The second day in Paris was a huge improvement from the first day. It has also been my favorite day of the trip so far! I spent the morning and afternoon at the Eiffel tower, drove bird scooters back to the hotel, and finished the night with a group dinner at La Petite Chaise. It has been a dream to visit the Eiffel tower, and it definitely did not disappoint. A group of us went to a local grocery store by the tower, picked up some bread, cheese, and wine for lunch, and made our way over. Being able to sit in front of THE Eiffel Tower on the lawn, drinking wine and eating bread and cheese was an experience I will never forget. It was probably one of the best moments of my life. I was surprised to see that it wasn’t as touristy as I thought it would be and the crowds weren’t terrible. Unlike other tourist attractions we’ve visited, this one was very relaxed. Additionally, it seemed like there wasn’t as much security at the Eiffel Tower as there has been at other attractions. People were able to sit on the lawn at no charge and relax in a beautiful environment!
After capturing some shots by the tower, a few of us decided to try out the bird scooters that we had seen so often around the city. They were SO fun. We rode them all the way back to the hotel which was about an hour ride. Not only was this such a great way to sightsee, but it was also something I could never do in the United States. We we able to drive around the streets of Paris for just 10 Euros and sightsee on our own. It was interesting to note that people found scooters to be just a normal way of transportation around the city. In Boston, I rarely see residents or tourists traveling via scooter so I wonder if this trend will ever make it into the states.
The last part of this amazing day was spent eating a delicious dinner at Las Petite Chaise! This has been my favorite group dinner so far on the trip as we spent a lot of time laughing, reminiscing, and eating amazing dishes. The whole setting felt very relaxed and the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. I was a bit nervous heading into this dinner because I wasn’t sure what my vegetarian option would be, but the servers made my nerves go away when they spoke to the chef immediately upon our arrival. I loved having this dinner because it truly felt like we were being immersed into the French culture with a very long 3-course meal!
