There are very few man-made structures that come to symbolize a city or country. The Statue of Liberty, the Sphinx, and the Eiffel Tower all invoke images of the countries where they reside. We have yet to visit Egypt, but we have gone to the Statue of Liberty in New York as well as gone to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Not surprisingly, you can find replicas of all of these in Las Vegas, but clearly that isn’t the same thing as seeing the real thing. Seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time almost a decade ago is definitely one of our favorite travel moments. There is something special about the Eiffel Tower, whether it is its raw architecture with the exposed beams or its graceful curvature as it reaches skyward. Clearly it is the most photographed landmark in Paris and every souvenir vendor has miniature replicas galore. We have seen it in autumn with brightly colored trees in the foreground, at night from the Seine, as well as on a cold, wet, winter day. The time of year doesn’t seem to matter, when you see the Eiffel Tower you get a sense that you looking more at a symbol of the French people than a tower constructed to be the entrance of the world fair in 1889. For this week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge, Structure, we have chosen a variety of photos that we have taken of the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower from the SeineView of the Eiffel Tower from the Top of the Arc de TriompheCrossing the Bridge towards the Eiffel TowerEiffel Tower in AutumnEiffel Tower Lit Up at NightInteresting ViewEiffel Tower against Autumn SkyEiffel Tower on a Cold Winter Day
While we were in Europe, we made a point of spending a weekend in Paris and buying an oil painting from one of the artists along the Seine. We had it stretched and framed and we picked it up from the framer over the weekend and when we saw it, the painting brought back fond memories for us. We have been to many wonderful cities in various parts of world, but Paris holds a special place in our hearts. Perhaps it is partially due to the fact that it was the first city outside of the United States that the two of us visited together. It might also just be part of the relaxed charm that has made the city renowned for being a romantic location.
Outside of the LouvreNotre-Dame de ParisThe Arc de Triomphe
During our first trip to Paris, we stayed in Latin Quarter on the Left Bank in a quaint little hotel that was more of a bed and breakfast than a traditional hotel. It was wonderful because we were within walking distance of restaurants, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and even the Eiffel Tower. We were fortunate to have wonderful weather considering the fact that we were there during November, which added to our memories of the beautiful city.
Quaint Hotel RoomEiffel Tower in AutumnLooking Towards the Latin Quarter
During our second trip to Paris, we weren’t as fortunate with the weather, but that didn’t diminish our experience. There are so many wonderful little bistros and places to stop for a coffee and croissant that we could find places to stop during the times that it was actually raining and not just cloudy and overcast. Obviously we took a walk along the Seine once again, strolling hand-in-hand, and looking at the artwork of the few artists that were out on such a gloomy day. We lucked out and found exactly the painting that we were hoping to find to capture our memories of Paris.
Eiffel Tower in WinterWalking along the SeineCozy Bistro
Perhaps it is just a trick of the mind, but sometimes there are places and moments in time that become a special memory that seem to surpass reality. We will always treasure the time that we spent in Paris and it will likely be a city that revisit again and again. There are so many places to see in the world, but there are also some places that just seem to draw you back over and over again.
We were determined not to let the weather dampen our spirits as we ventured back to the city of love for a quick weekend trip. Although it was definitely a rainy weekend, we enjoyed our trip as much as if the sun had been shining from sunrise to sunset. Since we had been to Paris before, this trip was about spending time together in a city that was actually the first place in Europe that the two of us ever visited together. Perhaps it didn’t make for the most picturesque of trips, but that wasn’t what this trip was meant to be about. We went into Montmartre and looked over the gorgeous landscape that is downtown Paris. We listened to a nun give a service in the Basilica de Sacré-Cœur, which was actually quite an interesting experience as we don’t normally see nuns lead a service.
Bringing Back Great MemoriesThe Eiffel Tower is Impressive even on a Rainy DayThe Arc de TriompheService in the BasilicaView from Montmartre
Of course there was plenty of food and wine, but we did what we like to do the most while we are in Paris, we walked the streets. Around every corner, whether walking along the Seine or heading into the neighborhoods, the buildings and the scenery are always incredible. Despite the rain, there was a definite feeling of Spring in the air, which is unusual for us as we don’t normally think about a green grass in Colorado until May. We can’t go to Paris without at least walking by the Eiffel Tower, but we decided to retake a photo from our very first visit, at least as close as we could since our daughter was not with us. We did not go to the top again, mostly due to the weather, but also due to our limited time in the city.
ReminiscingWalking the StreetsMuseum D’OrsayStatue on one of the BridgesSigns of Tolerance
We climbed to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, which was actually something that we had never done before and would definitely recommend. Obviously the views are not as astounding as those from the top of the Eiffel Tower or Montmartre, but they are still worth the effort to climb the approximate 250 stairs. One of the priorities for our visit was to buy a piece of art from one of the street artists along the Seine, although there were very few out due to the time of year and the weather. We were about to give up when we came upon a stall with some original oil paintings that were exactly what we had hoped to find. Finding various paintings, etches, or sketches in the different places that we have traveled to during our time here in Europe has become one of the ways that we have chosen to memorialize our time abroad.
Champs-ÉlyséesUnder the ArcView of the Eiffel Tower from the Top of the ArcView from the Arc de TriompheThe Basilica Sacré-Cœur
The next few weeks will be extremely hectic as we attempt to make the most of our remaining time. Having the opportunity to jump on a train and spend a weekend in Paris is one of the memories that has made the past six months so very special. We have spent many nights reminiscing about the incredible sights that we have seen, people we have met, and food that we have tasted. It will take us as many months to truly share all of our experiences here with all of you, but every moment has made us only want to travel even more during the months and years ahead. Regardless of what the future holds, though, we will leave you with the timeless quote from Rick in the movie Casablanca, “We will always have Paris”.
Bridge to the LouvreEiffel TowerAnother View of the Basilica
