This has been a dream destination of mine since I was a child; I have desired the perfume, the lace and the chocolates for years. I have fallen in love with all things Paris in both the books and the movies; Taken, The Devil Wears Prada and the Tourist are my favorite Paris themed movies. Paris Letters by Janice MacLeod is one of my favorite books; a lovely story. Paris is often referred to as the city of love and for good reason; it just grabs hold of you. The moment I stepped off the plane I felt myself smile and I kept smiling too. No one could see my face because of the indoor mask mandate so I walked to baggage just as happy as could be. When I went outside and pulled down my mask and breathed in that Paris air, it felt so good. I know you are probably thinking that after wearing it during the entire flight that it should feel good. But this breath was different I tell you. To a dreamer like me, it was everything. I took a taxi to my hotel and once inside I was mesmerized by the beauty and splendor. I checked into my room in French. Yes, I know very basic conversational French. After all, I took it in high school. I still have no idea why no matter what foreign language class you may have taken, its the curse words that you recall first. My room was not ready because I did not call ahead to say that I was going to be arriving early. However, God’s favor upgraded my room free of charge and I was given a key in a matter of minutes. I felt my smile once again. So grateful for that because I did not fly first class and getting into my room right away allowed me the opportunity to stretch out before I ventured out. My room was beautiful and there were a million pillows on my bed just the way I like. The toilet was in one room and the sink and shower were in another room, interesting.

After a thirty minute nap, I freshened up and headed out. I already had my fanny-pack packed. Lol. A copy of my vaccination card, a colored copy of my passport, lip balm, euros and my readers. The Louvre Museum was a 15 minute walk from my hotel. I was warned not to be distracted or it could take a bit longer. I was located smack dead and center in the heart of everything downtown, which made navigating through the cobblestone streets of Paris so much more easier. Thank you to my beautiful coworker that encouraged me to download the ”walking map”, it was spot on. Lots of people exploring and taking pictures and long lines everywhere. My first stop was the Louvre Museum, it was important that I see for myself what all of the fuss over Mona Lisa was about. Due to large crowds hovering over the painting and even larger camera lenses, I was as close as could be. The painting although beautiful was a lot smaller than I imagined and her brows were faded. The guide explained that over the years of cleaning, her brows simply disappeared. Even with this flaw, the Mona Lisa is one of the most expensive paintings in the world; worth $860 million in US dollars. Other gems in this museum included a walk through the most beautiful art gallery with priceless paintings from floor to ceiling, alabaster and marbled sculptures almost angelic like and a beautiful display of the French Crown Jewels.

My vaccine card was checked more than my passport, fake cards were easily detectable and those groups were denied entry. I enjoy a good cup of Starbucks every now and then with a three pack of their mandolins. After walking into my first little corner bakery where the counter was covered with every flavor mandolin imaginable made me feel like a kid in candy store. I may have even drooled a little, good thing I was wearing a mask. I indulged in three as I continued exploring the streets of Paris; sea salt, raspberry and pistachio. OMG. Later I found a nice cafe for dinner before heading back to my hotel. Sitting outside and people watching was certainly the thing to do. So many beautiful people making fashion statements, the shoes, the jackets, the bags, oh my. Now about the make up, if there was a smokey or cat-eye the lipstick was neutral. If the lips were red or another bold shade, the eyes were neutral. Less was definitely more; not a lot of exposed cleavage or curve enhancing bottoms.

I was sure to fill each day with an unbelievable memory that will be etched into my heart forever. The highlight of my trip was the Eiffel Tower. I have always marveled at how beautiful of an architectural structure it is. After standing in one line for thirty-five minutes to get my vaccine card checked. I was then directed to another line that took almost two hours for an elevator ticket to ride to the top of the tower. Worth it! The view was absolutely breathtaking. Worked up an appetite so I opted for Paris street food and purchased a strawberry nutella crepe, which I enjoyed while listening to the most beautiful classical violin solo. She could could have gotten all of my euros.

I wrapped up my stay in Paris with a full day of pampering at my hotel spa; hammam steam with eucalyptus, private jacuzzi, collagen facial and full body aromatherapy massage. Very relaxing. So glad I chose Paris and so blessed to have the experience.

VIDEO INFO: Patience please. After you see Mona Lisa the second time, the food begins. I will get better at the videos.