Paris in a day

We had previously taken up beginner French classes during our school days and it came handy in greetings, asking for directions, ordering items off the cafe menu, etc. We were in fact quite excited at being able to converse in simple French, so we mustered up the courage whenever we could to polish up our French (we got a few amusing laughs, hopefully they appreciated our heartfelt efforts)!

We got to the Louvre, one of the world's largest and most visited museum. The museum is in fact also part of the historic Louvre Palace which was built way back in the 12th century. The Louvre is home to many artefacts and paintings, including the Mona Lisa. I'm pretty sure most of you (if not all) would have heard of the Louvre and would need no further introduction.

The audio guide was pretty interesting. It came in the form of a Nintendo 3DS which tracks your position and provides audio commentaries on the Louvre's various galleries and exhibits as you make your way around the huge museum.

Admission ticket: 10 euros

Audio guide (optional): 5 euros

The walk to the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile tested our legs as it brought us through the Tuileres Garden (big open green fields and picnic areas) and Avenue des Champs Elysees (shopping district). Distracted by the numerous shops lined up along the Champs Elysees, we eventually arrived at the famous monument in the evening. The Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile, which is a bigger arc than the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel located near the Louvre, is located at the Place Charles de Gualle at the west end of the Champs Elysees. It serves as a memorial for the soldiers who battled for France during the French Revolutionary Wars in the late 18th century and the Napolean Wars in the early 19th century.

Admission ticket: 8 euros

The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile as the sun went down was fantastic, though it got a little chilly as the sky darkened.

While I guess Paris may have its detractors, this beautiful city (probably except the metro, but nevertheless the metro system was pretty extensive) had so far managed to capture us.

YJ

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You know what we did last summer

If my pictures could talk, you wouldn't have to read.  It was this month, last year, that we took a 3 week vacay to France & Italy. These photos were taken on the first day of our trip in Paris, France.  Having lived on the equator all my life, imagine my amazement at the time as we waited for sunsets. 9.00 o'clock in the evening, & the sun was just about to go. 

I hope the pictures breathed a little in your face.  All photos were taken by YJ & I as we en route to la Tour du Eiffel in Paris.  This French city is beyond your imagination ( if you've never been there ).  Beautiful is an absolute understatement. 

On a side note, could traveling alone could be just the most enlightening adventure of a lifetime ? I could never understand why.  Although, there are the the few things my heart & soul find the most enjoyment in without yearning the company of another entity: window-shopping, having meals al fresco, people-watching.  While sometimes I imagine myself to be tripping alone, cruising solo on a ship, ticket-for-one-please attraction visits, sitting by the side of a fountain sipping soda while map-reading ( oui, studying maps is the best way of familiarizing myself with surrounding areas ), the unceasing manifestations of wish-you-were-here moments are hard to ignore.  We go everywhere, together, every time. In moments where his emotions break down, gets the better of me, I just signal SOS, get the defibrillator, breathe into a paperbag, hyperventilate a bit & settle with a kiss.  According to scientific reasons, kisses are everything. 

By the way, this travelog could very well become one of the very few things that tug at my heartstrings.

X

P.S. Hit us up with questions in the comments section or via email thefancyvoyager@gmail.com if you're curious about that pizza in the photo or the languages we speak. xx

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