July 21 - Eiffel in Love

When you stay up past 1 in the morning corralling college kids around a small club in Paris, you will definitely feel it the next day. We had nothing planned for the day as a class so I shut off my alarm and just got all the rest my body needed. I slept in until well passed 10 and still felt a bit sleepy. My roommate Aubrey woke up around the same time so we decided to get dressed and get some brunch. We walked to a place nearby for something filling and some much-needed coffee.

We ate our little brunch and then set out for the day. Aubrey and I both wanted to find some more local boutiques but stopped in some other stores. We went to Zara and another fancy shop before ending up at a place called La Moda. The different floors of the building were lined from top to bottom with some gorgeous gowns. I wanted to find a nice dress for our final day in the city. I found a black satin dress and tried it on. It was a little long but I figured I could pair it with my heels and wear it out.

We both bought a dress and then went for a walk around the city. We stopped and checked out open-air markets, saw some lovely street art, and discovered the LGBTQ+ center of the city all before making our way back to the hotel.

Back at the hotel, I spent some time updating my blog (even though I’m still behind). While working on the blog, my roommates and I made plans for the evening and purchased tickets to climb up the Eiffel Tower that night. We relaxed for a little longer and then went out for snacks before our trip up the tower. We settled in a restaurant only a few minutes from our destination and got a plate of escargot to share. It would be a new experience for all of us but we were excited.

Escargot is a unique thing. It was served to us with a tiny two-pronged fork and a unique set of tongs specifically designed to hold the shell. Ours were cooked with a buttery pesto sauce and served with small pieces of baguette. We all took turns trying it. When it was my turn to try it, I excitedly took the tongs in my hand and pulled out the little piece of meat from inside the shell. It was so delicious. It was a bit chewy and texture-wise it was comparable to calamari or the tripe in menudo. The sauce was savory and I even poured some on the pieces of bread. It was a great experience and one I was glad I could enjoy with my roommates.

After our little snack break, we rushed over to the Eiffel Tower to make it to our time slot. We got there around 9:57, just enough to see it sparkle on the hour. Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night was a bucket list item that truly brought a tear to my eye. We watched it sparkle for five minutes until it shut off. After, we made the long trek up the stairs to the second floor.

From the ground up to the second floor, we climbed up 674 steps. I was so winded by the time we made it up to the top but the view was worth it. Paris at night is so magical. The city is lit up and lively at a time when I would normally be in bed. We stayed up there for a few minutes, enjoying the view and catching our breath. Once we felt good to walk again, we climbed back down the long set of stairs to the ground level. While walking to the metro, it was on the hour again and so we once again saw the Eiffel Tower sparkle. I called my parents to show them the view and spend a few minutes in their company. The sparkles stopped and we made our way back to the metro.

We headed back to the hotel and stopped for some late-night crepes along the way. I got a crepe with Nutella and banana and downed it so fast. It was a delicious late-night treat after another incredible day in the city. The four of us went back to our room and stayed up late talking about life and having fun. It was a wonderful day with wonderful people.

♡ Katie