Friday, May 29, 2010: Paris, FranceAfter walking by the Moulin Rouge, throughout the Louvre, through the surroundings gardens, down the avenue Des Champs Elysees, and around the Arc de Triomphe, Will, Matt, and I decided to continue our walk-a-thon to the tall structure whose tip was peering over the treetops in the distance. This, of course was the Eiffel Tower, the most visited monument in the world and tallest building in Paris, France. Needless to say, our feet were tired and our bodies were definitely upset with us, as we had easily walked ten miles that morning (see map of Paris tourist attractions). Yet, we were overwhelmed with anxious excitement to finally see the tower we’ve learned about for our whole lives.
Since we could see the tip of the Eiffel over the trees and buildings surrounding us, we put away our maps and headed in the direction of the tower. I ignored the blisters forming on my feet and the sweat on my brow and trudged ahead. I kept telling myself, “It’s a beautiful day, and I’m in Paris about to see THE Eiffel Tow
er—what’s there to complain about?” After weaving through crowds, walking up and down stairs, marching through city streets, and running across busy intersections, we finally approached the serene Seine River with our momentous destination just over the other side. We excitedly half-ran across a concrete bridge and were immediately welcomed by a beautiful garden (http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/actualites/page/news_list.html?f=10&Year=2010#News200 ). The bright green trees and colorful flowers marked a path that led us to a cute restaurant hidden among the greenery with a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. Since we had been walking for about five hours nonstop, we decided there was no better way to celebrate our accomplishment in this glorious city by sipping on a glass of rose wine in a gorgeous garden underneath the warm sun while looking at the Eiffel Tower. Will, Matt, and I kept telling each other, “This is the life!” It truly was an unforgettable afternoon.
Later that day (and after a few more miles of walking), the three of us met up with the rest of our group for an evening picnic on the lawn in front of the tower. The brownish-gray structure looked even prettier at sunset as hundreds of other onlookers gathered with their friends for a summer evening of wine, baguettes, and tower-viewing. Our group sat on the damp grass and munched on Nutella and bread as the sun continued to set behind the tower, which was now illuminated by bright lights. We were in awe at how surreal this seemed, as the scene we watched looked like something only seen on TV or in a postcard. At ten o’clock the Eiffel Tower glittered in firefly-like lights as everyone “ooh-ed” and “awe-d.” After several minutes, the light show stopped but restarted at the top of every hour. My friends and I continued to hang out and live up the night for the next couple hours in the lawn, singing and dancing the night away.
er—what’s there to complain about?” After weaving through crowds, walking up and down stairs, marching through city streets, and running across busy intersections, we finally approached the serene Seine River with our momentous destination just over the other side. We excitedly half-ran across a concrete bridge and were immediately welcomed by a beautiful garden (http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/actualites/page/news_list.html?f=10&Year=2010#News200 ). The bright green trees and colorful flowers marked a path that led us to a cute restaurant hidden among the greenery with a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. Since we had been walking for about five hours nonstop, we decided there was no better way to celebrate our accomplishment in this glorious city by sipping on a glass of rose wine in a gorgeous garden underneath the warm sun while looking at the Eiffel Tower. Will, Matt, and I kept telling each other, “This is the life!” It truly was an unforgettable afternoon.Later that day (and after a few more miles of walking), the three of us met up with the rest of our group for an evening picnic on the lawn in front of the tower. The brownish-gray structure looked even prettier at sunset as hundreds of other onlookers gathered with their friends for a summer evening of wine, baguettes, and tower-viewing. Our group sat on the damp grass and munched on Nutella and bread as the sun continued to set behind the tower, which was now illuminated by bright lights. We were in awe at how surreal this seemed, as the scene we watched looked like something only seen on TV or in a postcard. At ten o’clock the Eiffel Tower glittered in firefly-like lights as everyone “ooh-ed” and “awe-d.” After several minutes, the light show stopped but restarted at the top of every hour. My friends and I continued to hang out and live up the night for the next couple hours in the lawn, singing and dancing the night away.
On the subway home, I couldn’t get the image of the glittery tower or the memories I made that day out of my head. I am just one the 200,000,000 people who have visited the tower and been impacted by its beauty since its construction, yet I felt especially awestruck as I thought about everything the Eiffel Tower represents. As we learned in class last week, everything that we see today is a product of history and a reflection of changes in people, places, and territories. The Eiffel Tower can be viewed as not only a symbol of the city of Paris, but as a representation of the geographical history of Europe.
The Eiffel Tower (tourism, history: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/ ; history, facts: http://corrosion-doctors.org/Landmarks/eiffel-history.htm) is an iron lattice tower constructed on the Champ de Mars for the 1889 World’s Fair. At the time of construction, Paris was a thriving city in terms of arts and culture as well as the economy. The Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance arch for the fair and to commemorate the centennial celebration of the French Revolution—a period of radical social and political changes in France. The tower was only supposed to be a temporary structure dismantled in 1909. However, the Eiffel tower soon held a cultural significance, in addition to being valuable for communication purposes. Therefore, the City of Paris decided to keep the structure intact.
As a symbol of France, the Eiffel Tower represents the historical development of the French people into a nation-state. Since it was built in part to remember the French Revolution, the structure is a symbol of the accomplishment of political freedoms and the development of modern ideologies. The current territory of France is a result of revolutions and wars such as these. In addition to developing into a territorial state with a republic government, France and its people have acquired a national identity, which is also signified by the Eiffel Tower. The French share common history, language, and customs that are the result of historical events such as the French Revolution or the World’s Fair.When I think of France, I will think of walking, baguettes, and wine, among others. Most of all, I will remember the Eiffel Tower and its impact on my Parisian experience as well as the significance it holds for the French people.
I really enjoyed this post. Your description of traveling to the Eiffel Tower and the Eiffel Tower itself, was very vibrant. I felt like I was walking through the busy streets of Paris. Your links and pictures helped build the story and the geographical references were apparent. Maybe try to weave more of the history into the beginning of the post.
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