Paris, The City of Something...

I’m really happy I decided to travel from country to country by bus, it’s been a really cool experience watching the terrains change and surprisingly, there’s leg room! As we rolled into our final destination, I felt elated to once again be hearing the French language. And, there were so many black people scattered all over the streets. Black men with muscles and accents, was this heaven? 

I’m not sure why or how, maybe it’s because this was my 7th country, but I managed to find the hostel with ease and minimal navigation. The location was immaculate and the moment I saw it, I forgave myself for spending hours trying to find the perfect accommodation. Although I booked an 8 bed, I got upgraded to a 3 bed room for free, which turned out to be just myself and another girl — thank goodness for that because while I don’t mind hostel living, Paris is the place you want to live luxuriously, it is the City of Love after all. 

Despite being unable to contain my excitement for what I thought was going to be my favourite spot of my euro trip, traveller’s fatigue was starting to set in. I was worn out, but I have a really bad habit or trying to see and do absolutely everything because deep down I feel like I’ll never have the means to come back. On my way out to explore, I bumped into a lady waiting for the elevator that sparked up a conversation about Wi-Fi. When we got down to the lobby, we helped each other map out our own plans before I asked her to join me for dinner later that evening. 

We managed to find a cute restaurant down the street, and I tried escargot for the first time — it was delicious. We sipped on wine and picked away at the bread and pesto as we exchanged travel stories. She was a well-travelled woman, who fearlessly couch-surfed and explored region of that world that she never imagined she venture to alone. After devouring my favourite dessert (crème brulée) we headed out in search of the Eiffel Tour, which was nothing short of beautiful. 

We walked along Champs-Élysées and also got hit by multiple vehicles trying to get the perfect photo with the Arc de Triomphe before going back to the Eiffel Tour for the evening show. We watched in awe, with baguettes, cheese and more wine in hand as the lights danced along the Parisian skyline and for a moment, everything was perfect until I saw them… 

See what they don’t show you in the movies are the rats. The ginormous rats that roam free everywhere and aren’t threatened by anything or anyone. They don’t show you the dirt and grime or how the beautiful city is riddled with poverty. But, that’s the beauty of travel, you will end up disappointed and some expectations may not be met. It’s a good reminder that the grass ain’t always greener.

The following day, I decided to join a new friend on her trip to the art museum and I have no idea why I thought visiting one in Paris would change my dislike for them. The line to get into the Musée d’Orsay was long as hell and it’s so unnecessarily huge that I ended up losing the person I went with. Never again. I somehow ended up back at the Eiffel Tour and it just so happened that the girl from the hostel was there, so we decided to grab dinner again. It lacked lustre and I was upset I wasted money on food I didn’t enjoy especially because funds were beginning to dwindle. All I kept thinking about was that man at the gardens who tried to pickpocket me and how fortunate I was that he was unsuccessful. I learned quickly that living luxuriously comes with a price. 

One thing I know for sure is that it doesn’t matter where you travel, men are all the same. On the metro back to my hostel, this man persistently tried to talk to me even after I told him in not only English but French that I wasn’t interested. Every time I moved seats, so did he as if we were playing musical chairs, I wanted to scream.  

I left Paris with a medley of emotions and I’m still not quite sure if I have any desire to ever go back. People disappointing you in life is inevitable, but when it’s a city, it’s humbling. There will be just as many valleys when travelling as there are peaks, even in Paris.