There are certain cities that never get boring no matter how many times you visit. New York City, for example is one of those cities for me. I’ve lived in the Big Apple for over three years now and I still can’t get enough of it. Similarly, Paris gives me those same butterflies in my stomach sort of feeling. There’s just something about how effortlessly chic everything is that travelers from around the world can’t help but gravitate toward.

This was my third trip to Paris and technically my “vacation”, as I wasn’t there to write anything in particular. I assumed my travel writing tendencies would get the best of me and that I’d be taking photographs of literally everything crossing my viewpoint. It’s a useful habit to have while you are on assignment, but before I turned my travel lust into a career, I always preferred taking mental images rather than fiddling with a fancy camera with techniques I hadn’t yet mastered.

At The Seine

Yet, I had no trouble using my eyes as my lens and as the days lazily unfolded, it proved the perfect mix of sightseeing and relaxation. I’d visit my favorite spots: the Sacré-Cœur, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower and wandering through my dream neighborhoods: Montmartre and the Latin Quarter. In between all this, I would eat, drink and of course, people watch.

The Moulin Rouge!

Enjoying the Paris view

There is an ease I experience whenever I’m in Paris that I haven’t found in many other cities. Perhaps it’s the romantic streets or the stylish cafés on every block, but I cannot get enough of the City of Lights.

As a curly-haired blogger, I’m sometimes hesitant to let my hair go wild, but for whatever reason, I felt confident as I let my curls fall here and there. Much to my surprise, I smiled as I watched them playfully blow in the wind. It seems only natural to set them free in a city that exhales inspiration with every breath.

Letting my curls go free en Paris!

Bio: Megan Eileen McDonough is a freelance travel and fashion writer based in New York City. She also runs Bohemian Trails, a travel blog covering global art, culture and off the beaten path destinations for the avant-garde traveler. Her travels have taken her to South America, Europe, Mexico and Egypt. Megan previously worked for a fashion agency in London and later for an international record label in New York.