great infographic video, even if you don’t speak a lick of french.

this couple eloped in paris (on my birthday, no less) and captured it on film, complete with love locks and a sparkly make out sesh in front of the eiffel tower. cliche to the max? oui. and this is me not caring. (via cup of jo)

Paris In Motion (Part I) from Mayeul Akpovi on Vimeo.

I had the best of intentions for posting a recap of my whole euro-trip, but it was harder than I ever imagined. ‘amazing’ and even ‘life-changing’ sound ridiculously cliche.

so here are just a few highlights (now with more wikipedia links!). for all my amsterdam + france pics, go here and explore my instagram feed.

ugh, right? no caption needed here, really. our first night in paris, jess and I walked across the city from the train station, this big ole beacon guiding our way the whole time. by dusk, we’d arrived. crepes in hand, we spread out a blanket and waited for the sun to set. mag-i-cal.

when I describe paris now, I find myself using the phrase ‘like new york’ quite a bit. maybe that’s why it felt so familiar and electric at the same time. diverse, bustling, a little gritty. everyone’s dressed in black. but then you happen upon scenes like the one above. the oldest can-can juxtaposed with the newest burger joint.

burgers. so hot right now in paris, by the way.

oh hey, moulin rouge.

this. I could get used to this.

blanket breakfast at sacré coeur in montmartre. the highest point in the city. the best croissant of my entire life. is this heaven?

wouldn’t be paris without lovers. le sigh.

I’m leaving so much out. not just about paris, but about my time spent in amsterdam and limoux. still trying to find the words. stay tuned.

things are getting serious. The wheels are in motion for my first-ever flight to europe. no turning back now. I’ll soon be visiting paris, the city I’ve been obsessed with for years.

to prepare, I’ve been collecting interesting and helpful blog posts on pinterest and tips from friends on facebook:

I leave july 4 (the irony is not lost on me, don’t worry) for 10ish days. I’ll spend the first few days in amsterdam with my pal jess, who just moved there from Indy a few months ago.

then I’ll take the train to paris. this will be my first time out of the country, and my first time exploring a city alone. scary, but I’m embracing it, planning to walk and wander a whole lot, maybe even try my hand at couch surfing.

things I am worried about:

• traveling solo
• being shy
• not knowing the language. I’m sorta trying to learn, but it’s not really sticking. what seems to be working best, I guess not surprisingly, is listening to french pop songs.

things I am not worried about:

• carrying too much luggage. my plan is to pack some books, my laptop, camera, and minimal clothing.
• having to walk a lot. I love walking.
• looking like a tourist. I mean, c’mon.

stay tuned as I plan my trip in more detail. in the meantime, I’ll just be here watching this video on repeat:

Béret Baguette 2011 from Benjamin Donadieu on Vimeo.