Bright and early on the morning of Thursday, February 21st Denise and I headed to St. Pancras International to board our Eurostar train to Paris.
The train ride there was a quiet one, as Denise and I were in much need of more rest and some quiet time because of our late arrival home from Munich the night before.
We arrived in Paris at about 11 am, Paris time (1 hour ahead of London time). The sun was shining and we were ready to figure out our next step...how to find our hotel. Without really thinking ahead, I hadn't thought to buy a map of Paris. So, that was the first thing I purchased from a shop inside the Gare du Nord train station. We also asked about our metro passes, as we already had these purchased from Denise's travel agent.
We didn't really know the area of our hotel other than it was a 5 minute walk away from Moulin Rouge. So, we figured out what area of the city that was and I scoured the map for our street. I also found the street we needed in the index. "Rue Ravignon". It was in square E18. But I stared and stared at that map, and I could not find it! So, we decided to leave the Gare du Nord station and take the metro to the stop by Moulin Rouge and go from there.
The metro station in Paris is interesting. Similar to London in the way that the lines and stations are well marked, and there are good signs and maps inside to make sure you get on the train going the right direction. However, the metro is much dirtier and less modern. As well, the doors actually unlock and you can open them before the train has come to a full stop! This was a complete shock to me! I mean it seems hard to get off when the train is still in motion, and a little bit unsafe!
We found Moulin Rouge, and then came our saving grace. A street map on a board on the sidewalk! Hallelujah! There it was, Rue Ravignon. And do you know why I couldn't find it on my map? Because the label Montmatre was covering THE WHOLE STREET! Seriously! Maps shouldn't do that!
Can you spot our street?
So, we start our walk to our hotel, and must I say we decided to stay in the one area of the city with hills. It was like San Fransisco for goodness sake! At first, I wondering why no one had warned me that Paris was a hilly city, then I realised it was just that area! haha.
We found our hotel, Timhotel Montmatre. Yay! It was like finding water after being in the desert and dehydrated.
We weren't able to check into our room yet, but we left our bags in the baggage area and went in search of our first French meal. We decided to try a place right by our hotel, as I was too hungry to venture too far. I had really good frites and roast poulet! To top it off afterwards, my first of many croissant du chocolat. Yum yum!
Our hotel was right near the Sacre Cour, so we decided that should be our first place to adventure to in the few hours before we could check into our hotel.
The beautiful Sacre Cour
After our tour inside, we noticed a school group so we decided to follow them a bit. We figured they must know where they were going, and we didn't want to venture too far from our hotel area. They led us to an area with some souvenir shops and cafes, so we did a bit of souvenir shopping and then decided to eat, again. Yes, eating is a popular activity in France because everything tastes so amazing! We sat outside at a little cafe, that even had blankets and heat lamps, where I savoured the most wonderful creme brûlée. It was mouthwatering and I basically was in love with every spoonful!
Trying on French berets!
Outside of Cafe Richard, ready to eat my creme brulee!
By this time, we were getting tired and ready for a nap so we ventured back to our hotel to check in and get settled in.
After an hour or so, we decided to go find the Eiffel Tower. I knew I needed to see this to feel like I really was in Paris, so we put on our warm clothes and went on our way. However, we didn't get too far before I spotted another bakery where I sampled a piece of Foret Noir, which I even ordered in French! I knew this would be my dessert eating portion of the trip, if I didn't already know it before.
And then we were off, and we found it. The Eiffel Tower. It does really exist.
We decided to leave our tour of it, and climbing to the top until the next day. But I'm glad we decided to see it all lit up at night, so there is another tick off my bucket list. See Eiffel tower, check!
For dinner, we stopped at the bakery that we had found on our way to the tower and picked up different things, took them back to our hotel, and devoured them. It was an early night for us, because we wanted the next day to be jam packed and we needed our energy.
Friday, February 22nd was our one full day in Paris, and we made the most of it.
It started with our hotel's continental breakfast where I enjoy croissant after croissant because they were just so tasty! I had 7 in total, 3 chocolate, 2 raisin, and 2 plain ones.
After that, we started by venturing to a tour bus office that we had passes for as purchased by Denise's travel agent. We wanted to find out what the deal with them was. It was a hop-on-hop-off type deal with 3 different routes around the city. So, we got on one and our first destination was....Notre Dame. I needed to see The Hunchback's home.
It was special for us because we were able to visit Notre Dame during its 850th anniversary. It's a beautiful cathedral both inside and out. The atmosphere is calming as well. Inside there was a choir singing and at first I just thought it was a recording, but I was wrong...
It was live! The boys sounded phenomenal. Their voices were very angelic. It just added to the magic of the atmosphere.
When we left Notre Dame, we planned to walk along the Sienne River to the Louvre museum. Well, we walked along the Sienne, but we didn't go the right way at first. This is when Denise really learned that she does not have a strong geographical sense. My gut had told me it was the other way, but I decided to let Denise lead. As we were walking, I was checking the map and my guy was right...we were going the wrong direction!
So we found a bus stop and waited for a bus to take us back in the right direction as we had a tight schedule and lots to do so no time to be wasted!
Along our detour we did pass the Pont des Arts bridge, where love paddlocks are engraved and attached to the bridge. This is where lovers come, and 'throw away the key' to their love and leave a sentiment in Paris.
Even though I know my friendship with Denise is everlasting, we didn't put a padlock here. Perhaps one day we will come back with our true loves and follow tradition and be a little romantic. ;)
After our detour we found the Louvre.
Outside the Louvre
The Glass Pyramid, which now acts as the entrance to the Louvre.
We found it, the Mona Lisa!
As neither Denise or I are really museum people, let alone art gallery museum people, we found the Mona Lisa and called it a day in there!
Our next stop, lunch somewhere and a walk along at the Champs-Elysees!
We found lunch at a small cafe restaurant in the middle of the park. It seemed busy with lots of people heading in, so we decided to follow. This is where I had the most amazing hot dog that I actually have ever had in my life. It was a hot dog au fromage. Yes, it was covered in melted cheese and it was mouth wateringly good.
Wow, I could go for another one of those right now! Oh man, I told you. France knows how to do food!
Denise is ready!
Along our walk, we passed lots of high-end shops such as Louie Vuitton and Rolex (and not the ones you find being sold on the street hidden in coats!) , as well as car dealerships. We went into Mercedes-Benz, where I had a look around and Denise asked where she could find BMW. Turns out it was just off on a nearby side street, so we took a little detour and ventured inside.
These are the outfits that the girls wear at this dealership, what do you think?
All day I kept seeing the posters for a movie, and it just made me laugh only because the French translation is fun to say in a scary voice. We found one on the Champs - Elysee and I just had to take a picture!
Du Plomb Dans La Tete! Bang!
And then, there it was. The Arc de Triomphe! Another important monument that defines Paris.
We decided not to go to the top, as we still had our Eiffel Tower tour ahead. We didn't even cross the street to get a closer look. We came, we saw, we went.
From there, we hopped on the metro and headed to the Eiffel Tower. I must add that it was freezing cold outside, and at this point we are just over halfway through our day. My motivation to get me through to the end? A nice hot shower back at the hotel.
We arrived at the Eiffel Tower and waited in line for our climb to the top. No, we did not climb the stairs, we took the elevator. It was a cold wait in line, but we hopped and jumped and huddled the best we could to stay warm. Mind you, Denise was lucky because she had me as a tall person to block the wind, but once she came a bit too close and I body checked her away.
Finally, we got to purchase our tickets and wait for the elevator. Here are some of the views from the top!
And here is me, freezing cold, because it was much colder and windier at the top!
We were then in quite the hurry to get down, because of the cold. But of course, there was a long line for the elevator so more waiting was ahead of us! We finally managed to get on the elevator to take us about 2/3 of the way down too a lower level where we got off to check out the gift shop. Then we couldn't find the other elevator, and we were in such a hurry that we hit the staircase! Scary idea! I tried to go as fast as I could, but the staircase reminded me a lot of a ladder because it was iron and I didn't like being able to see the ground, so I was terrified. I held onto that railing and just prayed to reach the ground safely. Denise took off in front of me, although her hurry was due more to the temperature than fear. We managed to make it to the ground and I thanked God for the solid earth below me! Never again will I climb that tower...maybe I'll see it again but never again will I venture up it! What goes up must come down, a little principle I had forgotten temporarily.
From there, we headed to a River Cruise that we had booked tickets for from our travel agent as well. Denise and I were so looking forward to this just so that we could sit down and be inside a shelter for a while to warm up!
We cruised along the Siene river and back, allowing us to see Paris a different way. I'm definitely a fan of tours like this, because you often pick up little tidbits of information about the history and story of the city that otherwise you wouldn't normally get. For example, I learned that Napoleon was the one who decided to move the royal headquarters from the Louvre to Versaille, which is located outside of the city of Paris.
Here is Denise on the river cruise as we passed the Eiffel Tower.
After our river cruise, we were nearing the end of our day. It was time to do a bit of shopping at a place called Galleries Lafeyette and have some dinner.
But first, Denise wanted to open a light-up Eiffel Tower figurine from the black men that come out at night and sell them on the street. They literally have these big hooks attached to them, with all of the figurines hanging off. They try to talk to you to get you to buy one, but if you aren't interested you simply ignore them and keep walking. However, this time, our goal was to get one. We picked our target gentleman, and approached him. Here is how the scene unfolded.
Denise: "I want one"
Black Man: "10 Euros"
Denise: "5"
Black Man: "8"
Denise: "5"
Black Man: "7"
Denise: "5"
Black Man: "Ok 5"
Denise then realises she only has a 10 Euro bill, and knowing these were not the type of sellers to give change, I pulled out a 5 Euro bill that I had and paid the man.
Then, like a flock of birds realising that bread has been dropped on the sidewalk, other black men begin to swarm us, saying "Hey pretty ladies". So I yell "Run!"
Denise and I book it away towards the metro, but we didn't run long before I yelled "Stop!". Because I was part laughing and it was cold and I was running, this is what happened. I continue to say..."I think I peed a little!".
Which just resulted in more laughter, which didn't help my situation and so therefore our next destination was a toilet. And that was how Denise came to get her light-up Eiffel Tower figurine.
It was getting late so when we arrived at the Galleries, shops were starting to close so we didn't have a lot of time to look around. However, Denise managed to get a cute outfit for Ashby. We then had dinner at an Italian place that was right by the shops. Yes, I know what you are thinking...we are in France, we should eat French food. Well, we were tired, and cold, and hungry and for anyone who knows me you know how I get when I'm hungry. So we chose the first warm place that we saw! The food was delicious as well, I had a yummy lasagna and Denise and I shared a very good bottle of white wine.
At this point we were just about ready to call it a day, but since we didn't have dessert at the restaurant we decided to head back to our hotel area and go up to the top of Montmatre to enjoy some crepes.
We found a hopping little French place that was jam packed at 10:00 pm, and enjoy delicious citrus fruit crepes. I also had a warm glass of mulled wine. It was at this restaurant that both Denise and I were reflecting about our experience of our trip thus far. Denise decided that she loved Paris, especially that restaurant and that she could see herself living or retiring in Montmatre. I realised how much I care about Denise and how much I enjoyed having her share this traveling experience with me, and how much I wasn't wanting her to leave.
Here we are, outside of the cafe. Can you tell how tired I am?
At long last, we returned to our hotel and I had that amazing hot shower that I had been dreaming about all day. Denise and I both slept well that night.
Saturday February 23rd was a more restful, slow paced day. We had done most of what we wanted to do on the Friday, because we thought our train left a bit earlier in the afternoon. After checking our tickets again, we realised the train didn't leave until 4:45 pm. However, we still kept the slow pace in mind for our day. At this point, Denise and I were starting to feel exhausted from the entire trip as well.
We enjoyed our continental breakfast again, I think I only had about 4 croissants this time (mostly because they needed to refill the baskets in the breakfast area!). We then headed off, and we were going to try to go to the Palace of Versailles, but we realised it was a train ride out of the city and didn't think we would have enough time.
So, we went and did a bit more shopping instead. We went back to the Galleries Lafayette, and found a different location of the shop that was to have an incredible glass dome inside of it.
The most beautiful shopping place I have ever seen.
We did a bit more shopping here, Denise bought a Burberry hat for her neice and I bought a lovely robin's egg blue satchel purse from Lancaster Paris. I had been wanting a new spring-coloured purse, so I decided a souvenir from Paris would be the perfect fit!
Later, we also found a Haribo stand. Duh duh dunnnn! I love my Haribo, so we picked up a few packages for the train ride home!
We had our last French meal at a nice cafe near the shops where we both had quiche, our last French food to try! It was amazing of course, as well as my chocolate banana pie for dessert. Oh how I miss those French desserts already!
It wasn't long before we headed back to the hotel to collect our baggage to take our journey to the Gare du Nord station and head back to London.
We were both so exhausted at this point, that once we got to the train station we were happy to just sit and wait for our train.
Once we got home, around 6:30 pm London time, Denise began to pack as her flight was early the next morning. We shared our stories with my roommates and had a quiet night in.
I took Denise to Victoria station the next morning for her to catch the train to Gatwick airport. It was time to say goodbye. I'm generally not good with goodbyes, so I always remember something that my dear friend Gail taught her pre-school students. You do short goodbyes, and long hellos. That's how I try to get through things. If you draw it out too long, it just leads to tears and neither person wants to part the other. But if you make it quick, then you can just focus on the happiness you will feel the next time you say hello. :)
Thanks for joining me on this amazing adventure Denise. I will never forget it.
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