I remember growing up fantasizing about going to Paris. Everyone recited poetry whenever they talked about the City of Lights. They talked about how they stood in awe in front of the gigantic Eiffel Tower. They talked about how the Notre Dame and the Sacré Coeur stole their breaths away. They talked about the Louvre and the endless treasures you can find inside. They talked about the artsy vibes on the streets and the brilliant architecture. They talked about the sexy French accent and the smell of freshly baked croissant early in the morning. They talked about the Seine, the Pont des Arts, and the lovers hanging their locks there as a symbol of eternal love. They talked, and I dreamed. I dreamed of going there one day, and I did.

To my shock, my childhood dreams were shattered once I stepped foot in the city. I cannot deny its beauty and grace, but Paris just wasn’t for me. Unfortunately, it’s not something that I can explain, but I’m a true believer that cities speak to people in a secret language that cannot be translated into words. I’ll be talking about this feeling in future posts, so remember to keep an eye for it. Going back to Paris, the main focus of this post; I just had to celebrate checking it off of my bucket list by any means. I did it all as fast as I could; my time in Europe was running out anyway. So I had to see everything I dreamed of seeing when I was a child. I had to see it all and enjoy my time.

I went for a walk by the Seine, visited the Louvre, walked down the Champs-Élysées, went up the Eiffel Tower and reached the peak even though it was freezing cold back then. I visited every cathedral and I took photos here and there. I walked around the renown Montmartre district, watched the painters, and took a photo of the one and only Moulin Rouge. I told myself, “the show must go on!” I managed to find joy in the smallest details and at places where I least expected to find anything. After a lot of looking here and there, I found Paris in two things on this trip.

As I walked down the busiest shopping street in Paris, Rue de Rivoli, I stumbled upon the first hidden gem, 59 Rivoli. I’m not sure if it was me who found it or the other way around. I remembered seeing this building a couple of years earlier in an Instagram post by an artist I’m following. But when I saw the door locked, I couldn’t help but return again the following day. 59 Rivoli is definitely a must visit for art lovers; it’s an art collective gathering 30 artists and their studios under one roof.

I loved the doorstep; it was made of probably hundreds of coins from all around the world. People left those behind as they said goodbye as some kind of support for the artists since entry is for free. The spiral staircase leading me all the way up was a museum on its own; it was out of this world. Paintings and sketches covered the entire wall and as I went up I was mesmerized more and more. What I found beautiful the most was the fact that each artist had his own taste and style, yet their workspaces look wonderful together and in harmony despite their differences.

All that I could say again is that this underrated place is highly recommended to visit. Maybe on my next visit to Paris, I would get to talk, or maybe interview those talented artists and dedicate an entire blog post to them. Meanwhile, I’ll be telling you another story about why I enjoyed Paris.

The second highlight of my trip first started during one of my metro rides. I glanced an ad as the metro passed by one of the stops. I blinked once and twice and grabbed my phone to look it up; I had to make sure this was real, and it was. I found myself running to Fnac, France’s own Virgin Megastores, and I bought the very last ticket to The Nutcracker! One more childhood dream came true that night. As a former ballerina, this was considered huge. I’ve seen a lot of ballet shows whether by foreign ballet companies or the Egyptian one back in my hometown, but this one was incomparable. Having the chance to see the legendary Casse-Noisette and listen to Tchaikovsky’s Marche live in France was an unbelievable reality.

The music was so vivid, the costumes were wonderful, the décor was beautiful, and the gigantic Christmas tree was professionally and beautifully made. The choreography was just like it has always been; the dancers swayed in harmony as they took my breath away.

The show took place at Le Zenith Paris, a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Parc de la Villette. You should check it out for any events if you’re in the city. Unfortunately, filming and photography were prohibited so I couldn’t document the unforgettable memory. I had to respect the rules, yes, but I still had my ticket and I have that hung on my bookshelf.

Thank you Paris, you’ve been good to me after all.

À bientôt!