My heart was beating faster because I knew I was getting close. Just a few more steps and I would be there. Then I rounded the corner and suddenly stopped.
The sight of it made me catch my breath. Is this real? Or is this just another one of my many dreams. No, it’s real. I am standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. I have made it.
Finally.
I had been waiting for this moment for twenty years. Paris was my ultimate travel fairytale and, of course, I was always the princess. For two decades I had longed for Paris like Cinderella did Prince Charming. Now here I was, standing in front of one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, in one the most romantic cities in the world.
I was definitely having a ‘pinch me’ moment.
The instant we landed in Paris I was an emotional mess. I wasn’t upset or sad, I was overcome with joy and a feeling of accomplishment that I’d never felt before. I had kept the dream alive for 20 years and now I had bought it to life.
It was a very poignant moment.
For some reason, which I cannot understand, Paris always held a special place in my heart.
It almost felt like I was returning to an old love, to someone who stole my heart a lifetime ago, and there was no use trying to reclaim it as she would always have a piece of me now.
Standing in front of this monumental icon was a moment I will forever treasure.
I hadn’t just come to see the Eiffel Tower though. My dreams of Paris always featured a cast such as the Louvre, Notre Dame and, of course, Champs Elysees. I fantasized about walking down this famous promenade and window shopping in stores such as Chanel and Gucci.
I was soon to find however, that Paris was so much more than the icons she is so well known for.
I walked for hours through the city, through quaint neighborhoods, each one a little different from the last. But it was all so ‘Parisian’.
As I walked through the streets I realized just how beautiful this city is. I call it “eye candy” – A treat for the eyes. Everywhere I looked was an exquisite piece of architecture or another gorgeous cobblestone lane. Wrought iron balconies overhead adorned with blooms of all colors.
We were staying in the affluent area of Neuilly, at Mövenpick Hotel Paris. The views of the Eiffel Tower most likely added to the allure of this location, or perhaps it was the beauty of the tree-lined street outside. Whatever the reason, I felt I was exactly where I belonged right at that moment.
No, Paris did was not a disappointment, she was everything I’d hope she’d be and more.
Nicole Connolly and her husband write for Suitcase Stories. See more at www.suitcasestories.com
