This
summer we finally took a vacation to Europe.
This was a trip which was in the making for seven years. Our family had wanted to go to Europe,
especially Italy and Paris, since I was diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Trip
adviser was our tour guide and we did all our planning based on its reviews.
We loved
Rome, Florence and Venice while in Italy and by the time we boarded the
overnight train from Venice to Paris, we were convinced that Paris was going to
fall short of our expectations. Rome, Florence and Venice all were so unique
and different both from each other and from anything else we had seen. The trip was short but sweet and by the time
we learned to say “Grazie,” it was time to learn “Merci.”
When we
reached Paris early in the morning, we immediately fell in love. From the gourmet
pastries to the crepes – the food was excellent. Don’t miss Passage Brady for great
Indian food.
We started
our evening with the Arc de Triomphe, followed by the Eiffel Tower. The Arc de Triomphe was full of
people with different agendas.
Some Canadian students were protesting the fact that there were not enough
opportunities to study abroad. Lots of very talented artists were singing and
dancing, entertaining the crowd. As we started
to walk towards the Eiffel Tower, a bunch of hawkers wanted to sell us mini
Eiffel Towers: 5 for 1 Euro. The deal was too good to pass
on. We spent time eating munchies in the park by the Eiffel Tower. Even though
we were done exploring by 7:30 PM, we wanted to hang around until it got dark
because we HAD to see the blinking Eiffel Tower. Even at 9 PM, there was too
much sunlight to enjoy the blinking Eiffel Tower in all its glory. We decided
to pass the hour until 10 PM (it blinks on the hour) on a Seine River cruise. We
enjoyed the cruise thoroughly – seeing the youth on the banks of the river, enjoying
the warm weather in the Latin Quarters as it became dark was a mesmerizing
moment. It was past 10 PM by the time we
got off, but we knew we would be able to watch the 11 PM blinking of the Eiffel
Tower.
When it
actually happened on the dot at 11 PM, we were mesmerized by the sheer blinking
of the Tower, which lit up the whole city.
Who would have thought we could have the Eiffel Tower blink?! I wondered
how we can make it blink 24/7!!! The next
day while walking at Champs Elysees I found the answer at the Swarovski Store. Yes, it
is possible… just bring down the Swarovski Factory from Austria! Do you agree? :)
