PARIS—From grand, historic buildings to humble street corners, Paris is a city picturesque to the last detail.
When we first landed, I was shocked. I came out of the subway and got my first glimpse of Paris, and thought, “All of these buildings look like this, all the time?”
Every street was so pretty; everywhere we went was picturesque.
Paris had always been at the top of my list of places to travel, but in recent years it had moved further and further down, as logistical difficulties made it a seemingly unattainable holiday destination. I mentioned this to my husband while we were dating.
When we were engaged, he found a deal and went out of his way to search for all the little things I wanted—including a place with a balcony—planning the trip down to the smallest detail. The trip ended up being our honeymoon.
We were lucky to have perfect weather for all the days we were there. Everything was in full bloom—the greenery was extra lush and the flowers were all open—in all the gardens at Versailles and those scattered across the city of Paris.
On our way to catch our train to Versailles, we took an early morning stroll. The streets were completely empty, the air was crisp, the sun was rising, and it was nice to just get lost.
Versailles itself was unbelievable. Prior to going, I was already told it was the most beautiful thing, but it doesn’t really hit you until you’re actually there and you see the gold, the marble, the paintings on the ceiling. I couldn’t get over the different types of marble they had—three different-colored types of marble in one room, blended together to make a wall.
There’s so much to observe. There are so many little details, and little details that surround those little details—intricate designs on door handles and even on window handles.
All the doors in Paris are beautiful, too, like a preview of what you’re entering into. A door seems like such an everyday thing, but to make even that so elaborate is a testament to how much heart has been put into the design for everything else.
I was swept away by the Parisian life: People carrying baguettes everywhere, all the boulangeries, everyone eating outside in the afternoons. And that first taste of a French baguette and butter—there’s definitely something in the water, something different in the way they make it. The taste is indescribably better, to the point where my husband started going just for the butter when there was no more bread.
You know how if you go to a cafe in the United States, people are always on their phones and laptops? In Paris, no one is on their phone. Even if they’re not eating, they’re smoking and chatting and looking at each other.
It’s the same throughout the city: people are strolling by the Seine River and in all the gardens, hand-in-hand and gazing into each other’s eyes, being fully immersed and engaged in conversation and the presence of who they’re with. It really is the perfect place to honeymoon.
It felt like here, life is being lived, in a really wholesome sense.
