Remember reading about the EiffelTower in school? This FMLM brings to you the experience of a traveller who visited the Eiffel Tower after having imagined it in his head for years after reading about it in his school text book. Did the tower live up to his imagination? Read on to experience the tower through his words.
Everyone who visits Paris has one thing on his agenda. Eiffel Tower. My plan was no different. As soon as we landed in the city, got ourselves checked in the B&B, the first thing we did was head to the Eiffel Tower.
The Eiffel was about couple of miles away from me. We decided to walk down the banks of Seine, which would allow us enough time to soak in to the vibe of this city. As a kid, you learn about Eiffel in your school textbook about it being one of the wonders of the world, and it’s so tall, that it can be seen from any corner of the city. And, like a lot of things which happen usually with the things you learn in school, this knowledge was hyped. I tried searching for it since I left the airport, till now, when I am almost a mile away in the old city from the Eiffel, I was not able to see it, at all. Crap! I said to myself in disgust!
Just when I was finding a way to sink in my disappointment, between two buildings near Les Invalides I saw this wonder! First thing I noticed about the Eiffel was it was way shorter than I expected it to be! Second quick thought was, hang on! This is not brown, this is looking grey! This was something which was completely different from what we see in pics. Enthralled and excited at the same time, we quietly started walking towards the fascinating piece of architecture.
It was half past five, we had a booking made already to see the summit of the Eiffel. We got in line to get into the lift which would take us to the top. If I say the top view was serene, it will definitely be an understatement. The panoramic view of the most beautiful city in the world was worth dying for.
The historic city divided by Seine, beautiful merry go round at Place De La Concorde, the Notre Dame, and yes, the Arc De Triomphe, clearly placed like heart of the city. The experience was awe-inspiring, but not exactly what I came here for.
I was waiting for the clock to hit ten.
When the clock struck 10!
It was nearly dark as we were done with the tower view, the temperature too started dipping. The gardens beneath the Eiffel, just across the street, at Trocadero, are one of the best places to view it. What enhanced the experience, was a French wine, two glasses, and classic French crepes freshly prepared in the nearby outlet.
Soon, sharp at the tenth hour, the Eiffel started its trademark golden glitter, which was breath-taking, to say the least. It changed colours at drop of the hat, from the French national colours, to yellow, silver, and again golden. It was jaw dropping, and one of the moments in life, where you just want to arrest the time from ticking.
We just sat on the grass, viewing the marvel. I am not a romantic guy, but this was the most romantic moment in my life. The time and tide came to a standstill literally. We were left stunned, and mesmerized. On the return journey, we didn’t speak to each other, but we knew, this was one of the best moments we’d ever live in our lives!