Paris: Eiffel tower and walking along Seine

I got into Paris at 1pm, checked into my hostel, and decided to head into central Paris to look around since it was an amazingly beautiful day.

I started at the Louvre-

Then I headed over to Notre Dame (I decided to go there early, to ensure I actually saw it since last time I was in Paris I went to h&m instead and missed it) but ended up at this instead-

But managed to make it to Notre Dame with a little help from some street signs! When I got there I was actually pretty underwhelmed. I mean... It's beautiful but perhaps over hyped? In my opinion St Vitus cathedral in Prague was 10x more amazing architecturally speaking. I didn't go inside since the line was wicked long, (as were all the lines in Paris) so maybe what it's lacking on the outside it makes up for on the inside? But I really couldn't say-

Next I decided to walk on over to the Eiffel Tower...where I got lost...again. You would think the giant tower would be easy enough to follow, but it's actually kind of hard! Although I kept getting distracted by super adorable things that I had to take pictures of-

And of course the Eiffel tower, too-

Seriously who gets lost on the way to the Eiffel tower?! Please be impressed with my poor directional skills! It as about an hour walk (I could have taken the train in about ten but I love walking around, and always walk when I can instead of taking a train, bus, etc.) and I got there right when the sun was setting-

Again, I didn't want to wait in the hugely long line to go up- also I think it was around €20. Actually, I've been up before anyway and here is the proof-

I'm the one with short hair, like a boy. I don't know why I keep posting these awful pictures of my sad 15 year old self, except on some level I think they're funny and it's fun to look back and see how much I've changed in 9 years.

Anyway, it was still gorgeous-

Then I hopped on the train back to my hostel. One of Josh's friends, Will, had mentioned he loved Rick Steves podcasts so I had downloaded some before I left and listened to them on the train back which possibly was a mistake, because I heard this

Rick Steves: "is there anywhere in Paris that is dangerous where you would tell travelers not to go?"

Tour Guide: "well, the 19th district* but there would be no reason to go there..."

...why yes, my hostel WAS in the 19th district!! :)

*Paris is split into 20 "districts" -Arrondisment as they're really called-in a pin wheel shape with one being the center, 20 the least. I was in the 19th, but that was about 15 minutes by train from the 1st district (where the lourve is) which so it's not like anything is super far away regardless of what district you're in. I think the Eiffel tower is in the 7th district.