For the last day of our Paris getaway, we decided not to let the bad weather stop us from seeing the Eiffel Tower. Luckily, the rain did not hit before we got there, so we were able to enjoy an hour or so checking out this magnificent tourist favorite. When we went to Paris a few years ago we climbed to the top, so we decided not to climb it again this time. After snapping a few pictures, we headed to a local cafe for lunch. Our friend that recommend Angelina to us also recommend to check out Amorino, where we could get beautiful, flower-shaped gelato. We just couldn’t pass that up! Our gelato was not only gorgeous, but it tasted so great as well! Allie tried a combination of coffee, chocolate, and raspberry. Shortly after eating our gelato, the intense rain hit (which probably explains our lack of photos after the gelato trip). We took a cab to the Catacombs, something we both had been dying to see. Allie read that the lines are always very, very long, so we had our fingers crossed that they wouldn’t be as long with the rain. However, when we arrived, we noticed hundreds and hundreds of people in line- all with umbrella in hand. We spent a second or two contemplating if we wanted to wait in line, but we decided we wouldn’t have enough time because we needed to head to the train station in just a few hours. Next time I go to Paris, I will definitely wait in line to see the Catacombs. Though it sounds a little creepy- ‘The World’s Largest Grave’- it definitely seems really cool and interesting. Allie and I decided to hit the Musee d’Orsay instead! We have actually never been to this specific museum before, so we decided it would be the perfect activity on this rainy day. After waiting in line for 30-40 minutes in the rain, it was finally time to enter this incredible museum. The Musee d’Orsay is actually housed in a former railroad station, which is something so unique. I really enjoyed this museum because I love Impressionist paintings (almost as much as I love Surrealism). Last year in college, I studied Degas a lot and did several master copies of his work. I really enjoyed all of the Degas pieces that the Musee d’Orsay had to offer! We also got to see tons of beautiful Van Gough pieces including the famous ‘Starry Night Over the Rhone’, ‘Self Portrait’, and ‘The Bedroom’. With an hour left before our train, we stopped by a chaotic Starbucks to hide from the rain. People were sitting on the floor in the Starbucks- willing to do anything to get out of the storm and have some warm coffee. We made a friend in the Starbucks, and we shared stories of our favorite things that Paris and London had to offer. Allie and I ran back to our hotel through the pouring rain to collect our bags and catch a cab to the train station (the tubes near us were shut down due to the Tour de France). I was really wishing I hadn’t worn a maxi dress because it was completely doused. I was so ready to get back to my dorm so I could shower and put on some warm pajamas. We sat near my two LSE friends on the train ride back, and I took a great nap. After we got back to my dorm, Allie ran to Chipotle in the rain and brought us back some tacos to eat in bed. Does it get any better than that? I can’t imagine a more perfect weekend in Paris!
