BONJOUR, PARIS!
I was just imagining myself striking a pose at those magnificent tourist spots in Europe whenever I watch travel shows. One of my #travelgoals to see for myself how really impressive these sceneries in their respective countries are. Thanks to my Sister Ainy for being my travelbuddy during this trip. We were in this together with all those preparations from the Schengen Visa Application, itineraries and ALL things needed for a worthwhile vacation. I remember we even went out to celebrate over a meal after we got our approved visas. ‘Twas my first time in Europe but Siz was a second timer in Paris. She also went for a EU trip when she worked in Spain, somehow an advantage for us being familiar with using maps and their trains. Shout out also to Sir Jojo for the help.
We booked our flight with Emirates From Manila To Paris with Dubai Layover.
Also my first time to ride Emirates and it was a blast. The food, the in-flight entertainment and the overall experience were all at its best, enough to ride this plane again for the next travels.
Leg 1 : From Manila To Dubai (around 8 hours flight)
Snack Stop : Midnight Snack @ MCDO @ Dubai Airport. Feels great when we saw our “kababayans” at the cashier and around the airport as well. Tagalog na syempre. We ordered BigMac (yum!)
Leg 2 : From Dubai to Paris-CDG, Charles De Gaulle Airport, Aerogare 2 Terminal C (another 7-8 hours flight)
We arrived in Paris in the afternoon with a whopping 10-degree Celsius (wow!)
We stayed at Grand Hotel Nouvel Opera located at Ledru-Rollin, 11th - Bastille - Republique, Paris, France. Website : https://www.grand-hotel-nouvel-opera.com/
LET'S TOUR
Good morning Paris!
A "frenchy" way to start the day : croissant! Had a great breakfast at the hotel and ready for our first day of tour.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL – sadly, this was under renovation when we visited in September 2019 due to fire incident. Hence, we were still able to see it from the outside and still took some great pictures from different angles. We walked around this area and we just enjoyed all the shops, vendors and food stalls.
SAINT LOUIS PLACE - enjoyed the park here especially the colors of the flowers that bloom which give beauty to the place. Shout out to the Monsieur singing while playing his guitar, adds up to the lively vibe.
CRUISE IN SEINE RIVER - that feeling when the city is giving you a heads up of what to expect, that is what you can get when you do the cruise in Seine River. Indulge in all those Paris’ stylish and historical structures.
Had a quick visit at LATIN QUARTERS
and LE MARAIS with all the boutiques, galleries and bars.
Trivia : at night, it only starts to get dark at around 8-8:30pm.
SEINE RIVER
PARIS' ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES
WALKING AROUND NOTRE DAME
LOUVRE MUSEUM DAY
LOUVRE MUSEUM
For the tickets, we booked online.
Tips-booked online to assure reservation and for more convenience.
We enjoyed almost four hours of visit in the museum.
Highlights : Area for the Paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci and I finally met Monalisa :)
Everything is world-class. My faves include the Sculptures and the Egyptians Antiquities Area.
“Learning Never Exhausts The Mind”_Leonardo Da Vinci
THE MUCH AWAITED ITINERARY
EIFFEL TOWER, ARC DE TRIOMPHE, CHAMPS ELYSEES,
The much awaited, must-visits in Paris:
Climbing up the summit of the Eiffel Tower and Posing at the center of the busy road to get that perfect shot with the Arc De Triomphe.
EIFFEL TOWER
Ticket Costs vary widely depending on the “per-floor” admission. There are admission tickets with elevator access to the second floor, or elevator access from the second floor to the summit. We took advantage of the elevator access from second floor to the summit. We climbed the stairs to the second floor to enjoy the scenery and experience literally “climbing” the Eiffel Tower. We visited in the afternoon.
ARC DE TRIOMPHE
“Triumphal Arch of the Star”. They say never leave Paris without a picture at this monument, and so we did. Must say, all the tourists were all respectful to each other at that time. It was like everyone is getting fair share of the limelight.
Tip-visit this place in the morning to have some great shots as people are not yet overcrowded. This monument is at the center of the road so it will be one of those “not-so-easy-shots” pics.
CHAMPS-ELYSEES
This place is famous for their cafes, theatres, and luxury shops. I would say more like the “Most Sophisticated” area of all the places I’ve been to here in Paris. All Luxury Brands Shops you can think of are here.
It is located between the Place de la Concorde and the Place Charles de Gaulle.
VIEW FROM THE EIFFEL SUMMIT
EIFFEL TOWER AT NIGHT
EIFFEL TOWER VIEW @ TROCADERO W/SIZ
FOOD IS LOVE
MUST TRY FOOD
Crepes - try some from the food stalls and also save some budget to try crepes served in a great restaurant.
We tried Crepe at Creperie de St-Malo Resto located in Montparnasse. Their Rating/Review in Trip Advisor is 4 out 5. Agree, from the presentation, taste, and serving size, price is worth it.
Also try Macaroons, Baguette (Baget) and their famous Croissant.
FROM PARIS,FRANCE, OUR NEXT COUNTRY TO VISIT? ITALY...(see you on my next page very soon)
"So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God"_Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
