williamwataru

09:46

I didn’t sleep well last night.

We went to bed around 10:30pm and woke up around 2:30am. Sara went right back to sleep, but I mistakenly thought it was much closer to morning, so I checked the time and the light blasted me in the face. I didn’t sleep for at least three hours after that moment.

Of course, it feels much easier to wake up when you have something to look forward to during the day. I am really excited to see where today would take us, our first full day in Paris!

23:17

Today we walked 25k steps. I am exhausted.

We started out the morning by walking to a bakery nearby known for occupying the building since 1875, quite young by Paris standards. The oldest restaurant in Portland was established in 1879, while the oldest patisserie in Paris was opened in 1730.

It’s like comparing apples to oranges, but I still find it interesting to think about how old France is in comparison to America. More importantly, the croissants and espresso were both the best I’ve had in my life (I’m going to be saying that a lot during this trip).

Afterward, we walked to a Paris museum and viewed exhibits about the French Revolution. I learned a lot, but admittedly, history isn’t my strong suit. There was a park nearby known for being the oldest planned square in Paris, built in 1612. Crazy. We took a rest there and people watched until it was time for our lunch reservation.

Septime is a Michelin-starred restaurant that became well known for combining fine-dining technique with a more relaxed environment. I was interested in the restaurant because it was one of the more affordable Michelin options and offered both a lunch tasting menu and a wine pairing. Sara and I have been getting more into wine over the last two years and were really looking forward to trying wine in France. Let me tell you… I have been drinking the best wine of my life so far (I said it again, I know).

The tasting menu included two “openers” and five courses with five wine pairings. I must say I was skeptical, but we both really enjoyed the meal. The flavors of each dish were so different and it really felt like we were on a culinary journey together. The meal lasted two hours, and we were the last ones in the restaurant by the time we left. Our sommelier was very knowledgeable, and we both learned a lot about wines we had never heard of before. I am still not sure if I am a “fine dining” guy in general, but I was full and happy after the meal and really glad we decided to have the experience.

With our bellies full, the time had come to go to the Louvre. We arrived around 4:30pm and the place was absolutely packed, as expected. I thought the Eiffel Tower was crowded, but this was on another level. The sheer scale of the museum is hard for me to wrap my head around. I don’t think we even saw a quarter of what the museum had to offer.

We prioritized the Mona Lisa but essentially stuck our heads in the room, took a few photos, and left because that place was insanely packed. We wandered around going room to room, looking at art from Greek and Roman antiquity, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and remnants of the original Louvre castle. I enjoyed it a lot, but there was just too much to look at, and by that time we had taken around 15k steps and my legs were getting tired. After about an hour and a half, we called it quits and moved onto the next thing.

The next thing turned out to be more walking! From the Louvre to the Champs-Élysées, about 1.5 miles (2.3km). My legs were screaming at me by the end, but the walk was beautiful.

The park we walked through on the way, the Tuileries Garden, was full of people just hanging out. So far, I’ve been really impressed by the amount of space for people to just be with their friends and families without having to really “do” anything. We stopped at the Bassin Octogonal, a pond where many people were just sitting and relaxing, enjoying the evening warmth.

Sara and I stopped to rest our legs for a moment, and I couldn’t help but think about many of the places I’ve been to in America and the lack of third spaces for people to exist in. It’s hard to imagine walking this far in many American cities and repeatedly coming across places where people can simply sit, talk, and spend time without being expected to buy anything.

We eventually got to the Champs-Élysées, a street famous for its many shops, cafes, and restaurants. It was a beautiful sight, and I can tell it would be a fun place to go with friends. At this point though, we were running on fumes. We browsed around for a bit and then took the train back to our hotel area looking for a place to have a drink.

We were fortunate to stay in a place that seemed to have many spots for young people to hang out and drink. We ducked into one and found a great seat out front, perfect for people watching. Yesterday I was able to observe some of these places by walking by, but today I was in it.

These outdoor areas are called terrasses, and after thinking about it this evening, I think they are part of what has made Paris feel so different to me so far. 

Obviously we have outdoor seating at bars and restaurants in America, but this feels like a different genre altogether. The restaurants almost seem to spill out onto the sidewalk. Sometimes you can walk down an entire block and it feels like one continuous social space. I saw one table between two groups that would require us to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with the people next to us, and would almost certainly require us to interact in some way. I can understand that this may be overwhelming for some people, but I kept thinking about how this would be a great way to connect with people naturally. 

We ordered a beer off the happy hour menu and just let ourselves relax after a long day. The feeling of that first sip of beer was amazing. Our legs felt like they were melting into the ground. We were surrounded by French twenty-somethings having fun with their friends, and the energy was contagious. I found myself romanticizing the situation and thinking about how cool it must be to live in a city like this with close friends.

After a couple beers, we went back to the hotel. I can’t help but think that if I was a few years younger, I might still be out and about, drinking until I was drunk and meeting people. I suppose something in us has changed. We are okay just spending time with each other at the hotel and reflecting on the day. Is this what it’s like getting old? Just kidding, we are just saving our energy for later!!