Paris, Je T'aimerai Toujours*

When one thinks of Paris, one thinks of love. Perhaps it is an old Parisian cliché, but it is true. No, I did not meet a dashing Frenchman who swept me off my feet in the three days that I was there. I met Paris itself, and Paris effectively managed to sweep me off my feet and leave me wanting more.

Apart from the very tops of monuments such as the Eiffel Tour and Notre Dame, one of the best views of Paris can be seen simply from the quai** of the Seine. Peaking through the golden foliage of the rustling trees lining the streets, you can see the waters, ruffled by the wind and current. Tour boats dot the Seine and people stroll down the embankment below. European buildings line the river, adding an elderly yet beautiful and elegant feel. The bank stretches for miles, as do the charming buildings, none of them identical.

Turning onto a bridge, any bridge, the city of Paris spreads out in front of you--vast and endless, interrupted only by the snaking Seine. On one side, the Eiffel Tower, pride of the Left Bank, rises above the Parisian immeubles,*** shadowing their grey classic roofs. On the other side, gothic architecture timidly yet prominently peaks out from behind the buildings, marking the Isle de la Cité and Quartier Latin.

The Quartier Latin, my personal favorite arrondissement,**** is a flavorful Parisian mixture of the old and the new, a microcosm of the city itself. Known as the historically intellectual neighborhood of Paris--it houses the Sorbonne--the Quartier Latin is like a little village full of narrow streets, tiny sidewalks, and old buildings that the musketeers probably hung out in. Among the various shades of brown, bright awnings and lit up bistro signs pierce through the monotone color palette. Ceramic flower pots stuffed with pink and red flowers nod to the street crepe vendors, outdoor cafés, and shoppers who traverse the bustling Boulevard of St. Michel. Even the occasional commercial giants--McDonalds and Starbucks--do not take away from the neighborhood's distinct character. Rather, they serve as even more hubs for afternoon rendez-vous.*****

Upon hearing that I would be going to Paris a few weeks ago, someone told me, "Be prepared to fall in love every ten minutes." I did. Parisian streets emit a certain je ne sais quoi,****** a character, an emotion. Paris is unlike any other European city I have ever had the opportunity to visit and it fills me with sadness that I will never have the chance to live there nor speak the language. Admiration, sadness, regret. Sounds like love to me.

*I will love you forever

**bank

***buildings

****district

*****meeting

******I don't know what