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Steel and Lace: A lady with grace

The month of October, trembling cold, hair flying in the wind, the majestic Paris city below, yes, I am at the heart of the Eiffel Tower. I spent my childhood dreaming of getting a glimpse of this majestic piece of grandeur by holding the Eiffel Tower showpiece kept at the most exotic corner of our home. 

During our Europe tour, we had a full day city tour itinerary of Paris and certainly, a trip to the French capital is hardly complete without a taste of the Eiffel Tower. “After Taj Mahal, you are visiting the second wonder of the world” said my father while standing for the tickets in the queue. He was equally excited as I was; the Iron Lady truly invokes an emotional response in everyone.

The Iron Lady

Built in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel as part of a competition, the tower is 324 meters tall and held the title as the tallest building in the world for 41 years. No wonder it is an icon and the symbol of the city of love. The tower is visible from entire Paris; however, the real experience is to climb it. There are two ways to get to the first and second floor of the tower, the stairs or the lift. So not worrying much about the pretty long queue, we decided to take the tickets for the lift to the second floor as I am a bit lazy to climb the stairs and we did not want to be so tired that we miss a single view from the top. 

As we stepped inside the elevator, we noticed that it is not a regular one rather a peculiar and vintage rustic lift with a European essence. Once the passengers were full, the lift started with an old creaky sound and elevated diagonally to the first and second floor of the tower. I cried and screamed with awe and amusement and held my father’s hand by witnessing the view of the grand Paris city right in front of my eyes. That is when I realized that my dream has come true. We totally forgot at what height we were and got sucked into the gorgeous city landscape. From the top, one can see Les Invalides and Champ de Mars, the skyscrapers of La Defense, Quai de Branly, the Seine River, a fascinating point of view of the fantastic architecture of Foundation Louis Vuitton and many more. It was a treat to the eyes and soul, to say the least. 

View from top

The first floor of the Eiffel Tower is a hive of activity with a restaurant, exhibitions, various look-out points to buildings and popular spots in the city, a souvenir shop, a cinema showing information about everything related to the Tower and its history and an observation point where you can look up to the top of the tower and see how it oscillates depending on the wind and temperature. To my utter surprise, the tower really does move in the wind. The temperature up there was freezing and I could feel the wind at every part of my face. However, the cold can be easily overlooked with the magical view which is incomparable and the miles and miles that you can see from there cannot be explained in words. While we were busy admiring the mesmerizing views, my mother hopped into the souvenir shops and bought handful of goodies to carry back home. 

We explored every nook and corner of the tower and I tried to capture its beauty through my lens. Soon, it was dusk and the Eiffel Tower light show was about to begin, so we took the elevator downwards with a heavy heart as the time spent with this graceful lady seemed to fly. The Eiffel Tower light show happens every evening at sunset until midnight. 

As some time was remaining for the show, we decided to stroll in the streets of Paris, trust me; it is magical and truly termed “The City of Lights”. We could see the Norte Dame lit up allowing us to notice every detail of the architecture which is not visible during daytime. The Seine River seemed to glow with the reflections from the surrounding buildings, these views would forbid you to go back home. 

Nevertheless, it was time for the light show and we quickly grabbed a cup of cappuccino as it was shivering cold and took one of the best spots. 

Cappuccino at Lecointre, Paris

At exactly quarter past seven, the tower started to twinkle managed by 20,000 light bulbs and it last for five minutes, the view was insane, I could not wink my eyelid for once, it was truly a lifetime experience. One should visit the Eiffel Tower not just because of its breath-taking views, but also for its iconic status, rich history, splendid photographs and the special treats inside. 


Night View of Eiffel Tower

The Iron Lady welcomed us with open hands and gave a place in her heart for a day, but she will rule our hearts for entire lifetime.



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