PARIS // To Do: Palais Garnier

Growing up, I was a huge Phantom of the Opera fan. Actually, that's putting it lightly. I was obsessed. I browsed Phantom-themed message boards, read Phantom fanfiction, watched the movie constantly, and even tried my hand at writing Phantom fanfiction. I woke up every morning to the song "All I Ask of You." My seventh grade birthday present was a family trip to see the play in Providence, Rhode Island. So you could say that when I realized I could visit the place where the story takes place, I was pretty excited.

The Paris Opera House did not disappoint. The Palais Garnier was built between 1861 and 1875 by Charles Garnier, a Parisian architect who won a design competition instituted by Emperor Napoleon III. It was built in the Beaux-Arts style. Statues feature prominently on the facade, as well as many gilded elements. Inside, there are a number of levels, all with different things to see. On one, the grand foyer is reminiscent of the Louvre or the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. On another, there is an old library filled with books and scripts. Costumes from shows stand in glass cases in the lobbys. For the self-guided tour, visitors enter from the ground level, then go up behind the grand staircase to see it from the front. The auditorium can sit nearly 2,000 people. The famous "Phantom's Box" is marked with a plaque: "Loge du fantôme de l'Opéra." Access to the auditorium is included, but on the day I went it was unfortunately closed. So you'll have to go and tell me what it's like! 

The Palais Garnier isn't necessarily top of the list to see in Paris just because there are so many other things to cram in as well, but if you are there for more than just a few days and/or have an interest in ballet, architecture, or are as obsessed with Phantom of the Opera as I am, you should put it on your list. Or do one better and go see a show! 

Website:
www.operadeparis.fr

Address:
8 Rue Scribe, 75009 Paris, France

Metro: 
Opera (Line 3, Line 7, Line 8)
Chausée d’Antin La Fayette (Line 7, Line 9)

Hours: 
Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm
Saturdays 9 am to 1 pm
Closed Sundays

Tickets: 
10€ for adults
6€ for students/under-25s
Free for kids under 10

PARIS // To Do: Père Lachaise

Père Lachaise Cemetery is one of the most interesting places I went while living in Paris. For a city filled with history, beauty and charm, I'd say this is a pretty big statement. Yes, it's a bit strange to think that you might visit a cemetery on vacation or a day off, but Père Lachaise is no ordinary cemetery.

The 110 acre cemetery, situated on a hill at the edge of the city limits, opened in 1804. It is named for the confessor to Louis XIV, Père François de la Chaise, who lived in the 17th century. These days, it's the eternal resting place of legends such as Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Gertrude Stein, Honore de Balzac, Frederic Chopin, Marcel Proust, and many "ordinary" people too. There are memorials to world wars and to those who died for their country. There are some truly extravagant graves, some very plain. Some look brand new one hundred years later, and others are falling into the ground. It's a really diverse, interesting place.

I visited Père Lachaise on a crisp February afternoon when I found myself with nothing else to do. I went alone, armed with my camera and a desire to take some good photos. I meandered, taking lefts and rights as I wanted to, stepping between graves and among them, imagining the people whose names I was reading. I walked around for so long that I ended up getting kicked out when the cemetery was closing. In my mind, there are two ways you can visit Père Lachaise. The first is to wander and explore at your leisure, assuming you'll find your way out eventually. There are gates around the border, so you'll never really be "stuck". The second is to purchase a map at one of the front gates (or bring a map from home) and seek out the graves you want to see. There are also large maps at various points within the cemetery. It depends on how much time you have and what you want to see.

No matter how you do it, Père Lachaise is well worth a visit if you have an afternoon in Paris. And with views like this, how could you pass up the chance?

Accessing Père Lachaise Cemetery:

Metro line 2 (Phillippe Auguste or Père Lachaise) or line 3 (Père Lachaise or Gambetta)

The Gambetta stop allows you to enter from the top of the hill and follow the cemetery downward; the other two stops require an uphill climb to get to the other end. There's no right or wrong way to do it. The Gambetta stop is closest to Oscar Wilde's grave, but the other stops are closer to the main entrance.

Opening hours:

From November 6-March 15

Monday to Friday: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm

Saturday: 8:30am - 5:30 pm

Sunday and holidays: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm

From March 16-November 5

Monday to Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

Saturday: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm

Sunday and holidays: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

PARIS // Street snaps

One of the things I miss about Paris is how pretty everything is there. The buildings are gorgeous. The gardens are incredible, especially in the spring. The metro is always full of interesting characters. There is always something to do, yet there is still time for relaxation. You are surrounded by history genuinely everywhere you look. From the Eiffel Tower (which was never intended to be a permanent structure!) to Napoleon's tomb to the most obscure pieces in the Louvre, from Notre Dame Church (the construction of which began in 1163) to Luxembourg Gardens, everything is so much older than most of what we are used to in the United States. There isn't really such a thing as "new construction" in Paris; most buildings look the same, and they're all beautifully old. 

This is thanks mainly to Georges-Eugène Haussmann's renovation of Paris beginning in 1853. This project, which continued until 1927, well after Haussmann was dead, revitalized the center of Paris. He widened avenues, added fountains, sewers and parks, demolished ancient and unsafe buildings and put new ones in their place, redesigned the Etoile area around the Arc de Triomphe (including the Champs-Élysées) and created an entire network of avenues and boulevards that made Paris easier to navigate. His projects, initially commissioned by Napoleon III, fell under a decent amount of criticism, but they did create the Paris we know today. Haussmann architecture is very distinctive; I can look at a picture on Pinterest and recognize right away that it's a photo of Paris.

I found photographing Paris to be incredibly easy. The hardest part might be avoiding the glares from the Parisians rushing by, but after a few minutes you get used to it. After that, you can spend all day photographing; there's so much to see. I couldn't put a number on how many photos I took for the five months I lived abroad, but the fact that I took nearly 1,000 in a day at Versailles tells me the number is pretty high. Below are a few of my favorite "street snaps" from the prettiest city I've ever been to. 

BOSTON // Home again

Yes, the news is true! I am finally home in wonderful Boston after six months of traveling, photographing, and exploring. I expected to be sad on the plane home, but instead I was excited. I would have absolutely loved to stay abroad longer, but it was time to come home. And I was ready for it, too.

Since getting home on the 1st of July, I have been quite busy. I had one full day at home before we left for New Hampshire and the cabin on the pond to celebrate the fourth. Unfortunately Hurricane Arthur meant that there were no hurricanes and the 4th felt more like a "stuck inside the house" day than a celebration. Regardless, it was a nice weekend and even better when the weather improved.

Then I was home for one more full day before heading to New York City for the Smart Girls Conference July 9th - 11th. Talk about an inspiring few days. It was incredible. I never thought I could love a group of people so much. I returned home, spent Saturday with my mom and sister, including a walk around Castle Island where I took these pictures, and then bid my sister goodbye as she goes to overnight camp for a month.

Now I am home until September, trying to find a job, applying to fall internships, etc. The weirdest thing is that it doesn't feel weird to be home. It feels normal. One of the best parts is seeing so many people in New England sports gear and being able to say 'wicked' again. And though I can't wait to get back to Amherst and see my people again, I'm content with my people here.