paris.

i took french in school. i was pretty good, too. but i got my two years credit and stopped. i now remember about three things from said class and it didn't get me anywhere walking about paris. when i was fifteen and i had no clue i would be so lucky to be living in the uk, to be within driving distance of paris. paris! 

being in paris was the most surreal feeling in my life. especially seeing the eiffel tower. 

i mean, you read about it, you've seen photos since you were little- you knew it was there, but until you actually stand underneath it do you really grasp the magnitude of it.

we got to the city just in time for a valentines dinner and a walk around the tower. it was perfect.

i made a 'paris bucket list' so we could hit as much as possible. we got a map, and planned out our days. the moulin rouge was our first stop. 

 the arc de triomphe

window shopping on champs-elysees

 and then there was the louvre. i didn't take many photos inside, i just got to soak it in- but we got to see our girl, mona. and a whole lot of nipples.

 if you look closely, you can see the arc. it's quite the walk.

 i have dreamt about seeing the love lock bridge and putting my own on it for years. i got to watch my love lock it on the fence and the two of us threw our keys into the river.

 the bells were ringing for sunday mass at notre dame, but no sign of quasimodo anywhere.

can anyone explain to me the fascination people have about holding/touching/lifting buildings for pictures? save it for pisa, please.

 the palace of versailles was incredible. i love the queen, but her castles can't hold a candle to marie antoinette's. 

we ended our stay the same place we started. eating a nutella crepe, watching the sun go down and the lights on the tower came on. it was perfect.

 we loved every minute of our holiday. [minus the hour mr erickson got stuck in our hotel elevator]. but even he can't wait to go back.