Paris

I feel bad saying I don’t recommend this hotel, as the hotel owner and her husband were charming and quirky. Ellen was helpful and chatty and the only endearing quality of this hotel.

I didn't quite get what was going on in this hotel, but our room was the kind where I just didn’t feel comfortable touching anything. Not exactly the best way to get a comfortable night's sleep, huh?

One of my friends even had a candy bar stolen from the room by the cleaning staff.

This cafe is touristy, but they still have a damn good chocolat chaud and some of my favorite chocolates. The food is okay. They have mostly a lunchtime crowd (not open for dinner, and they only serve coffee/tea for breakfast) and serve salads, sandwiches, and quiche. Try the Mont Blanc if you like meringue.

I don’t recommend going too early in the morning. We were the first ones there in the morning one day, and the hot cocoa just wasn't as hot as it should be. I can't turn down chocolate anyway, but I think the staff is a little more on the ball at lunchtime.

Reasonable price for a well-prepared meal. They have a large selection for the prix-fixe menu. They served our pumpkin soup in the pumpkin! Charming.

If you go to Paris, you have to go to Notre Dame. It’s a beautiful cathedral, and although it's a typical tourist stop, it's with good reason. The Rose window is gorgeous, and even though I have seen it three times now and have been in other cathedrals, this window still makes me stand in awe for a moment. I always forget just how beautiful it is until I see it.

To go into the cathedral is free. You are free to walk around or even attend service when it’s going on. It’s also fairly easy to take photos without really getting any dirty looks.

I highly recommend, if you are up for it, the climb up to the bell tower. I have been to the cathedral three times, and this is the first time I have done the climb. This is where you can get the classic gargoyle shots and amazing views of Paris. It costs about 6 euros to climb the tower. Be ready for a somewhat strenuous climb up narrow, winding stairs. When you think it can’t get any narrower, it does.

When you get to the landing with the gargoyles, you can actually continue up again to see the actual bell. It’s huge and was very cool to see. I spent a lot of time taking photos of the gargoyles. It was a lot of fun to get shots with the gargoyle and Paris in the background.

I was carrying a bunch of bags (shopping!), and it was a pain to drag those up and down the stairs. I really wanted a hand to hold onto the railing on the way down. The tight, narrow, winding spaces kind of freak me out a bit, I guess. Be ready for your calves to be a bit wobbly once you are back down on the ground.