A New Day

Eiffel Tower after Sunset 2
Originally uploaded by uncsuperman.

A night's rest brought not only rejuvenation for my body - but also a deep thirst for my soul. Although I probably could have slept through the afternoon, my body rose early, overwhelmed with the things that I knew the day would bring me. As I sat in the kitchen eating my breakfast (free it was, but good it was not - little did I know bread and jam would soon become my friends), 3 people conversed in front of me, intertwining a little English in with mostly French words. I savored the excitement of what was new.

Securing a place to sleep that night brought a sense of relaxation. After moving my 2 packs to the new room - I set out to explore this great city. I wanted to uncover every part of Paris. I wanted more than to simply navigate my way around this place and her attractions. I wanted to know her. Halfway through the day, I had visited Notre Dame and The Louvre and Tuileries. It is difficult to describe either the architectural triumph of Notre Dame, or the sheer immenseness of The Louvre. You can take pictures all day, but nothing will encapsulate any of these places better than actually studying them and searing them into your memory. And some people really did take pictures all day. It got to the point of being annoying. Are these people here for any reason other than to be able to tell everyone they saw Paris or Rome or Barcelona? Why totally miss the experience of the trip, only to relive it through pictures that you can't even remember taking?

Me - I'd rather soak in every second of this journey. Don't just see Notre Dame. Allow yourself to be in awe of it, to stand in wonder of its brilliance.

By mid-afternoon my feet and legs were hurting. More importantly, the Achilles of my left foot was throbbing and my pride was shattered after paying 3 euros for a Coke. I mean come on - a bottle of Coke is 99 cents in the good ol' US of A! But I was in America no longer, and I had to play by their rules. I explored this city for 9 solid hours. And I ended up in the most obvious of places - the lawns of the Eiffel Tower. It is not the tallest structure in the world. It certainly is not the prettiest. But something stirs inside of you upon seeing this thing.

And when the sun starts to bid the city adieu - My God. It's as if the sun knows exactly where to go, what angle to set at, in order to kiss the structure in the most beautiful way.

I hated to see that sun go down, but at the same time I was filled with an immense joy. For I knew those moments were going to be some of those that you never forget. Memories that would never fade for me no matter how many years go by.

A friend of mine was waiting for me in Barcelona. So I was set to take a train in the following day to meet him. Sad to say goodbye to the city that I was just getting to know and fall in love with - a sense of calm came over me. Paris was my arrival city. Likewise, it would be my departure city. In 7 weeks, I would ascend back upon this wonderful place like 2 old friends who have missed each other for decades.

Already I was experiencing moments of introspect. I did not feel like I was 6 time zones away from home. But I found myself on multiple occasions filled with one thought - that this is life as it was meant to be.

I was coming alive.