There's something a little sad about having an empty hotel room to come home to on your birthday – but before you bring out the violins for yours truly, I should say that nothing can ease that tinge of sadness than having just been to the Eiffel tower on a clear dark night.
It was around 11:30 when we went to the tower after a very pleasant meal that included foie gras (another reason not to pity me) so it was too late to go up, but just wandering beneath it was a thrill.
Designed by Gustave Eiffel in the late 1880s, the magnificent structure is a perfect argument for form over function and has become the icon of the Parisian skyline. Take that Barcelona who balked at the “a strange and expensive construction”.
Lately the tower explodes into a strobe light party every few hours, which we witnessed from a distance on our first night. Locals find it garish, and they might be right, but I love being wrong and touristy and finding it giddily fun.
But what do you think?