The sheer excitement hit me like a speeding bullet. The anticipation was shattered, and the moment had finally come. I waited for the long, rapid, white object to come peeking out of the dark, dreary, damp cave. It came. All of a sudden, it shot out of the hole so quick, my eyes could barely focus on it. It came to a screeching halt. We boarded the Parisian Metro.
             The ride was filled with a sense of anticipation. Thump! Thump! Thump! The rails went on the lines. We stopped. Thump! Thump! Thump as the subway started up again. Another stop. This cycle remained in effect for at least four more stops. Each time the train would stop to pick up and drop off bustling passengers. More and more people piled into the narrow doorway. By the time our stop came, it was jammed packed like a cattle car. "Our stop is next," yelled the tour guide. Just then, a sense of enthusiasm, a sense of deep exhilaration came over me. The train again came to a jerking halt. All thirty-eight of us stepped off the train onto the platform. We walked down a flight of concrete stairs onto a busy sidewalk. People walking by, cars honking and zipping by. I made a quick glance to my right and saw it gleaming in front of me.
             My first glance was mind-boggling. My eyes kept leading me farther up and up and up until, at last, my eyes wandered to the top. It was amazing. Its steel, golden structure reflected off the platform lights like a star gleaming in the night sky. Each of the four bases ran proportionally to the ones beside and across from it until the apex at the top came to a single point. The Eiffel tower was gargantuan, bigger than any picture seen in a book or on television. At last, our tickets were purchased and we were ready to ascend to the third platform where Paris can be seen for miles on end. First we boarded the overcrowded elevator and were dropped off at the second level. From there, we boarded the second lift that took us to the observation l...