Siri, Play Paris on Repeat

Gretchen Holcomb
Aug 9, 2017 · 5 min read

I remember the first time I went to Paris. I spent the summer in Normandy to study abroad and our program arranged a trip for our group to stay 5 days in the City of Lights. We saw every museum and monument there is to see, as well as a play at La Comédie Française. We were enamored with the charisma and beauty of the city. You couldn’t contain our joy and excitement as we explored every corner till our feet ached. We were determined to do as much as we could, because who knew if we’d ever come back. During the trip, I’d look at our trip leader and wonder what the experience was like for her. I can’t recall how many times she’d been to Paris, but it was a lot. I asked her if she ever got tired of coming so many times throughout the year. I’ll never forget her smiling at me as she answered, “I’m never tired of it, because it’s a different experience each time with different people.” I didn’t believe her at the time, but not because I thought she was lying. I found it incredulous that you could go back to a place to see and do similar things you did the first time, yet still feel like it was a completely unique experience. No, I didn’t believe it until I experienced it myself.

These people made my study abroad in France so memorable! We got so close that it was truly hard to say good-bye. Photo-credit: Shannon Falo :)

Last month, I went to Paris for the fourth time. As I already mentioned, my first time was when I studied abroad. The third time was when I went with a girlfriend last year when we had a weekend to spare before school started. We saw the best of Paris on the tightest budget possible. (I should write about how we made that happen…)

Maegan and I met through our Teach in Spain Program last year. She really had no choice in being my friend as I claimed her quickly. She didn’t mind… I think.

The second time I went was that summer of 2011 at the end of my study program when my parents and Charlie came, so we could travel together throughout France. If I’m honest, I wasn’t thrilled about going back to Paris only to show my family and boyfriend around; There was so much more in the rest of France I wanted to see. In the end, the second time was well worth it and quite memorable as I recall lots of sparkling: The Eiffel Tower, a ring, and the eyes of mon amour down on one knee asking me a rather specific question. (Aw, that’s a good story! I should write about it…)

Charlie and I found the restaurant that we went to with my parents six years ago right before we got engaged!
The Eiffel Tower on Bastille Day right before the best display of fireworks I’d ever seen!

Six years later Charlie and I strategically planned to spend the anniversary of our engagement in Paris for ten days. Why ten days, you ask? We wanted to celebrate Bastille Day on July 14 (France’s version of Independence Day) as well as see the end of Tour de France, on July 23, when the bikers finish the race with eight laps on the Champs-Élysées. Put some travel days in there and that comes to ten days of exploring. Naturally, we got a Paris Museum Pass so we could see and do everything possible. With every museum or monument we went to, Charlie would ask if I’d been there before. I usually answered yes with some memory or story about the location. He started to feel bad that I was seeing and doing the same things again, but I assured him that I was enjoying it just as much as my first time there. That’s when I remembered what my trip leader had said years ago and I finally understood what she meant.

We bought our chairs and found our spot on les Champs to wait for the riders in le Tour de France.

Seeing the same streets and sites doesn’t feel boring; It’s more like getting to know the city better and remembering more details about it each time. And yet, each time I’ve been to Paris, I’ve made more memories with different people. We eat at different cafés, we have different conversations, and I have experienced something new each time. I realized that I really enjoy knowing the city well enough to plan our days with what to do and watch my travel companions experience it for the first time themselves.

Classic photo in front of Musée du Louvre

Now I’ve been to several places at least a couple times, including Berlin and Barcelona, and I’ve had the same sentiments of new discoveries, new adventures, and new memories during my revisits. I guess what I am trying to say to my fellow travelers is this: Try not to feel the pressure to see too much of a city in one round, nor to feel like life is too short to revisit a place when there are more places unexplored. Slow down to enjoy where you are and make unique memories with the people around you.

Did I mention we saw Coldplay in Paris? A-MAZ-ING!

PS: If you are a train ride away from a Disneyland, or Coldplay in concert, you should definitely make a point to go. No matter what city you are in, GO! It’s really cool to see people from around the world come to one place to enjoy dreams come true at Disney AND feel the magic of music by Coldplay. (I may be bias, but they were incredible experiences! I should write about them… Man, I have a lot of writing to do…)

Gretchen Holcomb

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Language and Culture Learner by Method of Traveling the World

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