Submitted by Christine Eliassen on the 2016 winter session program in London, England sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice…
This past weekend, I was lucky enough to experience yet another incredible city for the first time – Paris! A few of us from the program booked the weekend together, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. As soon as we landed in Paris, we hit the ground running and did everything physically possible in three days. The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe was breathtaking. We got to the top as soon as the sun was setting- easily one of the best views I have ever seen in my life. The Eiffel Tower was next, another astonishing site, especially lit up at night. I could not believe how massive it was.
I have heard how astonishing the Palace of Versailles is, but it’s truly something you have to experience with your own eyes. The descriptions and even pictures of it don’t nearly do it justice. We spent many hours there, and I honestly could have stayed much longer. The rooms, the decorations, the gardens go on for what seems like forever.
I also enjoyed the views when walking down the Seine. Building after building- each was very different, but just as beautiful as the previous. It is also very easy to access Notre Dame and the Louvre walking along the Seine. I was blown away by the ornate detail on the inside and outside of the cathedral of Notre Dame. We spent hours in the Louvre, seeing a different piece of art each minute. All of the sites I was able to see and take in this past weekend were one of a kind and really cannot be replicated. I was stunned by Paris’ beauty for 72 hours straight.