I wasn't sure any of the videos I shot in Paris were going to turn out, because I'm used to filming with a tripod and multiple takes. But, somehow, I had just enough workable clips to stitch together the above video. (The music is by Les Chauds Lapins.)
And I have a few more photos to share, too:
A few more thoughts on Paris:
We bought Paris Museum Passes, which allowed us to stand in shorter lines and not feel pressured to see everything in a museum just to "get our money's worth."
After we got burnt out on sightseeing, we spent the rest of our time more leisurely: exploring the neighborhoods, searching for souvenirs, browsing the bouquinistes, and eating tarts and pain au chocolat.
The best view of the Eiffel Tower was at night from the Jardins du Trocadéro.
I can't stress how awesomely efficient the Metro is. Can Seattle have one? Pretty please?
Crowds can kind of ruin places that would otherwise be enjoyable. Everyone and their mother were taking photos of the Mona Lisa, touring Notre Dame, and shopping on the Champs-Élysées. One of the nicest places to visit was also the least crowded: the Jardin du Luxembourg, complete with a warm Nutella crepe.
The Musée d'Orsay had some of the biggest paintings I've ever seen!
I spent many hours studying French before this trip, but basically only ended up using "Bonjour," "Merci," and "Oui." Don't get me wrong – I wanted to speak more French, but I could barely understand the native speakers, because real people don't speak in simplified sentences like the people in language lessons do. (Most Parisians speak English, but I had been hoping that I wouldn't need to ask "Parlez-vous Anglais?" so soon.)
We took a nighttime boat tour with Vedettes Pont-Neuf. Sit on the top deck and bundle up!
We stayed in a studio in the Marais from Paris Vacation Apartments, and the accommodations & their staff were both wonderful. Walking through the city, St. Germain was another area that I liked the vibe of – that's where I'd want to stay if we ever go back.
Fig sorbet from Berthillon = yum!
