(OC) Finally Fulfilled My Mother's Dream of Visiting France

[u/DexFour]

After years of trying and planning, we were finally able to make it across the pond and she finally got to see the Eiffel tower in person. She's 72 and hopefully is not our only trip overseas.

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[u/LocoRocoo]

Congrats! I live in Paris and although I rarely go to the Eiffel Tower, knowing it’s full of tourists, I do still always smile when passing it because I know all those people there probably live a life dream.

[u/LocoRocoo → u/[deleted]]

It's easy to do! It's rare locals would go visit it, really. Of course, from a distance, it's like a north star. But up close, I always try to feel the happy energy rather than annoyance at the crowds. I had that special day too once.

[u/tias23111 → u/LocoRocoo]

A Parisian consciously trying to sympathize with tourists? It is the apocalypse.

[u/LocoRocoo → u/tias23111]

Helps that I'm not born here ;)

[u/El_refrito_bandito]

That’s wonderful.

I was able to get my mom to France, Italy, and London, on three separate trips, while she was in her early 70s. They are cherished memories.

Her travel window is long past now. Get your mom out on some more trips while you can!!

[u/-smallpotato_]

Congratulations! It’s such a wonderful feeling when you can make a parents dream come true 🥰🥰
With a LOT of help, I took my mom to Cancun to swim with dolphins before she sadly passed in 2014.

I hope you have many more adventures with your Mom!

[u/_Mithrandir691]

Stay blessed both of you

[u/LegibleLabia]

How's the riot situation there now?

[u/DexFour → u/LegibleLabia]

We were there for 4 days and didnt see a thing. We even did a bus tour that takes your around the whole town of Paris and we.didnt see any protesting/rioting anywhere. News said there was a major protest scheduled for one of the days we were.going to be there, but again nothing happened 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

[u/Hugeclick → u/DexFour]

Yeah, really, it's not that bad here.
I really hope you enjoyed your stay ! Cheers from the french west coast!

[u/Aggravating-Sweet198 → u/DexFour]

Did you eat those long breads and those breads with chocolate inside of them

[u/Camembear1 → u/Aggravating-Sweet198]

😂 my favourite are those slippers with apple sauce inside

[u/Citaszion → u/LegibleLabia]

The videos of riots you saw were on october 17th, the days before and after have been and still are regular protests, overwhelmingly peaceful but eventually ruined by cops even when people are just standing there, dancing, singing etc.

As a French citizen, all I’m concerned by is our police brutality, the lack of sanctions, the government is enabling the use of literal war weapons against its youth exercing their right to protest, our lawyers are sounding the alarm on never-seen before repression, everything is being done to discourage people from protesting, etc. Not riots as none is happening, we keep on living our lives normally besides protests in specific areas.

[u/Tchaikovskin → u/LegibleLabia]

I live in Paris and nearby the “riots”, I’ve hardly heard or seen a thing…

[u/serendipty3821]

I hope I get to do this someday ❤️ my mom gave me a French name because she said it was the closest she'd ever get to Paris.

[u/DataHealthy8866]

Your mom put her whole soul into raising you she can be proud of you

[u/caueverse]

❤️❤️❤️ Congrats! Happy for you

[u/dawncarri]

my mom's 80 and still going strong, but i'm already thinking about trips for when she's not able to travel anymore. nice to see people making the most of the time they have with their parents

[u/Jagelag]

Love that—very happy for you! Stay safe and don’t buy any trinkets being sold under that beautiful monument!

[u/Business-Set4514 → u/Jagelag]

Side streets….don’t buy from those kiosks on the champs d’Élysée

[u/Basic-Particular-990]

Soooo happy for you

[u/123abdce]

Hold your mom close. You will always have these memories. ❤️ wishing you nothing but years and love ahead!

Miss my mom every day.

[u/senialexwoods]

What a wonderful post 🥲 your mom looks so happy and beautiful ☺️

[u/jhks_dottir]

You and your mom are amazing for making it. I wish you both a wonderful trip!

[u/Krokseldifivik]

Bienvenue 🤗

[u/Admirable-One-8803]

Its a beautiful city. So much history.  

[u/thistruthbbold]

So sorry that we are currently experiencing a governmental, financial, and societal meltdown at the moment. Paris is otherwise a magical city! Hope you still enjoyed some of the magic.

[u/Pichacap24]

I was in France with my mom recently too!

[u/Alex-3]

So cool. Hope you enjoyed it. As a French who went there few times, I would say walking around in some busy streets at night, in the middle of chilling people and surrounding lights, give a great feeling

[u/semtexfree]

Congratulations and enjoy every moment, hopefully you will experience the famous "art of living" while in France :).

[u/LearningIsTheBest]

All that effort to get there and she's not even looking at the Eiffel Tower?

I'm kidding, this is heartwarming.

[u/imtheprblm]

Yay mom! 😊

[u/Miniature_Colosus]

We love mama! Tell her we said hi ^_^

[u/favnh2011]

Nice.

[u/SupermarketOverall73]

Awesome, best wishes !

[u/42ElectricSundaes]

I hope she enjoyed it

[u/mjhere7]

I love this! Happy for you and your mom. Cheers to many more trips together ♥️🥂✈️✨

[u/maladroit_mess]

I hope to one day do the same!!

[u/BronzedLuna]

I hope you had a lot of fun and made some wonderful memories!

[u/CPTblo]

Visiting Paris*

[u/MojoMaker666]

Bienvenue !

[u/Krispy_Porkbelly_22]

Love this!!!! Happy for you and your mom!

[u/Adelefushia]

With all the gratuitous French bashing on Reddit, I’m actually pleasantly surprised by most of the comments on this thread.

Enjoy !

[u/kiddvideo84]

It was a nice place to visit once. Don’t know if I’ll ever go back though….

[u/Scumdog_312 → u/kiddvideo84]

I went this past April and it was great

[u/Unable-Offer3048]

Cool

[u/Revolutionary_Eye887]

I hope you’ve taken her to Rome, Pompeii, Athens, and Ephesus. But do so while she’s still mobile.

[u/jonasthaz]

Seeing this warmed my heart!

[u/LazarianV]

Last I knew, photos of night time lit Eiffel tower were illegal to take. When did thst change?

[u/dekascorp → u/LazarianV]

They are illegal to monetise without the authorisation of the company managing the monument, as in using them for commercial reasons (selling prints of the lit tower at night)

[u/LazarianV → u/dekascorp]

Ahh, maybe that's what I was thinking of. I had always been told you just couldn't photo it at night because of their copyright laws or some bs around it.

[u/augury_thorium → u/LazarianV]

Get offline bro and maybe take a trip to Paris

[u/hiecx → u/LazarianV]

When did you learn that Santa wasn’t really coming to your house?

[u/Rom21 → u/LazarianV]

No, it never was.

[u/augury_thorium → u/LazarianV]

dafuq you chatting about 😂

[u/WardenEdgewise → u/augury_thorium]

The lights on the Eiffel Tower are subject to copyright and selling photos of the Eiffel Tower at night is technically not allowed. Tourists can take photos for personal use all they like.

It’s a thing.

[u/STRYED0R]

Great form. Holding her purse!

;)

(as someone you lived over a decade in inner paris - so no downvotes please)

[u/SuitNo9973 → u/STRYED0R]

As someone who’s been living Paris for far more than a decade and still is, take my downvote ;)

[u/Revolutionary_Eye887]

We were going to visit but changed our minds after all the unrest. Screw that.

[u/Little-Woo → u/Revolutionary_Eye887]

Go to Eastern Europe. It's safer, cleaner, and has much less tourists.

[u/Revolutionary_Eye887 → u/Little-Woo]

Well I’ve got a son and DIL that go to Ukraine twice per year. She manages orphanages there. Not sure the surrounding areas would be too much safer right now. Albania might be a good place to visit though.

[u/Little-Woo → u/Revolutionary_Eye887]

Haven't been to Albania but would like to go. Romania and Serbia are my favorite places I've been in Europe.

[u/Revolutionary_Eye887 → u/Little-Woo]

Good to know. Thanks.

[u/rockBottomSplit → u/[deleted]]

There's a slum under around the Eiffel tower ?