BONJOUR FROM PARIS // MY MUST- HAVE TRAVEL ESSENTIAL

Day 1: Let's first clear up that this is my first time in Paris. It is more alive than I had imagined. The cobblestone streets are filled with so much history that I can hear the whispers of those we have walked here before lingering in the air. 

Instead of checking into a hotel I chose to rent a small flat in the heart of the City of Light. I wanted to live among the locals and explore every nook and cranny. The apartment I rented sits above a small cafe. You can hear vibrant Parisian laughter, conversations, and music from my windows. The sounds are wonderful. 

My favorite spot I visited on Day 1 was the Pont des Arts or Passerelle des Arts. The bridge, which crosses the River Seine, is famous for it's Love Locks. Tourists from all over the world attach padlocks with their names written or engraved on them to the gate railing of the bridge. Although the new mayor of Paris has removed most of the locks because of the architecture damage they are causing the landmark there are still a few hundred that remain.