Paris, je t'aime
I live in the 16th arrondissement in Paris. It is a five stop metro ride or thirty minute walk from the Eiffel Tower. It is a residential area, just outside of the popular landmarks that this city is known for. At first, I was a little disappointed that I am would not be living directly inside of the Parisian action. However, since living here for almost two months now, I have come to appreciate my quaint and quiet neighborhood.
My arrondissement compared to the 7th and 8th arrondissements, where the Eiffel Tower and other world-famous attractions are located, is strikingly different from each other. My neighborhood is filled with the traditional buildings that anyone would imagine Paris to have. No building is more than five stories high, they are constructed out of limestone with gorgeous detail, and each has black iron balconies that lead from tall French doors. You can hear birds chirping daily, you will always see a number of dogs, joggers, bikers, and people enjoying the greenery of the surrounding Bois de Boulogne, a large public park. On the corner by my metro stop there is a bakery that has just about every French pastry you can imagine and the best baguettes I have found in Paris. Each time the bakery's doors open, a blanket of baguette-scented air emerges and covers the surrounding area.
I love my charming neighborhood escape from the hustle and bustle parts of Paris. However, despite the differences, no matter where one travels in Paris, there are some sounds, sights, and scents that cannot be escaped.
Sounds - Paris is overall a quiet city. It is nothing compared to the noisiness of New York City or even Madrid. Wherever one travels in the city, one will always hear an accordion playing the sound of La Vie en Rose or simply improvising. Add whisper-level French speaking and the heels of shoes tapping on the sidewalk. Of course there is always the sound of passing by car engines and the toy-like sound of the police sirens, wee woo wee woo wee woo...
Sights - Paris by night is magical. It is no secret why Paris is known as "The City of Lights" and one of the most romantic cities in the world. Wherever one may find him/herself in wandering in the city at night, he/she will find the city's beauty lit in lights. The Eiffel Tower is glowing, the light house-like beam can be seen across the sky as a marker for planes, and of course it shimmers on the hour. L'Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame have spotlights shinning on them thus lighting up each of they're identifiable features, and the Louvre is also illuminated.
Besides the landmarks, one will see crowded cafés and restaurants. There will be packed tables, with baguettes and wine flowing. There will be chicly dressed people roaming the streets and, depending on the hour, lines emerging outside of clubs.
Scents - The most undeniable scent that takes over the city is cigarettes. The smell of burning tobacco and nicotine is so evident that the air when I travel to other countries seems noticeably fresher. Walking anywhere - past a cafe, down the stairs into the metro, out of a building on campus - you will be greeted with the smell of a cigarette. Although it is definitely not the most pleasant smell, it is extremely characteristic of Paris.
My arrondissement compared to the 7th and 8th arrondissements, where the Eiffel Tower and other world-famous attractions are located, is strikingly different from each other. My neighborhood is filled with the traditional buildings that anyone would imagine Paris to have. No building is more than five stories high, they are constructed out of limestone with gorgeous detail, and each has black iron balconies that lead from tall French doors. You can hear birds chirping daily, you will always see a number of dogs, joggers, bikers, and people enjoying the greenery of the surrounding Bois de Boulogne, a large public park. On the corner by my metro stop there is a bakery that has just about every French pastry you can imagine and the best baguettes I have found in Paris. Each time the bakery's doors open, a blanket of baguette-scented air emerges and covers the surrounding area.
I love my charming neighborhood escape from the hustle and bustle parts of Paris. However, despite the differences, no matter where one travels in Paris, there are some sounds, sights, and scents that cannot be escaped.
Sounds - Paris is overall a quiet city. It is nothing compared to the noisiness of New York City or even Madrid. Wherever one travels in the city, one will always hear an accordion playing the sound of La Vie en Rose or simply improvising. Add whisper-level French speaking and the heels of shoes tapping on the sidewalk. Of course there is always the sound of passing by car engines and the toy-like sound of the police sirens, wee woo wee woo wee woo...
Sights - Paris by night is magical. It is no secret why Paris is known as "The City of Lights" and one of the most romantic cities in the world. Wherever one may find him/herself in wandering in the city at night, he/she will find the city's beauty lit in lights. The Eiffel Tower is glowing, the light house-like beam can be seen across the sky as a marker for planes, and of course it shimmers on the hour. L'Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame have spotlights shinning on them thus lighting up each of they're identifiable features, and the Louvre is also illuminated.
Besides the landmarks, one will see crowded cafés and restaurants. There will be packed tables, with baguettes and wine flowing. There will be chicly dressed people roaming the streets and, depending on the hour, lines emerging outside of clubs.
Scents - The most undeniable scent that takes over the city is cigarettes. The smell of burning tobacco and nicotine is so evident that the air when I travel to other countries seems noticeably fresher. Walking anywhere - past a cafe, down the stairs into the metro, out of a building on campus - you will be greeted with the smell of a cigarette. Although it is definitely not the most pleasant smell, it is extremely characteristic of Paris.
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