don't you worry about me, I'm in PARIS

So our coach doesn't always say things and not follow through on them...he finally came through this time. We played in Clamart (about a 20 minute drive fro Paris' center) this past Saturday and before the match while we were having lunch and I was looking at a city guide for Paris. I was checking out the map and Dorel says to me "If you finish quickly, the match tonight we go.." and he traced his fingers along the Sien (the river that runs through Paris, past the Eiffel Tower and along all the major attractions). I said "REALLY?" Not believing at all that he could keep this promise. And he did his usual shoulder shrug and said "I dunno..maybe, you have 2...3 point, we go" referring to the amount of points we get in the French Federation for winning a match in 3, 4, or 5 sets.

We headed to the gym on a street that winded upward and had a pretty amazing view of the city and as we turned a corner almost at the gym there is was, sparkling with lights the Tour Eiffel, so pretty. I immediately got butterflies in my stomach, thinking about all the times in my life I'd imagined seeing it not on a tv screen or in a picture. So we won in three and after the match I came out of the locker room to see Dorel chugging beers, one after another (...just kidding I only saw him drink one but I was still worried) and I immediately went to ask him "are we going?". "Uhhh, i don't know..it is the decision of everyone" so with child-like excitement I went around asking everyone if they wanted to go and everyone said yes!

So we went. I was expected to drive by, see it and leave, but we actually parked our mini vans got out and got to walk to it. Luck have it, NO ONE had a camera, thank goodness Tereza had a camera phone and took a few picture for us. But it was everything I'd imagine it would be. Just the feeling of being there, for me it is hard to put into words. Like you dream of something your whole life and then finally it happens, it's kind of crazy. There were tons of people walking around selling things, lot of couples, families, and tourist, taking pictures walking around and just enjoying the site, as were we. It was so amazing, I couldn't stop smiling.


As we headed out of town we drove along the Sien and Dorel pointed out tons of famous museums, architecture, and buildings. I cannot wait to go back and see it all and take tons of pictures! After being there and standing underneath the Eiffel Tower I totally understand what people mean when they talk about the romance of Paris and hope someday to share that experience with someone I really love...until then Karen will have to do, haha.