Grande Paris

Earning first place in anything is difficult. It requires determination and stamina. Maybe a little flexibility and persistence. Time after time. Year after year. Things are repeated, evaluated and corrected until they have been perfected…

It is my humble opinion that Paris has rightfully earned her place on top of the “World’s Greatest Cities” list. She is passionate and resolute. She has high, uncompromising standards. She is the prettiest and knows it. Her citizens carry this weight as a badge of honor and burden. Being Paris seems to be both effortless and exhausting.

This was my first trip to this famed city. As we drove down the picturesque streets to our hotel, the Eiffel Tower welcomed us. She seemed to always be in view, wherever we were in the city, watching over us, grand and breath-taking. While some parts of Paris were too popular to enjoy (sorry Louvre), others were anxious to show us the goods (literally… Bonjour Moulin Rouge).

At the end, it was the service and food that really set the city apart. I have to admit, I have fallen a bit in love with our girl Madrid, although I am not loving her cuisine just yet. French food, however, is my type of food. Our first dinner in the city was divine. (I have never used that word to describe food before, but there it is… the food was divine). And not only that, the service was enough to make Dan run to the hotel room and give a five star Yelp review. It was the kind of meal that makes you a little sad at the end. Proving their reputation true, the French are relatively rude people. But not those in the service industry. They have perfected the craft of customer service to almost an embarrassing level.

I will miss Paris. I will probably even dream of Paris. And if my life is as magical as I believe it is, I will find myself wondering Paris’ cobblestone streets again. Next time, the Mona Lisa will be on top of the to-do list (along with another performance of the Moulin Rouge 😉 and maybe a more intimate look at where Ernest Hemingway spent his time in the roaring 20s.

Pictures are in the Photos tab. Enjoy!