Paris; City of Love (English Lit/Lang Creative Writing; travel style)

Authors Avatar

Paris: City of Love

‘The City of Love’, and as I glance curiously around myself, I can see numerous couples.  One couple taking photos to remember their trip.  Another pair, arms around each other, admiring the awe inspiring site in front of them.  And many others, hands locked together as they soak up the atmosphere.  I was in Paris, and before me was one of the most famous Cathedrals in the world. The Cathedral of Notre Dame.  It took nearly two hundred years to build, and was completed in 1345, and to this very day, the faces of the Saints positioned on the front of the Cathedral, still looked down at the crowd of lovers before them. On holiday with my family, it was hardly a romantic getaway, like most people intended it to be and I certainly wasn’t putting up much of a show for the Saints.  

Despite Paris being praised as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, a large deal of it definitely left a lot to be desired.  Though not unclean, you could see that neglect had taken hold over parts of the city.  The many beautiful sights that there were could not always be appreciated fully, as you had to keep a careful eye for the looming pick pockets, ready to pounce on your possessions at any given opportunity.  The Metro in particular was a gauntlet of pick pockets that you had to negotiate your way through each time you used it.  Market people would happily lure you to have a portrait painted amongst the many art galleries, with flattering compliments, only to then empty your purse fully of Euros.  The people of Paris had certainly taken the chance to make a great deal of money out of the twenty million tourists that visited Paris each year.

Join now!

Another thing that can be said for Paris is the definite climate difference.  Although most people liken it very much to the climate of Britain, I found it to be far hotter.  After walking for two and a half hours in the sweltering heat along the River Seine, you really appreciate the many coffee shops and small pubs dotted on most of the streets.  If you’re going to walk most places, then I would highly recommend insuring you take water everywhere with you.  My brother and mum complained constantly throughout the walk, which felt more like a trek, about the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay