When I was an undergraduate studying international studies at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, I dreamed of visiting Paris, especially its iconic monument, the Eiffel Tower. Paris has always been a top destination for travelers going on vacation in Europe. As one of the top five most visited cities in the world, Paris is widely known as the city of romance.
Although I have visited many great cities like Dubai, Milan, Venice, Zurich, New Delhi, London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Antwerp, my visit to Paris was the most memorable. Paris is arguably the most beautiful city in Europe with iconic monuments, museums, boutiques, and art galleries. It is also the home of the famous football club Paris Saint-Germain, with superstars such as Kylian Mbappe, Achraf Hakimi, and Ousmane Dembele.
I still recall my arrival in Paris August 2022 with nostalgia. I took the city bus to my hotel close to Bercy Seine. I stayed at St Christopher’s Inn for three days, a nice place close to the Canal. At Bercy Seine, I took a walk to a sports center and observed a large crowd engaged in various sporting activities. The crowd comprised mostly of black people engaged in football training, basketball, volleyball, boxing, and tennis. I was surprised that most of the people at the sports center were French men of African origin, which made me understand the reason why the French football national team comprised mostly of Africans that were born in France.
Eiffel Tower
The following day, I took the metro and discovered it was filled up with a large crowd heading to various destinations. I arrived at the Eiffel Tower and was shocked at the magnitude of the crowd taking pictures of the iconic tower. I noticed that some vendors were busy selling souvenirs while a local musician entertained tourists with scintillating music. Some group of American tourists requested that I should help them take some pictures. I observed that they were really excited, as I took various snap shots of them in various positions. I also took a picture with them before I left the place.
The Louvre
I proceeded to the Louvre, which is an art gallery and the largest museum in the world. It houses widely known art masterpieces such as Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Raft of the Medusa, among others. The Louvre was once a 12th-century fortress built by King Philip Augustus. The pyramid at the Louvre is a sight to behold, as a large number of people lined up in a queue in order to enter the gallery. I later took a walk down the west side of the Champ Elysees to see another iconic monument, the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe is a monument that has the inscription of names of generals and victories recorded by France in the Napoleonic wars.
Le Parc des Princes
On my last day in Paris, I visited the Parc des Princes, the famous stadium that is the home of the football club Paris Saint-Germain. I took a walk around the iconic stadium painted in blue, white, and red. I was really excited when I saw the large pictures of former football players, especially Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. I also noticed large pictures of Kylian Mbappe on the walls of the stadium. It was indeed a sight to behold. I observed that many tourists were busy taking pictures at the place while some went to the shop to buy jerseys.
Avenue Montaigne
After enjoying the tasty French cuisine at a nearby restaurant, I took a walk at the Avenue Montaigne, a prestigious street in Paris. It is a famous street for lovers of luxury brands and famous designers such as Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Prada, Fendi, Chanel, Dior, Versace, Gucci, Givenchy, and Ralph Lauren, among others. I spent more than two hours on the street looking at the beautiful boutiques of famous designers. I noticed a large number of women moving around trying to buy clothes, shoes, and bags. I left Paris in the evening and returned back to Germany. The trip was really fun, and I hope to return to Paris in the future.
