I recently had to reinstall files after my laptop was repaired, and in the process ran across a file containing photographs of my first trip to Europe, a five-day visit to Paris back in 2004. I really enjoyed that trip - it was June, but not crowded at all. Things have certainly changed a lot in 20 years. Go figure. I decided to take that trip more or less on the spur of the moment, after watching many episodes of Rick Steves Europe on PBS. The first day, I walked along the Seine, past all the bookstalls, to Notre Dame, but to me the most surreal experience was the following day, when I visited the Eiffel Tower. Going up the tower's elevator, I couldn't believe I was actually there. And at that time, you could simply walk through the Champ de Mars, go right up to the window, and buy a ticket. No security barriers like there are today. The good old days for sure.
The thing I remember most was that Annie Hall was visiting the Eiffel Tower the same day I was, as seen in the photograph on the right. I did not approach her for an autograph, however. Being in Europe for the first time, I did not want to come across as the archetypical ugly American, although I have heard that we have now been replaced by the ugly Japanese and their selfie sticks.
By the time I headed back to my hotel, it was dark, and I took the photograph on the left using my tripod, which I remember hauling around with me most of the time, which must have been a hassle. These days, with the full-frame DSLRs now available (if you can spare a couple of thousand) you can skip the tripod and shoot in low light without one. Or so I hear (I intend to set up a GoFundMe page soon). In any case, I have returned to Paris several times, the last being in 2019, and the lines getting to the top of the Eiffel Tower were horrendous, as were the crowds in the Louvre, Versailles, and other top tourist attractions. I think perhaps the best time to visit Europe these days is in the dead of winter. Just be sure to bring your coat.
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