Paris, Part One

 

Oh, Paris. Paris we love you. It took a bit to feel that way, but we do. Yes that is right for the first few hours I was not the biggest fan of this fabulous city. Sounds crazy, right?! Let me explain...

Robert and I left Christmas Eve morning to make the seven hour drive. We were so excited. We had heard so many stories and I had read so many blogs of  Paris and how it was the absolute favorite of many. I heard nothing but wonderful things. So of course I built it up like crazy in my mind. 

So we make it to Paris and find our hotel (Hotel Mayett, a boutique hotel which we highly recommend!). We unload our car, get dressed and ready and head out to explore! By that time it is dark and raining. Usually I am all for the rain, I just love it. BUT I quickly realized I do not love it when you are trying to explore a new city and have miles and miles to walk. So we start walking and decide to head to Notre Dame. 

We have an umbrella, a small umbrella, and a tall Rob. So picture this...pouring rain, Rob trying to be sweet by holding the umbrella, but its too small and he is too tall and it is not protecting me at all. It was quite a site. As we are walking here is what I think...why is this city so special? This is not what I expected. Yes that is right I thought that. But I kept it to myself afraid to speak it out loud. Like maybe lightning would strike me down or something? 

So we get to Notre Dame and it truly is beautiful. It really does take your breath away. But (and this is so embarrassing to say) I was not feeling it. This is where I should add, I am an emotional person, a very emotional person. It was Christmas Eve and did not feel like Christmas Eve at all. And that made me very sad  AND I was missing home and family more than ever. Just way too many emotions going on for Bailley. 

After we see Notre Dame we walk on to this beautiful bridge with a magnificent view...should be so romantic and surreal right? Nope. Instead I looked at Rob and said 

"I just really feel like crying." 

And crying I did. In Paris. On a bridge. With a beautiful view. Yep. So Robert was the best and let me cry and cry and cry. We ended up sitting in a little cafe across the street...Robert ate escargot (gross) and I cried. It was quite the hour. All I kept thinking in my head was it doesn't even feel like Christmas...I miss my family...Paris is not what I expected. Yep I had a major pity party. 

Then finally after encouraging words from Rob, and realizing how ridiculous I was being and that I was in this amazing romantic city with my husband, I snapped out of it. Finally!

We went back in the rain to walk around. And it all went up from there. I changed my attitude, we found a darling neighborhood (so this is the Paris everyone talks about!) and a yummy place to eat (good food always makes this girl feel better). And it then turned from a disaster of a night to a lovely one. 

^^^How could anyone cry with a view like this???^^^

The next day we walked around (with much better attitudes, I might add) and did some major site seeing. And I saw the Paris that so many talk about...truly breath-taking. 

First up the Eiffel Tower...what a beauty that thing is. Huge and magnificent is the best way I can describe it.

Next up...the Arc de Triomphe! 

^^^Robert looking suave on Champs-Elysees...a beautiful street!^^^

There are a ton of gorgeous bridges in Paris but our favorite by far was Pont Alexandre III...

^^^it offers such an amazing view^^^

After a rocky start (yeah yeah...a very rock start:)), this day was so fun. We finally got to see so many things we had always heard about or seen pictures of! It was wonderful. 

I have a couple more posts coming up from the rest of our trip as well as a few more obstacles we encountered:) AND some tips and tricks we learned from our trip that will hopefully be helpful to those who are wanting to visit! Stay Tuned!