Stop #3 - Paris, France

After our two week soiree in England, we took the train under the English Channel (also known as the Chunnel) and arrived in Paris.  We were only scheduled to spend two days in France, but that did not stop us from checking every item off of our list.  We first visited the Louvre, which was an incredible feat of architecture and housed many famous pieces of artwork, something that has always been important in the history of France.  Often on the walk people would try to sell us little trinkets that they had made themselves regardless of whether they had a permit to do so.  It was interesting to see how nicely people treated those who built things themselves.  Almost every time I walked by there was somebody buying something, regardless of how overpriced it was, just to support the worker.  These workers were always friendly and never pushy with what they were selling, and it was prevalent that there was passion behind the artwork.  This was the first country with a language barrier that I have ever encountered, however most of the people spoke English which proved to make the trip much easier for us.  We eventually ended up at the Eiffel Tower, where hoards of people sat waiting for the tower to light up.  We saw multiple proposals, and many congratulations, regardless of whether or not they knew the couple.  The next day we visited the Notre Dame, another building with much historical importance.  I was most impressed with the architecture, and how it had been built so long ago yet still retained beauty.  Our idea of beauty in the United States is often the most modern form, which differs immensely from the European countries.  I had also entered France with preconceived notions that Parisians were not the most welcoming people to outsiders, however I found the "not so welcoming Parisians" relatively friendly compared to parts of the United States that I have visited.  I also tried escargot for the first time and would recommend it to any adventurous eaters.