A Different Kind of Romance in Paris

"Bonjour!" That's how to begin every interaction when in France. None of this, "I'd like three shots of tequila, please." Nope. It's "Bonjour!... I'd like three shots of tequila please." Otherwise you're considered rude. I learned this the hard way. It's nice though, isn't it? It almost forces you to be happy and jovial with everyone you interact with. I believe I'm going to adopt this method of communication and use it from now on. Perhaps it will start catching?

What to say about Paris? It's everything you'd expect it to be. A city of romance. But I'm not just speaking about the type of romance you see in movies. Flowers and kissing and holding hands. Yes, that's there too, but there's a different type of romance in Paris as well, and you don't need to be with a handsome Frenchman to experience it.

The Mona Lisa was a lot smaller than I had imagined it would be, but still very impressive.

Let's start with le Musee du Louvre. The Louvre Museum is the epitome of everything romance. From its statues to its paintings, to its breathtaking, high vaulted ceilings, the Louvre is a place of enchantment and wonder. As the world's largest museum, you could walk around for days and still not see all the masterpieces the Louvre has to offer. Of course, it's most known for housing the Mona Lisa but, although both beautiful and intriguing, the Mona Lisa isn't even close to being the Louvre's finest attraction.

Admittedly, my favourite part of the Louvre is its breathtaking ceilings. Had I ever seen anything so beautiful in my life? No. Definitely not. I couldn't help but wonder how long it took to create such masterpieces. The details were absolutely astonishing. Call me old fashioned, but I just can't appreciate contemporary art the way some other people do. Especially not after having seen such greatness as (refer to photos).

Something else I shamelessly gawked at? The statues. It was easy to forget I was looking at carved stone, and not an actual human being. Even the muscles seemed so... so real! And sooo defined. Would it be weird to say some of these statues were super sexy? I mean, if this is what men looked like back then, can someone please find me a time machine? Like, daaaaayyyyuuuum. I couldn't resist snapping an ass shot. Don't judge me.

The muscle detail in these statues is amazing.

The ceiling of the Louvre is absolutely breath-taking!

Eh-hem, *cough, cough* moving on...

Weren't we talking about romantic structures? How about Notre Dame? I was fortunate enough to visit Notre Dame during the Armistice Day ceremony. Between the beauty of the building itself and the voices of the choir reverberating off its walls, the experience was powerful enough to bring tears to my eyes. Again, don't judge me. Just go see it for yourself.

If you visit Paris, take time to explore the Catacombs under its streets. Allow me to say that again: visit the Catacombs. Eerie, morbid, melancholy, and not for the faint of heart, the Catacombs are a curiosity that should not be missed. With over six million skeletons haphazardly thrown into its depths, I was surprised to find that I was allowed to get up close and personal with the bones. I had expected to find them behind glass cases, or cemented down or... or something. But, no. They were loosely stacked with no barrier, so that I was able to get so close I could touch them (But don't. Don't touch them. That's an obvious "no, no.").

Head's up! Purchase your ticket to the Catacombs online, at least two days prior to your visit, or you'll be waiting in a line that's at least an hour long.

There is a lot to see in Paris and, if you have a limited amount of time, you'll probably find yourself rushing around. Relax. Breathe. No vacation is fun if you feel rushed. Take a moment to chill by the river Seine. The structures lining the river are worth seeing in and of themselves and you'll feel refreshed after you've rested your feet. It's also a great way to take in the beauty of Paris, without having to worry about stretching your camera over the heads of other tourists.

Eat some crepes. Baguettes. Macaroons. Better yet, try some escargot. Don't think about it technically being snails. For real. Escargot is delicious and, whatever you think it might taste like... it doesn't. Especially when it's seasoned well.