Paris, France

I have come to learn that most people have strong opinions of Paris. I did too, but time has softened me somewhat. I did not love Paris. My biggest complaint was surely the prices. I spent over $80 USD a night for a bed in a crappy hostel with dirty bathrooms, which puts a damper on all the other experiences sadly. The people aren’t as mean as most people from the U.S. would have you believe. I think Americans are too used to others hiding their true selves for the sake of American comfort, and I think that discomfort is what leads to the pronouncement of the Parisians as rude. Live in NYC and you’ll learn that brusque does not mean rude. I did not enter any of the museums unfortunately, but the history of the city is evident in the architecture, which while stunning, is reminiscent of much the rest of western Europe. However, the Eiffel tower is worth the hype. I didn’t know it sparkles at night! That was a wonderful surprise. The crowning achievement of my short stay in the city was a cafe fronting a small park where three of the famed alleys intersect. A dance group was filming a music video in the park, the normal city sounds were not audible so tucked away, and the coffee was lovely. While it is not high on my list, I would gladly visit again under different circumstances: in a group with a wealthy benefactor.