Today we traveled with an international class visiting the Katholiek University of Leuven (our home base for the latter part of the trip) from Leuven to Paris via a 4 hour ride on a double decker charter bus.  Upon arrival at the Skema Business School of Paris, we were able to have a lecture on the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).   The mission of OECD is to promote policies that will improve the economics and social well-being of people around the world.

After the lecture, we enjoyed exploring the beautiful city of Paris on our own. We saw some really breathtaking sights. We traveled to the Eiffel Tower which was enormous and unreal to stand underneath. We did not go up the tower because the line was very long and we had limited time, but we did get great shots of the tower and Seine River. We also saw the Louvre which was an absolutely breathtaking building. After paying a mere 12 Euro to enter the museum, we got to take a priceless selfie with the Mona Lisa! Taking in such magnificent art was a wonderful learning experience. We also walked over to the love lock bridge, where we all put a lock on for our family members to show our unconditional love.  We also trekked to see the Arc de Triomphe. This was a huge monument in front of Champ-Élysées and is one of the famous monuments of Paris.

Walking through downtown Paris we had to try the sweet treat of macaroons. Paris is famous for these delicate pastries. We stopped at Pierre Hermes the world famous macaroon shop. There was an incredible assortment of macaroons to choose from. So many choices of flavors ranging from rose to passion fruit mango and many more. We each bought different flavors to share and try them all. We walked to the garden of the Louvre to enjoy the grand view of the Eiffel Tower in the background. The flavors of the macaroons were amazing and definitely worth the walk. When in Paris, take the time to try the macaroons.

Some Interesting facts:

Putting a lock on the bridge has become a tourist tradition in recent years, but part of the bridge collapsed under the weight last year, so the city officials expect to take down all the locks. However, this tradition still continues.

The Louvre was such a sight to see. This is a monument on top of a museum. The Louvre is most famous for supposedly being part of the Da Vinci Code and is the home of the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Mayo, and many other famous paintings and sculptures.