We arrived in Colmar, France on July 14th expecting a huge Independence Day blowout. Instead, we got what we can only describe as a big question mark – why on earth are we in Colmar? Sure, the town was very cute and quaint, with picturesque canals and plenty of delicious French eats, but it was much sleepier than we had realized, and young travelers were far outnumbered by elderly people and families. We were soon told that the small town actually celebrates Bastille Day on July 13th, and we had missed it. An hour away in Paris, a huge celebration was in progress, and we were disappointed by our overlooking of this national holiday when we planned our stay in France. Though it may not have been ideal, we made the most out of our time in Colmar, using our two days here to enjoy a more slow-paced atmosphere and get some much needed rest.

Energized and impatient, we headed to Paris to meet the host of our airbnb. For those of you who may not know, airbnb.com is an awesome way to score low-cost accommodations, providing an excellent alternative to hostels by allowing hosts to rent out a room (or their entire home) to prospective guests. We occupied a room in a Parisian flat, which was ideally located in the 10th arrondissement (administrative district) with a window view of the the Porte Saint-Denis monument.

As our time was limited to just three days, we experienced a whirlwind of sightseeing and culture during our stay in Paris. We spent our first day strolling up and down one of the city’s most famous and historic boulevards, the Champs Elysse, and wished we would still be there a week later to witness world class bicyclists as they passed through the Arc De Triumph during the finale of the Tour De France. We then had an unforgettable dinner at Le Rotisserie Du Beaujolais, an all time-favorite of my father, who swears he flies all the way to Paris solely to eat the chicken served in this quintessentail French bistro.

The following day, we explored some of the city’s most characteristic and livable neighborhoods. The Marais, often synonymous with the “Jewish Quarter” because of its high concentration of synagogues and falafels, kept us occupied with its trendy shopping, high-end eateries, and low-profile museums. The end of our walk was marked by the exoskeletal site of the Pompadou Center, from which we hopped on the metro, crossed the river, and entered into the (perhaps even more lively) Latin Quarter. With its countless bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops, this upbeat neighborhood kept us on our toes until finally introducing us to one of the world’s most characteristically gothic cathedrals – the Saint Chapelle.

Our final full day in Paris consisted of some of the most aggressive sightseeing of our entire trip. We were anxious to see everything that we had not had time for over the past two days, so we woke up early and headed to The Museum D’Orsay, which is famous for its extensive collections of impressonist works, namely those by Monet and Manet. The museum itself is quite a site, with a beautifully carved interior, tons of natural light, and giant gold clock ticking from above. From there, we went to the Eiffel Tower for a quick ice cream cone and photo op. Rather than partaking in the mob scene of tourists waiting to climb to the top, we decided that heading to the less crowded Arc De Triumph would provide essentially the same view, except that it would also include the iron-clad icon that so defines the city of lights. After a quick metro ride and far too many stairs, we gazed out at the expansive urban delight that is Paris, catching a bird’s eye view of our next destination before descending back to the bustling boulevard.

Our time at the Louvre was unfortunately cut short as it was closing earlier than we had thought, giving us just enough time to tour the Sully and Denon wings and catch a quick glimpse of Mona Lisa herself (and the hundereds of selfie sticks that surrounded her, of course). We finally ended our night after visits to the Notre Dame and Luxembourg Garden, and by the time we returned to our flat, it was unclear whether or not we would be able to muster up the energy to meet up with some fellow UCLA students who were, coincidentally, also visiting Paris that weekend. Though exhausted from seeing so much of Paris in such a short period of time, we rallied, and spent the night enjoying the unique opportunity of spending time with friends in one of our world’s most beautiful cities.

Needless to say, we wished we could have spent more time in Paris. With its huge diversity of people, attractions, and cuisines, there truly is something for everyone here. Every time I visit the city I fall in love with it – its unique mixture of history, culture, and modernity make it more than just an awesome place to visit, but somewhere I could actually picture myself living one day. Au revoir!