I am quite fond of quoting insightful writers and novelists, such as Gertrude Stein, who once said, "That Paris exists and anyone could choose to live anywhere else in the world will always be a mystery to me."

Paris is magnificent, but it is also crowded and cutthroat. The City of Light is the capital of art, fashion, food, literature, and more. It is said to be one of the world's most romantic cities, and I certainly found this to be true. 

The Louvre, Europe's oldest and greatest museum

We started our visit at the Château de Versailles, which has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List for 30 years. This massive palace was the residence of French monarchs until the 1789 French Revolution. My favorite room came towards the end of the tour in the Hall of Mirrors. In the marvelous 250-foot-long Hall of Mirrors, 17 arched mirrors match the 17 floor-to-ceiling windows providing views to the royal garden. The tour also informed us this was the room in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending World War I.

Later that evening we visited the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart), a massive Roman Catholic Church and wildly popular landmark in Paris, which is located at the top of the hill Montmartre. This hilltop is the highest point in the city, and offers incredible panoramic views of Paris. 

Next was the Notre Dame Cathedral Paris or Notre Dame de Paris (“Our Lady of Paris” in French), a Gothic cathedral located in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is Paris' most beloved church, with two lofty towers and gargoyles galore. As a Catholic, I could not wait to visit this splendid Cathedral. It was glorious and grand and vaguely reminded me of the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague (though Notre Dame happened to be much busier).

Westminster Abbey, the Eiffel Tower, the Sistine Chapel — these are some of the many reasons tourists come to Europe. The Eiffel Tower, one of the most iconic Parisian landmarks, did not disappoint. In fact, it was even more spectacular in person. I learned it was built in 1889 and is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel who submitted the idea and design to the French government. Originally, it was built to serve as the entrance to the World’s Fair and was at the time the world's largest tower. The tower was going to be demolished in 1909, but was saved because it was repurposed as a huge radio antenna.

We ended our trip to Paris viewing a soft sunset from the Esplanade du Trocadér. This is one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower. We sat with a calm breeze at our backs as we watched it twinkle in the twilight. One of the many things I've discovered while abroad is the fulfillment that comes with simply being present. For that moment, my mind, heart, and body were completely content. No thoughts or words distracting me, nothing clouding my judgment, I sat in serenity and watched as the tower sparkled in the distance, captivated by a giant iron structure encircled by an endless array of city lights. 

Note: this view is from the Champ de Mars not Trocadér