LIFE LIST: GET ENGAGED UNDER THE EIFFEL TOWER

"When good Americans die, they go to Paris." Oscar Wilde

17 years old-what a lucky girl

When: June 2001 and December 31 2002

Where: La Tour Eiffle- Paris, France

Why I wanted to do this: The first time I went I had just graduated high school -I left the next day-where I studied French for 4 years. I went on to major in French Language and Literature. I began studying French when I was 14, I am now 28, I can't believe half of my life has been devoted to learning French-what can I say-I love that damn language!

Cost: 14 euro

How I paid for it: The spending money I had was all the money I had saved from working at Big Boy (my first job) it took me months and months and months to save $1500 (if I am not mistaken minimum wage was $5.15 at that time-hard to believe) I saved every penny-I was so excited!

I loath this pic of myself but I can't drag the Eiffel Tower down with me.

What I would do differently:
-GO WITH SOMEONE ELSE....OR ALONE!!!!
-eat at the restaurant on the second floor
-take better and more pictures (before digital cameras were common)
-dressed better
-buy my tickets online-it's the most famous landmark in the world....the line is long.

Something I would recommend: WITHOUT A DOUBT! I have always said that this is something EVERY single person on Earth should take the time, money and effort to see-it's quite a sight! If you are lucky enough to visit the most beautiful city in the world, you must go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and you MUST see the light show at night-your hotel will be able to help you find a night tour.

Make a good gift? THE BEST!


Would I do it again? I can only hope to have the opportunity to see the Eiffel Tower once again and be able to create a memory that be stills my heart.

Was it life changing? O you can say that! I have quite the history with the Eiffel Tower....

My story about visiting the Eiffel Tower:
( Both times that I visited Paris I went with my boyfriend Don.)
           I was so eager to see the Eiffel Tower and was overjoyed the first time I saw it getting off the metro that I cried. This was the greatest moment of my life, at that time. Every day we went to the base in anticipation of ascending to the top, but the lines were long, long, long. So on the fourth or fifth day I thought it would be best to get up incredibly early to try to beat all the other tourist. We were there before it was even open and I still remember it taking nearly 2 hours to actually make it all the way to the top. When we did get up there, I was giddy and having fun and I made a slightly idiotic comment about tossing something off the top of the Eiffel Tower-big mistake-I got my butt chewed out-right there on top of the Eiffel Tower my boyfriend yelled at me over a silly joke I made. This is why I will always emphasize that when you go to accomplish your life goals-either go alone or go with on of your favorite people. Nevertheless, the novelty of being able to see the Tower from nearly every point in Paris did not wear off at me, many times per day I took advantage of the fact that I could simply look up or look behind me and see that beauty and I would smile and shake my head in astonishment.
    The second time I went to Paris, we went on New Year's Eve 2002/2003. Of course my plan was simply to head over to the Eiffel Tower and ring in my new year with my favorite inanimate object. We did just that. We had an interesting dinner in a lovely little restaurant nearby, I bought a bottle of champagne and there we were underneath the Eiffel Tower. And then it happened- Don proposed to me sur la tour eiffle. It sounds impossibly romantic. I assure you it was not. He was sitting next to me and handed me a box and said 'here is your other Christmas present' (side note fellas-an engagement ring ought not be doubled as a Christmas present) I opened it, IT WAS a beautiful ring, a one carat teardrop diamond with white gold band. And without hardly looking at me blankly asked 'will you marry me?' I did say yes, it was nine hours into an eight day vacation overseas-I cannot imagine what that trip would have been like had I said no. No, we never did get married. Life changing? It is still and probably always will be the biggest regret of my life-saying yes (and ultimately even dating this person----not that he was a bad person I just strongly wish I would have spent those 3 years of my life doing something else). Now, I love that giant piece of slab of iron and having the opportunity to have seen it not only once but twice before I had even reached 20 years old is so monumental  for me......however I do look forward to returning someday and being able to replace my memories of resentment with memories of pure enchantment the Eiffel Tower deserves.