Paris
Things to Do in Paris
Paris was off the hook. My entire trip consisted of drinking endless bottles of champagne while listening to Jay-Z’s song “Ni**as in Paris”.
When in Paris, right?
However, my experience taught me that the French don’t like to speak English, but are still first class type of people with proper etiquette.
The Eiffel Tower
I booked this hotel because it was in the middle of downtown Paris. It was easy to move around the city but close enough for an afternoon nap. Down the street from my hotel you can see restaurants, shops and small food stands from street vendors. The Eiffel Tower is only a couple of minutes away walking and that’s where the party starts. Underneath the tower there’s a grass area for hanging out. The cool thing is that people walk around selling champagne bottles on ice for $10 apiece. Take advantage of this because you can drink out in the open.
Every hour the entire Eiffel Tower flickers yellowish lights for a couple of seconds which is remarkable. On my external speaker I chose to play “Ni**gas in Paris.” I then followed up by playing Tupac’s “California Love”. It felt appropriate while sharing five bottles of champagne, between three people who are also from the Bay Area.
The following morning our hotel’s front desk staff told us, “Someone had a little too much fun in Paris last night.” I guess our neighbors heard us coming home.
“Vive La France.” I say.
The Notre-Dame in Paris
There’s a double-decker transportation service called the Hop-on-Hop-off bus in every big city for tourists. I learned during this trip that instead of getting a rental car, to just use this service. It’s convenient because the bus stops at every landmark/attraction in the city. It drops you off to walk around/take pictures. Then picks you back up every thirty minutes or so.
The Notre-Dame cathedral is one of those stops. You’ve seen it in movies, and Disney cartoons just like the “Hunchback”. Inside, you can feel the history and see all its concrete stones dating back thousands of years. The cool part is the spiral staircase that takes you to the roof. It felt like a 10-minute journey with a width of five feet. It’s very cramped. On the way up, there’s a giant bell anyone can ring and it’s the bell for the cathedral. The rooftop view is amazing. You really see how old the city is and feel it.
Keep in mind that you will be doing a lot of walking so be ready.
The Louvre In Paris
Wow, just Wow. The Louvre did not disappoint.
The entrance into the courtyard is a statement about France’s history that’s unrivaled. We forget sometimes that the rest of the world exists and what it looks like. The Louvre is a museum with various collections of arts, sculptures, paintings and antiques from all over the world. Each floor plan consists of multiple trails, that lead into different collections of pieces/art. The Mona Lisa, portraits of Louis XIV, and paintings of Napoleon Bonaparte, France’s then ruler.
I found a faster way of entering but you have to walk toward the right-side of the Louvre/pyramid. Ask around for that entrance, it’s located down some stairs and sits at the back of the courtyard facing the inverted pyramid. You could be standing in line for over two hours just trying to get in.
Expect to spend hours, if not a whole day inside the museum. You’ll be experiencing a one in a lifetime opportunity to see some amazing pieces of work. I remember seeing those 20x20 wall paintings and gold-plated ceiling walls. Man get ready for those Instagram pics.
Take me back.
The Paris Catacombs
Just when you thought France couldn’t have more to offer, the Catacombs are your next stop to see. You’re underneath the city of Paris with corridors that use human bones as walls. The walls turn left, right and after a while you feel lost and start to have an anxiety attack. Remember the movies, “As Above, So Below” or maybe “The Catacombs”. Cameras and videos are not allowed, and the staff will catch you.
You have to get there early in the morning before 10AM. Otherwise, you’re talking about a two hour wait where the lines wraps around the corner. There’s only one entrance and it takes forever trying to get inside.
Once you exit, expect to end up 12 blocks down from the entrance. I didn’t think it would lead us out that far, but it made sense.
This was a fun experience.
Escargo in Paris
Let’s talk about Escargot. The earthy, somewhat of a soggy pistachio tasting snail, that tastes like it came from the bottom of a river.
Bay Area Rapper Mac Dre once coined the phrase “Thizz Face”. That was my exact expression of France’s edible land snails which are a delicacy.
Arc De Triomphe Paris
The streets that line up toward the Arc have shopping stores like H&M and Nike in the area. It’s a good place to hang around. Remember those movies where cars drive around the Arc in circles and try to exit. It’s going to look just like that.
A statement from France clearly because you wonder how it was built once seeing it.
