My Birthday in Paris (Guest Post)

The following is a special ‘guest’ post written by my wife Diane. Thank-you Diane!  If you’d like to be a guest contributor, please contact me.

———————————————————————————-

Paris.  I have long dreamed of the day that I would visit this wonderful city.  I always envisioned it to be romantic, chic and alluring in a peaceful kind of way.  For me it was all of that.

Thanks to Patrick’s perfect planning we arrived in Paris on my birthday.  We got up early and took a train into Paris.  The 45 minute journey only helped to build my anticipation.  The weather was not the best (windy, cold and with rain on and off), but how could I complain when I was headed for Paris.

Of course our first day in Paris would not be complete without a tiny bit of excitement.  We began at a quaint café for a small bite to eat and some espresso.  A perfect way to start my day.  We ordered a toasted baguette sandwich (very French) and a café Americano (not so French).  We were ready to go with the coffee and baguette in hand, but had difficulty paying.   Neither our visa nor our bank card would work at this shop, and we did not have enough Euros with us as we hadn’t been to a bank machine yet in France.  The very nice man behind the counter (originally from Afghanistan and who spoke excellent English) told us where there was a bank machine.  Patrick set off and I waited.  And waited.  And waited.

Of course I drank my coffee, but thought I best hold off on the sandwich in case no money arrived.  Patrick was gone for what seemed like hours.  At one point the nice man said, “He’s gone a long time.”  I smiled and agreed, not sure what else to say.  What I was thinking was “do you want your sandwich back?”  After another 10 minutes went by the nice man said he thought I should go look for Patrick.  I really thought I should stay put.  There’s no use both of us being lost, but he was insistent.  So off I went.  I had no idea where I was going but thought I would walk around for a minute to make it look good.  I was relieved to see Patrick as I was heading back to the coffee shop.  It turns out that the two bank machines that he found (both from the same bank) would also not accept our debit card so he ended up having to take a small cash advance on his Visa.  We paid the nice man (he even reheated my sandwich), and we were finally off to see the Eiffel Tower.

Métro train arriving at an underground station in Paris
The Paris Métropolitain

It was a short subway ride from the café.  As we approached our stop I was really getting excited.  We exited the train and headed up the stairs to the street.  I turned around and there it was, larger than life.

Patrick and Diane in front of the Eiffel Tower

As I first lay eyes on this magnificent structure I gasped!  I am not sure what I expected but it was much bigger than I thought.  I wouldn’t call it beautiful though.  It’s an enormous metal structure painted brown.  For me the beauty came from its size, strength and view of the city.  There were huge lines to take the elevator, so we hiked up the stairs to the viewing platform, not letting the howling wind and rain deter us.  When we reached the top the view of Paris was stunning.  I loved it.

View North from the Eiffel Tower
View North from the Eiffel Tower

We spent the rest of the day wandering the famous boulevards of Paris.  We finished off the day with an incredible French dinner, some great wine and a lovely birthday kiss.  It was the best birthday.

A staircase leading to the Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the background

Related Post

7 thoughts on “My Birthday in Paris (Guest Post)

  1. Happy Birthday Diane. Great photos! I particularly love the last one, with the clouds, shadows, and light reflecting off the Seine. I remember thinking: “Why do they call Paris the “City of Love”?” But you can really see and feel it, can’t you? There were couples everywhere; often looking like newlyweds, smooching on a bench. And the city has so many lovely spots to stroll or sit. Each view is glorious. And then there is people-watching, a national pastime it seems. You have to sit in an outdoor cafe with your friend/partner, eat something small, smoke for hours …. and watch the people walk by.
    I enjoyed your birthday post Diane, it brought back great memories of our trip.

    1. Hi Linda — I’m glad that you enjoyed the post and your time in Paris. I agree. Based on the public displays of affection, the French seem to be very passionate people. There are far more couples holding hands, flirting, kissing, and even fondling in public than at home. Of course some of these are probably tourists, but many others appear to be Parisians. Thanks for your comment.

  2. Happy (belated) Birthday Diane! Looks like all your birthday wishes came true.Glad you had a “special” birthday,one you soon will not forget.Your photos were spectacular and we felt your love for Paris.
    Keep safe .
    Hugs, Moe and Arlene

  3. What a memorable birthday 🙂 Wishing you all the best. Thanks for the great pictures and stories. Have a safe trip.

Leave a Reply to Michelle Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.