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| The Eiffel Tower |
Ah, Paris, the city of love, where the days are filled with croissants and the nights with French wine. Except Angeli wasn't impressed. The weather and the ice cream were another story, though. Each day was filled with intense sight-seeing and exploration of museums. There were a few things that struck her. One, she was not too impressed by the Eiffel Tower. She wondered if her indifference was something of shame. Several people told her that one either falls in love with the city or hates it. She was caught in the middle. She loved its historical look and liveliness but she disliked the fact that you just could not get the full experience in one week.
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| Raspberry and lemon sorbet |
She visited the Louvre, the Senate, the Luxembourg Gardens, and many more things. The Palace of Versailles was maybe an even bigger disappointment. Maybe she had had enough of grandiose architecture; maybe it was just all turning into one big blur. But none-the-less, not all of Paris was hopeless. She loved the nighttime boat tour that showed the city from an 18th century, trader's view. The Eiffel Tower shined bright in the night sky as she imagined all of the things the city had been through.
The Louvre was absolutely and entirely too large, but she was glad to have seen the Mona Lisa and the famous statue. With the group, she ate raspberry sorbet at Amorino's. She was in love- in love with the amazing taste of raspberry sorbet. Felafels and pizza galore. The food was great in Paris and she'd never been happier about it.
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| The soldiers of D-Day |
Towards the end of the week, the group went to Normandy beaches to visit the American D-day memorial. It was a terribly beautiful day and immensely insightful. Several thousand graves were lined in glorious rows upon rows. From afar, it seemed as though the area was a snow-covered hilltop but up close one could see the cruel reality. The beach was gorgeous and it made it that much more difficult to grasp that the shore was once covered in American blood. Angeli's trip to France was more than just a tourist vacation. It was a realization. The realization that the world is better because of those that gave their lives for us. She always was a sucker for wars and memorials, but she forgot how emotional she could get around such sites. Angeli carried a lump in her throat from Normandy to Paris. The group stopped in Bayeux to see the ancient tapestry that depicted a historical war. It never ceased to amaze Angeli how violent human history had been. She was more thankful than ever knowing that the leaders of her world today are trying to keep things together even if they are currently failing.
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| Normandy beach |
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| Jack Sparrow with Angeli |
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| Adventureland in Disneyland |
The highlight of the week was Disneyland Paris. On her last day, Angeli visited Disneyland in the hopes to finally meet here long lost lover- Aladdin. Little did she know that he would betray her by not even being there. Although in reality, she assumed that Aladdin was just not popular among the French since Jasmine was not present as well. The best part was when she got to meet Captain Jack Sparrow. To top it off, he told her she was beautiful! Her day was made. For the first time ever, Angeli even saw the Disney Parade. It was like she was the main character in a Disney movie. She was happy beyond bounds and felt like a kid again. The week ended with a whole new appreciation for Paris. Thanks to Disney!
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| The halls in Versailles |
Paris was done in week. She felt like a little kid in a candy store gazing at everything and anything that passed her by. She had no regrets in Paris and she would proudly say that she was not a victim of shopping. Surprising and shocking that Angeli didn't shop and become one of the many to fall into the charming traps of Paris. She survived Paris. The world has its way of making you feel as though there is still more left to do, it makes you question yourself, and puts a hint of doubt in your otherwise perfect life. But Angeli was above it. She had no regrets and no doubts about Paris. Her next destination was Berlin, Germany and she had a feeling she'd love it. The program was coming to an end so soon and all she wanted to do was to take it all in before it was all gone. Let's hope Berlin is all that she dreamed and not just another Paris!
xoxo
