Paris is a great many things, but overrated is not one of them.

I just have one thing to say: Paris is not overrated. That city is gorgeous, eclectic, classic, bohemian, and so much more all at the same time. No wonder people fall in love there. The first day there, Paige and I walked around the city getting our bearings about us and gazing in awe at the Eiffel Tower. We went to Notre Dame, and then crossed the river to walk around and explore. Surprise, surprise guess what we found- the bookstore, Shakespeare & Company. In the movie Julie & Julia, Julia Childs goes to a bookstore when she first moves to Paris, looking for a French cookbook in English….yep she goes to Shakespeare & Company. It’s such a quaint little store, run by some friendly Brits. Housing everything from antique books, to rare first additions, to the latest from the New York Times best sellers list, this place has it all, but lacks nothing in charm.
The next day, we met up with a bunch of friends from TCU to go on a biking tour of Paris. One of the girls on the trip had a friend who worked in Paris for a summer giving bike tours for Fat Tire Tours….so we decided we should check it out. I was a little nervous considering I don’t know how long it’s been since I rode a bike, but turns out it was fun and stress-free. In four hours we went to about ten different tourist sites, stopping of course in front of the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, Les Invalides, and having lunch at a café in the Louvre gardens. I was so skeptical of this bike tour at first, but afterwards I remember thinking what a great way to see Paris. It was wonderful. Way to go Fat Tire Bike Tours for winning over a very cynical me. I’m sorry I called you “Flat Tire Tours” the whole time.
That night we went to dinner at a fondue restaurant on the south end of the city. It was pretty cool- good for a big group. They served our drinks in baby bottles of all things. Never know what you’re gonna get with Paris, that’s for sure. Hmm other highlights of the trip include, The Orsay Museum (lots of impressionist paintings, a lot of Van Gogh’s, interesting exhibits, much more accessible than the Louvre time wise), the Sacré Coeur, the Moulin Rouge (however, the street it’s on is scandalous; don’t ever walk around there alone or at night…that is unless you want a scandal…or to be robbed), and Galleries Lafayette (best department store in the world; went there alone cause wasn’t as high on everyone else’s priority list as it was on mine, but ended up spending three glorious hours wondering around that place). *Note to Lauren Penn & Kathy: I know you both would have come with me if ya’ll had been there.
The last night we were there we went to a restaurant called Les Infants Perdus, meaning “the lost children.” It was literally some of the best food I think I have ever had in my life. Charlotte, Marcie, Paige, and I all got something different and shared around. We tried lamb, salmon cooked on a wok with shredded vegetables (ended up being my favorite), and steak. Our waiter was wonderful. He was a musician. Very bohemian. I was smitten. The interior of the restaurant was quaint, simple, but lovely. At the same time though, it was a hole-in-the-wall kind of place. So yea, I would probably label this restaurant “Discovery of the Year” due to its indescribable, yet subtle charm.
Oh yea, one last thing, the stereotype that French people are rude is very untrue. I know how to say about five things in French (my name is Karaline, check please, I speak English, etc.) and people were nicer to me there than in Spain a lot of the time. (I’m not knockin’ Spain here at all) People would come up to us when we were looking at a map and ask if we needed directions, people were very conversational, and anyone that we stopped and asked a question too was more than happy to help. I am mystified as to where the “French people are rude” thing comes from.