of metal and concealed by sheets of white. We have all heard of the tragic fire that destroyed iconic portions of the Notre Dame, but it brought us joy to see its resurrection. Hasty Frenchmen patrolled the streets with heavy weapons, while others restored the Notre Dame to what it once was. We were amazed at the grandness of the building. Next, we marched on with the Seine River through the first arch in the Lourve and on our way to the infamous Champs Elysées Avenue with shops popping and the shoppers dropping. As we walked across the various streets and parks to reach the Champs Elysées Avenue, it was a nice time for my group of friends to get to know each other. We have come from all over the world with such different lives to finally meet and enjoy our love for the culture of Paris together. We talked about our lives and our studies, as well as our cultures and our families. I learned about the silly marriage rituals from Russia to the great CN tower of Canada. Soon the sun began to set high, and our sweat strolled down our face.

 Paris is a crowded city, but it doesn’t compare to how crowded it was at the Champs Elysées. The stores from all over the world stood tall as the tourists and local people alike rushed busy like ants in a picnic. We stopped by all the stores along our way and checked all the French decor and knick-knacks. I was reminded of my home as I thought about all my friends and family back in Hawaii and the things that they would like. You have to be careful or else all your money will disappear! Soon we heard the music of the streets as the performers sang and the children danced to Bruno Mars’ music. We approach our final destination, a grand masterpiece, the greatness of Napoleon, the Arc de Triomphe. The line was long and the staircase to the very top was even longer, but the view was one of a kind. From the top, we could see the entirety of Paris and the long way that we had come.