Following our cruise, we took the high-speed rail from Barcelona to Paris with great expectations. Paris did not disappoint. With its intricate, uniform architecture — beige facades, blue-gray roofs, and fancy black-railing balconies — the city made a stunning impression. Each landmark was grand in its own right, and there were so many to see. Equally as impressive as the architecture was the food: I relished the unforgettable richness of the crepes, pastries, and hot chocolate. Over the course of our three day stay, Paris steadily rose to the top of my list of favorite cities.