Paris

Wandering the streets of Paris is really a feast for the eyes, and something that is hard to convey with photographs and is best experienced. Two story buildings which lightly glow in the afternoon sun lead you down one way streets and alleys, where yellow autumn trees line the way. Random wandering would take you into small secluded courtyards of benches and trees. Cafes adorn the sidewalks, and like in many parts of Europe, all the seats face outwards for easier people watching. Stunning women sit drinking their coffee and smoking cigarettes in a uniquely sexy French way, and the majority of people look like they have stepped out of a fashion magazine. Naturally, I loved it.

A free walking tour led me around some of the main tourist attractions in Paris, such as the Louvre Pyramid, Avenue de Champs-Elysees and Notre Dame Cathedral. I had a chocolate galette for lunch, and enjoyed some people watching. After a long day of walking, I came back at sunset to see the area surrounding Notre Dame. Hanging out by the river Sienne just across from the cathedral and watching the sun in decline was a great way to end the day.

The next day I headed out to the Eiffel Tower, and it did not disappoint. Looming over me, it was really impressively tall, and I could not have asked for better weather. I constructed a small lunch out of some ham, cheese and a gluten free baguette and ate in the tower’s shadow. I also visited the Montmartre region, a hill known for having studios of many famous artists such as Picasso, Dali and van Gough. The Salvador Dali museum was pretty fantastic, showing a lot of Dali and Dali-inspired paintings and sculptures, including a sculpture of Saint George and the Dragon which I absolutely loved. Elsewhere in Montmartre, I found a church that almost looked painted in black to look like it had 3D detail, but on closer inspection, actually had 3D detail. Hard to explain, but it broke my brain in an awesome way.

Back in the city centre, I tracked down the Defender of Time clock, an old automata that has since stopped working, but is impressive nonetheless. It has a dragon, a man with a sword, a clock, a crab and a rooster…awesome! I also sought out a completely gluten free pastry shop – Helmut Newcake. Luckily it was a short walk from my hostel, and I had to resist buying everything I saw. The waitress did not understand my English, but luckily a lovely girl nearby overheard and helped me out. She was French-Canadian, now living in Paris, and also gluten free. It was amusing to discover she thought kiwis were very common in New Zealand and flew around everywhere. I ended my trip with a beautiful evening cruise down the Sienne and a wish to stay much much longer.