Thus goes the song, popularized by Bing Crosby, about what is universally known as “The City of Lights” and “The City of Love.”
The first time I was in Paris was in the early 1980s, when I was still the director of sales of the then Hyatt Regency Manila, now the Midas Hotel. That first visit was indeed an eye-opener for me. It confirmed my earlier thoughts on how much history, culture, and character come with the landscape of any European city because, prior to that visit, I had already been to London, Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, and Heidelberg.
To think, during my first Paris visit, I only had time to go to the Palais Garnier, commonly known as the Opera House, because I had a task to visit at least 150 travel agencies in metro Paris to promote to them all the Hyatt properties in the Asia Pacific region.
I barely had time for anything else except meandering around the Parisian streets, looking for the travel agencies I had to cover. I didn’t even have time to go to the Eiffel Tower; I could only see it from a distance.
But the Palais Garnier is certainly a must-see. Even if you are not watching a show, the daily tours that take you inside the historic halls of this 1,979-seat opera house are guaranteed to leave you breathless as you wander along and marvel at its Beaux-Arts architecture. Located at the Place de l’Opera, this was built at the behest of Emperor Napoleon III and is named after its architect, Charles Garnier, to pay tribute to his work’s extraordinary opulence.
On this trip, I made sure I spent time at the Eiffel Tower. In fact, I practically stayed there the whole day as I wanted to get photos of it during the daytime and at night when it glows, just like how I see it in the movies.
Named after the person who built it, Gustave Eiffel, this wrought-iron lattice tower is located at the city center, Champ de Mars. The Parisians refer to it as “La Dame de Fer” (Iron Lady), and it was built as the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair.
The story behind it is that when it was first unveiled to the public, France’s leading intellectuals and artists criticized it. In fact, during the opening day of the World’s Fair, people threw tomatoes and eggs at it as a sign of their protest against its “unusual” design, not realizing that many decades later, it would become the most recognizable symbol of a country. If you marvel at its grandeur during the day, you have to see it at night when its lights make it look magical and really extraordinary.
Of course, there is so much more to love about Paris. Although I don’t understand it, I am in love with the language. French just sounds so sweet and melodious. When I hear it being spoken to me, I don’t cut the speaker off by telling him/her right away that I don’t speak the language. Instead, I let him/her go on so I have time to revel in its songful nature.
J’aime vraiment la langue!
I’d be remiss in my being a “foodie” if I didn’t mention another reason why I love Paris. It’s boulangerie-patisserie heaven! This is what makes my going around the city difficult. I can’t help stopping at every boulangerie or patisserie that I see along the way. Of course, I never leave each place without buying at least a piece of yummy delight, after which I absolve myself from going against my doctor’s advice by proclaiming “YOLO.”
What else does any visitor to a foreign destination do? Shop to his heart’s content. I go to Galeries Lafayette, the main store at Haussmann, because its atrium looks like a grand opera house and the store occupies three blocks. I remember the first time I came to Paris, there was a promo in the Fragrance Section for Men where they would test your skin and come up with a cologne that’s exclusively made for you based on your body chemistry. After doing some tests on my skin, they came up with the finished product, a fresh, lemony scent, in a one-ounce bottle labeled “Roberto” and, for the price I had to pay, I made sure it lasted me several years.
There are many other things I love about Paris and I saw some of them up close when I took the cruise along the River Seine, but that travelogue will have to be for next time. Meantime, I throw my cares to the world, as I sing, “I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles, I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles…”
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YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE:
I had a date last night…it was perfect! Tomorrow, I’ll try a grape.
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For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com