Zach Barshevsky

As soon as the boat docked I jumped on board. I ran up the stairs and jumped into the first seat available and got my camera ready. My excitement was so overpowering that I was bouncing in my seat when the tour started. The first bridge on the tour was the Pont Nuef. I finally got to see how long it was. It went across the Seine and then over Ile de la Cité. I almost burst out laughing when I saw the carved faces on the Pont Nuef. Some were spitting out their tongues and others were just frowning. I learned that those faces represent people who thought the bridge would collapse. Both friends and enemies of Henry V had representatives in the faces on this incredible bridge. But they were wrong since it is the oldest bridge in Paris!

As we continued down the river our tour guide said, in at least three different languages, “Look to your left.” There, right in front of me was the 1056 foot tall Tour Eiffel looming over me. I could finally see it up close. I had plenty of time to look since that’s where the tour turns around. I could not believe how huge it was! The Tour Eiffel was so much bigger than the pictures made it look.

Finally after seeing every detail I looked elsewhere. There was one more thing I had been wanting to see for ages, the famous Pont Alexandre III. There it was, just around the corner. I leaned over the edge to see it. With four huge columns and four golden representatives of Pegasus right on top, the Pont Alexandre III was so grand even the lowliest street lamp on it made me feel like a king. When the tour was over I could not believe it. It felt like ten minutes when it was really about 45 minutes. This was definitely the best part of Paris for me and I am extremely glad we had time to fit it into the short time we spent there.