Have Bag, Will Travel: Paris

I've been to Paris a couple times now. The first was on a family trip when I was 14. I had just read Phantom of the Opera and was in awe that is the majesty that is Paris: the rolling Seine, the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower, the winding side streets and all the warm pastries. It was my first time in Europe, and I was dazzled.

Then as time passed and I traveled to other countries on other continents, I started to question the fantasy I had created in my mind about the city. How could the dirty streets of an urban, overpriced town compare to the warm beaches of Rio de Janiero or the impressive Great Wall of China.

Lot's of people say Paris is overrated, and I guess after years of people overselling the city it could be perceived as that. I certainly thought so when I studied abroad in Belgium. As people began talking about where they wanted to travel to, Paris was laid out there on the table, and I scoffed at the thought. Why would I go there? It's overrated and overdone. Yet, I actually went back to Paris twice during my five months in Europe.

Paris is meant to be enjoyed with a significant other or alone. There's a romantic air about the city that is perfect for lovers, but I also think that Paris can be enjoyed alone. While it's known as the city of love, I believe Paris is for broken hearts and for people who want to get lost in themselves. Now I enjoy reveling in solitude, which is what I did on my brief time back in Paris.

I was sent to the city on a work trip, needing to drop equipment off at their bureau. I had at the most two hours in the city. So I just walked to the Louvre, down side streets, along the Seine, to Norte Dame, into bookshops and little stores. I munched on macaroons and a cheese baguette. I spent two hours falling back in love with Paris.

That's the beauty of the city. When you leave, you know it's there and forget about how stunning it is. But once you come back and you just feel Paris, you remember why it's overrated because there's something distinctly Paris about the city. No other city makes me feel infinite or humbles me. As the saying goes, "Paris is always a good idea," and similarly to the self-healing and discovery Sabrina underwent in the city, Paris is the city to lose yourself and then find yourself all on your own.