Back from Paris

Paris was great, better than I had expected. It is just beautiful and friendly city, even the weather came up trumps as it was drizzling only the last hours of the last day.

I wondered what the new EU airport security steps were going to be like. Nothing out of the ordinary except for liquids that are not allowed, moreover I had to take my shoes off in Paris. But the security staff didn´t seemed uptight, they were even friendly, especially in Prague. What struck me more, however, were the soldiers with guns at Paris airport and many other public places. I got the impression there were taking their job really seriously, walking slowly and watching carefully every corner just like hawks. Unlike the soldiers at Prague aiport who seem to pay attention to themseves above all.

As for the trip, all went as planned, Montmartre and Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame and Quartie Latin and St Germain, Eiffel tower, Louvre, Arc de Triophe, Champ Elesees and many many other places including Versailles or some new districts at the edge of the city. Mostly I was really impressed and you should know I am pretty picky living in the old city of a hundred spires. I guess the biggest difference is the wide of Paris. In Prague you have all those medieval wonders on a dime. Paris is much more spacious with lots of beautiful parks and of course you need to stroll much longer distance. But compared to all those explored views and sights weary soles were nothing. It was my first visit to Paris, definitely not the last.

A girl from Singapore was writing her travel blog from Paris just a few days before me:

„Decided to walk around the city for the first day since I have not quite decided on my itinerary. To my horror or horrors, the city is huge. The maps just make it look small. I walked and walked for abt an hour before getting to louvre (and it was not before I got lost). My walking tour has not ended... I decided to look for the tourist office to pick up some ideas where I shd visit. This brought me to the Opera a monument. I visited galleries la fayette… The day ended with a train ride back to the hostel... I couldn't walk anymore.“