OUT & ABOUT IN PARIS

Sidewalk Cafe, Paris

Latin Quarter, Paris

Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Arc du Carrousel

Clock at Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Eiffel Tower & Carousel

Eiffel Tower lit up at night

Paris's Oldest Clock, c. 1370

It still keeps time.

Eiffel Tower, Mini Statue of Liberty

Coffee at Café de la Paix, Paris

Chalkboard Menu in Paris

Sidewalk Cafe, Paris

Window Display in Paris

Children's Clothing in Paris

Jewelry at Place Vendôme in Paris

Locks and Notre Dame, Paris

Pistacherie Window in Paris

Pont Neuf Bridge over the Seine

Place de la Concorde, Paris

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Luxor Obelisk, Place de la Concorde

3,000+ years old

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Paris Barge w/ Statue of Liberty

Musée Rodin in Paris

Gold Gates at La Conciergerie, Paris

Conciergerie in Paris

Where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned

Tower of the Conciergerie in Paris

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There's a reason why so many songs are written about Paris, but until experiencing it firsthand, it wasn't something I could comprehend just from seeing photos of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. Still, even after visiting Paris four times, when those famous icons are seen within the context of the whole city, they are rather amazing.

The Eiffel Tower, the premier iconic image of Paris, was designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's company to be the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair. It was not love at first site for many Parisians, who were only somewhat appeased by the reassurance that it was only intended to remain for 20 years. But by then, of course, it wasn't something the French would even consider parting with. The light show at night is definitely worth seeing, and for splurge lunch or dinner dining with magnificent views, try Le Jules Verne at the heart of the tower.

The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Emperor Napoleon to honour those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. To get a sense of the scale, the dots you see in the photos at the top are people. With its 164-foot height of stone, just laying the foundation took two years. Surrounding the Arc is a traffic circle with 12 spokes. Because this photo was captured during a lucky moment in August, when many Parisians are vacationing, it doesn't give an accurate representation of what it's usually like to navigate this circle by car. Attempting to do so is not for the novice or faint of heart!

A Walking City. Paris is a city of immense beauty. In an effort to check off the must-see places, please don't forgo time spent just walking the city and savoring a good cup of coffee at a sidewalk cafe. Your feet will appreciate you for the latter, and so will your memory bank.