The Peacefulness of Paris

Today I went for a peaceful walk all by myself. For my birthday, my mother bought me a little box filled with 50 walks in Paris. I decided today would be a perfect day to do the first. The weather was perfect...slighty overcast and a comfortable temperature which helped me decide to wear a short-sleeve top and twirly skirt (Heidi and Greta know what I'm talking about when I refer to my twirling skirt). My walk took me through the original heart of the city, the island known as Ile de la Cite, where wonderful things like Notre Dame (photo above), Sainte Chapelle, Palais de Justice, and the Conciergerie are located. While a portion of my walk did put me in areas filled with tourists, some of it took me through peaceful little streets that look as if they have been untouched for centuries. These charming little streets I am referring to seem barely wide enough for a single car and are paved in cobblestone. On these streets, I was oftentimes the only person, being that they were off the beaten tourist path. I felt so at peace to be strolling down these paths, and then along the river Seine. The "walk" from my notecard ended on Pont Neuf, Paris's oldest bridge. I always giggle when I see this bridge. I find the faces on it so amusing. 

I decided to climb down the stairs to sit along the river. For nearly an hour, I dangled my feet on the slant next to the river and read my book. In a city so full of people, I felt so at peace, as if I was in my own little world. This peacefulness surrounded by beauty and history is just another reason why I love it over here.