A Stroll on the Champs-Elysees

After making a bird’s eye view on Paris from the top of Arc de Triomphe(Gate of Triumph) in an afternoon, I walked down the legendary boulevard renowned for its romantic atmosphere ,trying to search couples in love with a leisurely pace. I was disappointed. The boulevard is no more than a wider Fifth Avenue of New York, teeming with tourists like me, bustling with business: medium-leveled brands like GAP, Banana Republic, Levis etc. So the Champs-Elysees could not, by any stretch of the imagination, be called a boulevard of romance any more, at least for the time being.

Coincidentally, an essay from New York Times, UDN edition this week, reflected the similar view as mine. Please see the attached if you’re interested in.