Texas Girl Takes on the World: I Fell for the Eiffel

Today, started a few times before it really started. I woke up at 8, then 10 and finally 2 when housekeeping came a knockin! Hey, no sweat, I'm on vacation and there's plenty of time to get out and about. I wake and decide that I want to visit the Eiffel Tower, have lunch, take in a movie and find dinner. Do all that in 6 or 8 hours before the witching hours...tres facile (very easy)! (NOTE: In the spirit of full disclosure, it's 1:30 am and I'm just getting in. I killed it today! HA!)

Ok, so I dress, ask Victoria where the Eiffel is. Oh, just five minutes away, awesome. And I'm off. Since I'd seen it from afar yesterday, I was actually going to see what all the fuss was about (honestly, I thought it'd be bigger).

Honey, let me tell you. I was not prepared for the squeal that exited my body and the smile that spread across my face when all of a sudden it appeared in front of me out of nowhere. I didn't expect it to be so close nor that breathtaking up close. And again, the moment was wrapped up in an awesome soundtrack. Pharell's "Happy" had just come on my headphones and there it was! It took everything in me not to start dancing in the street. I have never reacted that way to a piece of metal in my life. I took so many selfies with my new lover Eiffel. I'm telling y'all, Paris is magical like that!

So I see a cute couple snapping shots and I volunteer to take their pic if they'll take mine. They're from Roma, don't know English but somehow we had a quick chat about me going to Roma soon, said our Grazies (thank you) and Pregos (your welcome) and went our separate ways.

So I walk a few blocks to get all up close and personal with that thang and boy was it glorious! So so so so so beautiful. Walked under and through it, marveling at the architecture and the fact that it was hand built, piece by piece over the course of two years. After walking around to see it from a few angles, I walked across the Seine River where I saw several bride/groom sets and wedding parties taking photos with the river and tower as the backdrop. Talk about amaze balls!

I wandered a bit more, found a cute cafe with free wifi and delicious looking food and squatted for a couple hours as it rained outside. It was there that I had the best crepe I've ever tasted! The ones in the U.S. are a disgrace. It was so fluffy and pretty and subtly sweet that I honestly didn't need the strawberry jam that it was served with. Just yum yum yum!

On my way back to the hotel, I ran into Eiffel again, except this time he was all lit up! Lord, even more squeals and foolish footwork from me followed by numerous selfies and girlish grins. Sheesh, this tower turns me into a teenage girl, I swear!

From the hotel, I decided to go to Montparnasse (14th arrondissement) to see Hunger Games on the Metro. What an awesome, easy and clean subway system they have here. Got there too late for Hunger Games so saw Men, Women & Children with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Garner. Hadn't heard of it but it was a pretty good movie. After that, grabbed a Gyro to eat, took the Metro back to my hotel and here I am.

Day 2 = SUCCESS! If not tonight, will write another blog about the people of Paris from my viewpoint.

Bonsoir!