Holga

I went to Paris with my boyfriend and we had so much trouble getting from place to place (it made it so much more fun). In trying to get to the basilica, rather than coming up the steps in the front or the tram in front we ended up approaching it from the side. To get to it we had to walk down a road called Rue de Poulet, which seemed like a huge market road. It was so crowded and we were the only white people so we stuck out like crazy, plus we were obviously tourists. When we finally found the basilica we sat in a little parklike area for a minute watching two boys kick a soccer ball back and forth in front of a waterfall. Well worth the trouble.

It was so cool to stand at the entrance to the louvre and look all the way down and see l’arc de triomphe, with all the white lights on one side and all the red lights on the other :)

My boyfriend was really really looking forward to seeing this place, and we weren’t sure how to get to it. We took the metro to approximately where we thought it would be, and we walked up the stairs and there it was right in front of us! It was such an amazing surprise :)

go at night and during the day if you can, and take the stairs!! You will save yourself hours of waiting in line, and there are little placards with cool information about the tower and things that have happened in/to it at each landing. it takes longer and it gets tiring but its rewarding for sure. Plus you get to brag that you walked up rather than taking the elevators like everyone else.

Go on a Wednesday evening or a Friday evening (after 6 I believe) because it’s cheaper and far far less crowded. However make sure you have time to explore. See the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisas of course but also go into the rooms that are empty because everyone else is at the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa. There is so much amazing art in the museum that is every bit as good and amazing as those two main attractions, and no one goes to see it. Make sure you do.

Go everywhere you can get into, go to all the smithsonian museums and all the memorials and the mall and everywhere. it’s a FACINATING city with so much to do and see and learn about. spend at least a few days if not a week in the city and you will not regret it.

be sure to pay attention to the time if you are out at night, and be sure to know how to get back to wherever you are staying. the metro closes at 12:59 AM and you will be screwed if you are not home by then.