After waking up at 4:30am and traveling for 10 hours, we finally made it home from Paris! It feels good to be back in the nice frosty apartment (it was about 48 degrees when we got home a couple hours ago and it has finally warmed up to about 55), and it is even nicer to have picked up Lorenzo from Liz's. I think the little guy put on some weight during his boarding :P
Paris was an extremely beautiful city, even in the cold, windy winter. I really appreciated the wide, clean streets, the awesome public transportation system, and the massive support for the arts. Compared to Florence, which is traditional, tough, and sticks to its old-city charm, Paris seemed to be more metropolitan, multicultural, posh and polished. I don't know which I prefer; they are just different. The Parisians we met also threw out the stereotype of being proud and stuffy--they were super friendly and everyone was happy to speak English. This may be because we stayed in the touristy district, but it was still a nice surprise. Actually, as an American I did feel guilty that everyone knew English (unlike in Italy, in which I'd say less than a third know any English at all). We hope before the next time we go we can learn a few more words of French, and maybe even pronounce them correctly!
The cold weather hampered our ability to easily go for long walks and explore the different neighborhoods, but the flip side is that we got to spend that much more time in the incredible museums, and without the unbearable crowds that likely swell during the warmer months. Seth and I agree that the only really annoying thing we encountered in Paris was the cost of a cup of coffee. We never found coffee, tea, or hot cocoa for less than 3.50 euro per cup (nearly US$5), which is why I resorted to McDonald's. Most cafes in Italy, in comparison, typically offer cappuccinos for 1.20 euro per cup, and less if taken at the bar. Since this was the worst thing we discovered, I would say it was a successful trip!
I will write more about our last few days tomorrow. It is time for bed...
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