Deux: From the Louvre, cross the road and head toward Pont Des Arts bridge to witness the many declarations of love from around the world. My favorite: Love overcomes all barriers and distances (photographed below.)
Tois:Jump on the next hop-on-hop-off bus coming around the corner and (even if it’s cold) head to the upper deck for some great shots (besides the lambo):
Cinq: When you’ve completed round one of the bus circuit, hop off to do a bit of Parisian shopping. Wander aimlessly, you really can’t go wrong! For example, we ran into the flower shop (right) and didn’t want to leave. I was drinking it in with my eyes an my nose… heaven!
Six: However, for the best shopping, I recommend wandering aimlessly in the direction of La Grande Epicerie. If you’re looking for true Parisian goods minus the tourist price, it’s a great spot. I bought two bars of soap (honey and almond) for 2 euro each, a packet of loose leaf tea (samarcande) for 4 euro, a shopping bag for 2 euro and some of the coolest multi-colored pasta I’ve ever seen for 4 euro. I really wanted some black and white stripped jumbo bowtie pasta and these multi-colored striped sombrero pastas but they were a bit more fragile, so maybe next time… if I have a suitcase.
Sept: All major monuments should be done during the day and at night, in my opinion. Just because you’ve seen it once doesn’t mean you’re done.
Neuf: Pay your respects to Quasimoto at Notre Dame. If you have time, stand in line for the Bell Tower but if not at least view the main cathedral; it’s free, you have nothing to lose!
Dix: As you’re seated on the train back to London, make a list of the things you want to see but didn’t get to this round. For example, the Musee d’Orsay, Versailles, wandering the Champs-Elysees, the Sacre Coeur and the Rodin Museum (especially to see him!)
Melinda Skea got a taste for adventure as her family moved from America’s West to its hospitable south and eventually settled in its fast-paced New England corner. She studied International Relations and Spanish at Brigham Young University and subsequently embarked on a round-the-world trip which included Asia, Oceania and Europe. She has since found a home base in Washington D.C. where she works as an editor for a non-profit publication, but still finds time to put a few stamps in her passport each year.
Melinda is also the founder of D.C.-based Fashion Freecycle, which strives to limit the growing problem of clothing pollution by making “One [wo]man’s trash another [wo]man’s treasure”. These quarterly events encourage women to donate items and swap them for ones they find useful. Also an avid film lover, in 2008 Melinda began a monthly Foreign Film Night, which strives to create an atmosphere of openness, respect and learning as participants dine on the country-of-choice local cuisine and enjoy cinema outside of the usual Blockbuster.
