I’ve been on a hiatus for about six weeks. I’m now back in action! This summer has been enriching to me for several reasons. I got to travel to Europe for the first time, more specifically, for my sister‘s wedding in France. It was a picturesque wedding, as one would imagine in a country that is rich in culture and style.

The wedding took place in Marseille, France, a large city in the southern part of the country, and it’s connected to a huge port. The venue itself was a historic villa that sits on acres and acres of land just outside the bustling downtown. The villa itself had several rooms and common areas throughout. Downstairs, you had space for social accommodations and an event hall that would serve as the dance studio for the wedding, where at least 200 people can enjoy their time. Upstairs had the bedroom accommodations. Each room had its own bathroom, and some had tubs that were right inside the bedroom, showcasing some of the historic fixtures that were built in those times, which I would imagine would be the 1700s. 

Upstairs had balconies where you could walk through with either double doors that opened to the balconies or windows with a short ledge where you could walk right onto the balcony. Outside, there were small, fine white cobblestones that would dress the driveway and main entrance leading to the villa, and lead to what was a shrine of the Virgin Mary. Where the ceremony was held.

The bride and groom looked absolutely amazing. The ceremony was in both English and French. The reception was on the beautiful green, featuring games, food stations, and libations. The music played in the background as the professional photography crew captured the moments between friends and family. Leading up to the seated dinner, with toasts to the married couple, and those who celebrated this grand event! Which included a dance party that never actually ended lol! I share these details because it was truly an experience I will remember for a lifetime. 

Congrats to Jocelin and Guillem on their wedding. All the fun we had that day with Mom Sonia, Sister Jasmin, and Pops Jesus, along with other siblings, friends, family in-laws, and everyone else who came to enjoy the beautiful ceremony. 

Now we move on to Nice and Paris, which I’ll get into in a moment…

I planned a trip to the other parts of the French Riviera. After all, if I’m in a place where I’ve never been, I might as well discover a thing or two about the culture and different parts. It led me to Nice, where I would enjoy parts that were further east of the French Riviera. The train ride to Nice offered majestic views, where I was gazing out into the mountainous cliffs where the scenery pours right into the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean. I was in awe of the landscapes and the colors of the homes, some of which had the Spanish-style tiles on the roof, which were probably the only parts that were truly familiar to me. The rest was all discovery, and as one can imagine, it left my mind filled with an abundance and curiosity. As soon as I touched down in Nice, France, I checked into my hotel, located right on the boardwalk or the Promenade. Breathing in the air, I just soaked it all in as soon as I set foot on that long strip, full of hotels and restaurants right on the sea, along with the old town, which is further east of the town.

I did all the things you’d expect a tourist to do: I went to the beach, tried out the restaurants, and explored some of the nightlife right on the water. Drinking and sipping on a spritz, a popular drink in France. It’s a mix of Aperol or Campari with champagne. Sitting in Nice, staring at the beach, looking at the water, taking it all in was a surreal experience, a calming experience, and an one that left me centered. 

During the day, I enjoyed taking walks and strolls through old town and visiting their castle. There’s a large hill that you climb or stairs, depending on the route that you go. You get to see the castle with a large waterfall that serves as a central attraction, but more importantly, at the very top of this Castle Hill, you see the whole town, from the coastline all the way inland and beyond. The views were breathtaking. The weather was warm, in the 80s every day, with clear skies. Around 7 PM every night, you could feel the winds enter the atmosphere, calming the heat and introducing a slight chill to the air, which cooled the night down and prepared it for dinner. It was quite interesting, as every night during my three-night stay was almost identical, with the Earth settling down right on the coast. You could feel the shift at the hour, right around 7 PM, when the winds would change, and you knew you were entering the evening hours. It’s incredible what nature brings to you.

One of those days, I took the metro to Monaco, a uber wealthy area just minutes from Nice. It’s actually a country right on the Côte d’Azur, and as you can imagine, it was full of luxury, with all the streets lined with beautiful architecture, exotic cars, and designer Yatchs. The main attraction for me was the Monte Carlo Casino, where James Bond movies were filmed such as Golden Eye and Casino Royale. 

It’s a historic place that’s not often seen, given the wealth concentrated in such a small country. As soon as I got off the train in Monaco, I went straight to the Monte Carlo Casino. The place had decadence and design, gold brushed over the interior, as if it were part of the filter. I sat in one of the lounges to soak it all in. Of course, the Spritz was my beverage of choice. From there, I saw the F1 tracks located right outside of the casino. It was amazing to see parts of the track right outside the Monte Carlo Casino. As you head down the road into the town, you’ll find a port or dock where the Yachts are parked. It’s also the area that serves as the “pit station” during F1 racing. The Yachts resemble personal cruise ships. They were so large. Many of them had pools, amenities, and crews; it’s indescribable unless you see it. I took many videos and photos of it because even in wealthy towns in the United States, nothing is quite as concentrated as what you see there in Monaco.

After savoring the South of France, I discovered beautiful architecture, walked the towns, enjoyed the rail system, and partied. I had great food, met some good friends in the area, and then I prepared for my excursion to Paris, which, if you’re going to France, you have to see Paris!

Paris is a city I would compare to a movie set. Now some people have told me that Paris is just like any other city. It has its pros and cons, like many cities in the world. While that may be true. I disagree. I had the benefit of going to clean Paris. What I mean is that the city, in preparation for the Olympics ceremony years ago, underwent a complete renovation and cleaning. That included cleaning the streets and buildings, making the City look pristine. That was the experience I walked into, with cobblestone streets and people gathering at the brasseries and parks. Like many cities, it has a faster pace compared to the Côte d’Azur. 

I stayed near the Arc de Triomphe, which is close to all the activity, where you have the famous Champs-Élysées, which is the Fifth Avenue of the area, if you have to make a comparison. The architecture and the buildings were just stunning. On my first night, a good friend recommended a restaurant that served one of the best meals I’ve had. This was actually an Italian restaurant, and had the government seal of approval. Culinary is a huge part of the French culture. Having this seal guaranteed that all ingredients were harvested and made in-house. Not only where the ingredients fresh, but it was the best tasting meal I had during my entire trip. This restaurant was near the Concord, which had the famous Plaza with the Ritz Carlton, and within this court, there’s a large statue of Napoleon. The statue shoots towards the sky, with a statue of Napoleon at its very tip. It’s interesting, given what we understand to be the Napoleon complex, that the statue was pretty big, and at the top of it was Napoleon, the irony! 

Paris has many parks, and each one of these parks consists of beautiful statues, historical figures, and monuments. It’s hard to truly make a comparison, but even if you were at a prestigious museum like The MET in New York City, you still wouldn’t experience anything nearly as breathtaking as you would see in Paris. 

Paris, to me, is where the physical world was constructed, with such detail that you don’t need technology to distract you. That’s the best way I can describe it. Everywhere I went, I was in amazement, whether I was visiting the Louvre, the famous museum home to the Mona Lisa. The Louvre is probably one of the busiest museums on planet Earth. The exterior of the Louvre is an experience all on its own, due to the intricate details on the building, the open courtyard that welcomes all patrons, and the numerous entrances and exits of this area. You experience all this before even entering the museum. Which, again, if you’re someone like me who has been in the United States for the majority of your life, this is new. It was something I had never experienced, as it only exists in a place like this. 

I then walked over to Notre Dame. One can see the structure and reconstruction of parts of the building that burned a few years ago. The details in Notre Dame were astonishing, details like that I would assume would take decades upon decades to create, and it would require an artist to have a vision that I can’t imagine exists today. As I continued my travels to the Pantheon building, walking through parks in between, and exploring the theater district, every few square blocks, I saw structures that were inspiring and breathtaking. Again, even a typical residential building had its own unique design structure, which included landmark statues that you don’t typically see in common areas where I’m from in the Northeast with New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

It all led to the main attraction Paris is known for, the Eiffel Tower! The Eiffel is an unbelievable design. Surrounded by restaurants that lead all the way up to the Eiffel across a bridge. Once you get to the Eiffel, it sits on a long stretch of green grass, a park where people can have picnics, enjoy a glass of wine, and take in the surrounding space, gazing at the magnificent structure. Every sunset, when it’s dark out, it lights up. Every hour, at the top of the hour, it will have an energizing light show. Attended by thousands of people, tourists, students, and residents.

People know Paris for its food, culture, and style – and all of that is true. The food is unbelievable. You can eat as many times as you want throughout the day without feeling tired or worn out. They take their cuisine very seriously there. And it’s not just French, there are many fine Italian restaurants and other cuisines, like Indian and Japanese. I’ve come to really enjoy the wine, champagne, and the spritz, especially on a warm afternoon. I was also amazed by the cobblestone streets that spread throughout the entire City. As I mentioned earlier, the City as a whole was like a movie set, with cobblestone streets throughout, buildings featuring unique faces as statues on the facade, and intricate decor, whether in residential or commercial areas. It all had style and texture throughout.

It got me thinking… 

You cannot really compare the city of Paris to anything we have in the USA, even New York City. For example, New York City is an architectural marvel with skyscrapers and large structures. However, throughout New York, for example, when you go into some of the communities like the Upper East Side, Chinatown, or the Meatpacking District, all of these places will have excellent restaurants packed full of people, and there is an abundance of cultural and style, essentially a melting pot. However, you won’t see the type of detailed structure available in residential areas, like in the City of Paris. Some structures, particularly residential ones, are more common in appearance in the Borough of Manhattan. Art Deco is sleek and one of my favorite styles of design, and it’s a significant part of Manhattan’s identity. The Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center are all amazing Art Deco structures. You have Hudson Yards and the Freedom Tower, all incredible structures built vertically. 

But the one thing I will say is that when you’re sitting in Paris at a local brasserie having a spritz and you’re just looking around, you’ll find yourself in pure amazement almost every corner. Thanks, Jocelin, for your idea of having a dream wedding on the other side of the pond. It turned out to be a wonderful experience!