Not only did I see all the obnoxious tourist sites in Paris, I tried my best to also check out some of the local hangouts and more culture-filled parts of the city. In doing so, I fell in love with Montmartre, a district (sort of recently adopted into the city of Paris) where famous painters, authors, and artists holed up in their studios working on some of the most famous works of art in history. It doesn't need to be said that this was right up my alley.
Montmartre Tour:
The amazing people of Culturefish! Tours also had a free tour of the Montmartre district - just as full of history, fun facts, and cultural habits of the French as the last tour. Honestly,. I don't think my stay in Paris would have been as lovely as it was without the amazing Pierre. Despite us both (Pierre and I) being sick as dogs, coughing up a storm, we handled the cold just fine and spent three wonderful hours exploring the beautiful narrow cobblestone alleys and windmills that the artist found so inspiring. I felt like whipping out my canvas and paintbrush and joining the crowd! We also passed by the Montmartre Museum (didn't go inside, but it has a wonderful amount of history attached to it) and a few breathtaking cathedrals with views of the entire city. I could write pages about all I saw and loved in Montmartre - the street artists, the only vineyards left in Paris, Van Gogh's old apartment - but I would go on forever. One thing you may have heard of though is Moulin Rouge, the famous cabaret in Paris where some of the best dancers from all over the world came to dance at (Oh and there was that movie about it in 2001 with Nicole Kidman...) I did not attend a show unfortunately, it was rediculously over priced and I heard the food wasn't that great.
I also wanted to take a second to mention a few things I did not get a chance to explore in Paris. One being an awesome street art tour of the city (either by foot or on bike) recommended by Culturefish! Tours, and another being the Catacombs - an underground tomb holding the remains of nearly 6 million people. I will most certainly be back in Paris to do these and more - there is an old myth that says if you turn 360 degrees in a circle over the center of Paris, you will be back in the city within 7 years of doing so (which I did before I left.).
Ciao for now, more on Switzerland coming up next!
-A
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