Fucking hated Paris.

The worst part is that Paris knows its Paris.

Paris Night
Twilight descends on Paris as electric lights begin their assault on the night.

 

On the other side of that self-realization are the bounty of things that spill out of that arrogance. Paris is beautiful. Paris is romantic. Paris is sensual. Paris is everything that comes from these notions of a sublime space that are continuously maintained and reinforced that perpetuate more of the same. Ideas manifesting into actualization, feedback loops continuing the same narrative. In other words: Paris is Paris, because Paris.

It was exhausting.

 

Paris Cafe
Cafe culture is alive and very well in the French capital.

 

Paris Pantheon
Street life in Paris is often vibrant and crowded.

 

I held preconceptions of what it might be like: the Eiffel Tower dominating the city, cafe culture on every street, baguettes, fashionable people and ostentatious architecture. Fascinating how stereotypes are developed and maintained, because I found them obnoxiously accurate.

But beautiful.

Eiffel Tour Paris
Light from a clear sunrise illuminates the wrought iron detailing of the 1889 construction on the Eiffel Tour.

 

baguettes Paris
A Parisian leaves a bakery with his baguettes tucked into a special backpack pouch.

 

Boats cross below, pedestrians over, and trains above the Seine River- a river intimately intertwined with the city.

 

Paris smoke break
A smoking phone break for a local Parisian.

 

Effiel Tower Paris Dancing
As day turns into night, couples dance in front of the Eiffel Tower.

 

Notre Dame Paris
Avoiding hordes of tourists, a man sneaks into a side entrance to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.

 

Sainte-Chapelle Paris
Stained glass glows in the Gothic inspired Sainte-Chapelle.

 

Moulin Rouge Paris Night
Red neon lights appropriately decorate the area around Moulin Rouge- I was heckled by a prostitute shortly after.