It feels odd to be indoors at work in the USA after a full week of frolicking—and I do mean frolicking—in Paris. I miss the fruit tarts, croissants, brioches, and other baked goods I gorged myself on each day. I miss the energy of the city, though I should note that D.C. has good energy as well. I miss walking outdoors, checking out the shop wares and being lost, then found, and then lost again in the 4th and 5th arrs.
I think the most memorable thing about Paris is the sunsets. The light cast on the historic buildings by the setting sun was phenomenal. I took many pictures near the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Arc de Triumph during the sunset. I'm sure that my camera could never capture what my eyes saw…but it doesn't matter as it is something that I'll never forget.
Because of the location of Paris at a higher latitude, the sun set close to 11 pm, which was quite an adjustment given that I'm used to an 8-9 pm sunset. It really threw off my sense of time particularly around dinner and bedtime.
We experienced unseasonably cool, damp weather most mornings, with clearer skies and milder temperatures in the afternoon and evenings. Although I prefer warm, sunny weather, I don't think that I would have liked standing in line for hours at the Eiffel Tower or walking around cramped Paris streets or through the massive expanse that is Versaille if the weather had been hot and humid.
Although I enjoyed experiencing Paris with my mother (who, thankfully, allowed me to make this trip entirely my own), there were times (usually at sunset) when I wished I was there with a lover. So, following tradition, I made a wish as I passed under Le Pont Marie. I wished that I'd return to Paris before I'm 50 to experience this great city with a lover (or husband). No offense mom, but Paris is for romance...
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