A Parisian Dream Come True

Friday, October 9th: Today was our last day as a group before free travel, so in the morning we got together for a ‘Hemingway Walk’ through the streets of Paris. We had read “A Moveable Feast” which talks a lot about being a young writer in Paris and the Parisian life in general. In my opinion we didn’t see that many things that had to do with Hemingway, but that might have been because everything was so spread out. We walked a total of 4.5 miles! My favorite moment of our walk was when we ended in the Luxembourg Gardens near our hotel and took a group picture amidst the trees and fall leaves. Coincidentally we saw this guy walking by in a Minnesota Gophers hat and so we got him to take our picture for us; turned out his sister lives in Minnesota or something. At the edge of the park we all said goodbye to each other, hugged, and went our separate ways. This would be the last time we would see DR and Judie who were in charge of only the first half of the trip, and the last time we’d see most of the group since we’d all be starting free travel the next day.

I went to lunch with a few girls, and then ended up crashing on my bed for a brief nap since I was so tired from our morning walk. Afterwards Katie and I went on our first Paris metro (underground) adventure over to the Eiffel Tower. In my opinion, the Paris metro is more complex than the London tube. It’s not as linear, it’s slower, and it’s all in French – of course, but we got there safe and sound.

Walking around the corner, looking up and seeing the Eiffel Tower right in front of me was such an incredible dream-come-true!! Again, it turned out to be one of those moments that I didn’t know meant so much to me until I was actually there. I distinctly remember my pre-teen years, wanting to go to Paris so badly and dreaming of seeing the Eiffel Tower, but settling for living vicariously through Mary Kate and Ashley Olson in their movie “Passport to Paris”, which I loved. Anyway, Katie and I walked underneath the Tower, through the park behind it, took pictures, and then explored up and down the surrounding streets doing some tourist shopping. We eventually decided to eat at a corner café and have a leisurely Parisian meal including chocolate crepes and an espresso for me. Yum! Then we decided that the beautifully decorated pastries we had been passing for the last couple of hours had looked way too gorgeous to pass up, so we went in search of the perfect dessert.

Funny story: In the first bakery we walked into Katie says, “I think I just want a croissant”, so we’re just about to order when Katie firmly says, “No, I don’t!” and suddenly points into the case for me to see this little mouse running around between the pastries!!! In absolutely shock and near horror we turned around as quickly as possible and exited the store before anyone could say another word. We’re not even sure if the cashier woman saw it because we left so fast, but if she didn’t she was probably pretty dumbfounded at why we turned our backs on her so quickly. “How gross!” we thought. Katie said she could have puked right there on the sidewalk had the mouse not been so cute. Haha. Side note: my brother wanted me to find Ratatouille’s restaurant while I was in Paris, which I can’t say that I found, but maybe I can say that I saw Ratatouille himself? Just a thought. Haha.

Anyway, Katie and I ended up buying fun desserts at another pastry shop and took them to a park bench where we could gaze up at the Eiffel Tower and watch it light up. Soon it started to rain so we ran underneath a shelter with several other people to wait it out. It was kind of a bummer for it to be wet since we had forgotten umbrellas, but we then quickly thought that it only added to our experience – making it a true, wet, Paris evening – and plus, then we got to talk longer. After the rain stopped we took tons of night pictures with the Tower all lit up behind us! The whole evening was such a fun girls’ night out and an absolutely wonderful Eiffel Tower experience! I’m so glad we got to do everything we did; and I can’t thank God enough for how much He wonderfully provided for me yet again. I really felt so loved in being able to see something I had always dreamed about. I can see and feel Him giving me the desires of my heart; it’s so cool!

After Katie and I returned on the metro, the rest of the night was devoted to finishing our last paper for DR that was due outside his door before we went to bed – whenever that was. Haha. Thankfully I had done most of the work the night before so I didn’t get myself into too much trouble when I decided to call one of my friends from home and talk for a half hour. It was a great way to top off my Eiffel Tower night.