London and Paris

London and Paris were back to back weekend trips, both fast-paced, very different, and totally worth it. We flew to each city and stayed in Airbnbs, which made things easier and a lot more comfortable.

London surprised me. I went in fully expecting gray skies and constant rain, but it was actually super sunny the whole weekend, not a cloud in sight. The weather made everything feel better. We walked so much, and it felt like every corner of the city had something going on. We saw all the big landmarks, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and of course wandered through cute neighborhoods like Notting Hill and Soho.

The parks were one of my favorite parts. We had coffee and pastries in Hyde Park one morning and just sat in the sun for a while, which felt like a rare slow moment in such a big city. We did keep our stuff close in the crowds (heard about pickpockets, stayed cautious), but nothing ever happened. Overall, the vibe was easygoing, warm, and honestly kind of ideal my only downside was that the actual culture of London reminded me of New York City, just in Europe.

Paris was completely different. It had that immediate, surreal feeling the second we got there. Seeing the Mona Lisa in real life felt wild. Same with the Eiffel Tower. These are the places you grow up seeing in textbooks and movies, and suddenly you’re just… there. It was magical, and I 100% get the romanticization of Paris now.

We spent hours walking around the Louvre, went to a couple of hidden speakeasies at night (which were some of the coolest spots I’ve ever been to), and ate probably too many croissants. I had the best pastry I have ever had in my whole life. The city was big and beautiful and people always say the French people are so mean, but I didn't experience one rude person, they were all so kind.