Bonjour Paree!
Said goodbye to London, and took the Eurostar to Paris. Prior to this trip, we have had multiple warnings from friends and family about Paris. Although a beautiful city, many have said that beneath the glamour, the city stinks of gutter & drainage, there is a rampant problem of petty crime & the French aren't exactly the friendliest of people.
From the moment we stepped out of the train at Paris Gare du Nord (station), our alertness was switched on to the fullest. Hence we made the decision to take a cab to our airbnb apartment cos two asians lugging large suitcases, clutching a map and looking lost may probably invite unwanted attention. :/
The area near the apartment turned out to be pretty lively and not dangerous at all, it being near the metro with a few bakeries & restaurants (even one that sold Chinese food!) With nothing concrete planned for the day except to take in as many sights of the City of Love, we set out to explore. It was our first time taking the metro, and I would say the experience was slightly unnerving (just because everyone looks so suspicious and the metro is a very hot spot for pick-pockets.) Fortunately for us, we came out of the whole 5 days in Paris (financially) unscathed. After reflecting, we agreed that our Paris experience was less enjoyable because we were always being so cautious. We couldn't totally immerse ourselves in anything lest we get distracted. Nonetheless, Paris is so so so beautiful, now on to the pictures...
Out of the metro, we chanced upon Opéra national de Paris. Immediately getting a taste of what Paris has to offer!
Thank God for good weather - sunny yet chilly!
Awkward picture together at the Louvre! Haha. But if I don't remember wrongly, we helped a nice couple take a picture and in return they offered to help us take one too. Anyway, apart for the red camera bag, we tried to dress in dark and non-flashy clothing so as to not attract attention. I've seen tourists wear like bright maxi dresses, big floppy sun hats and carry branded bags - like seriously? Okay maybe we are being over-paranoid but I guess in the end we managed to avoid any bad experiences (:
Saw many people climbing onto the blocks to take weird pictures with their hands outstretched so we decided to join in lol.
Walked along the La Seine (River Seine) to the Pont Des Arts.
This is the famous bridge (that appears in the news frequently for it possibly collapsing).
We couldn't make a trip to Paris without leaving a part of us here as well. So we did (: Although now I've heard they are going to remove all the locks because the weight of the locks are posing a safety concern for the bridge, as well as the keys thrown into the river posing some environmental problems. The rails will be replaced with glass or something.
Every turn in this fine city is truly beautiful. And as cliche it sounds, there is really a romantic feeling that lingers in the air. I'm not even kidding when I say the song La Vie En Rose was playing in my head the whole time, and I was humming it, much to the annoyance of Joel. :P
Quick takeway lunch: crepe with cheese and ham. So simple but délicieux!
Notre Dame de Paris from the front.
From the side, with a glimpse of its beautiful small garden.
Paris Cityhall, which was decorated with banners celebrating the win of Paris Saint-Germain (soccer team) in the France league. We had tickets to watch their last match at the PSG stadium which was taking place in a few days time. But because the team was already way at the top of the table, the results of the last match would not change their placing. So, the whole city was already celebrating.
Luxembourg Gardens. It was a good day for the locals and tourists to just bask in the sun at the garden. Which I guess to them this is the closest they can get to a "beach".
Took the metro to the Montmartre area and was pleasantly surprised by this entire area. This is the more "arty" place in Paris. Some famous artists in history have had art studios here sometime in their life - Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, just to name a few.
Lots of art-related shops here and activities were taking place. If I were to return to Paris, I would probably choose to stay in this area. (:
And the main reason for our visit - Basilica of the Sacré Cœur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart). As with most churches (or places of religion), photos aren't allowed inside which explains why I mostly have shots of the exterior only.
On a side note, my photo-taking in Europe became a deliberate and "only if necessary" thing. When roaming the streets of Paris, especially ones without much human activity, we tried to keep our camera in the bag as much as possible. But in touristy areas, we felt more freedom to snap pictures without fear of being robbed because we were able to blend in with every other DSLR-wielding tourist.
One of the best views in Paris.
And the Basilica from bottoms up.
We called it a day after having dinner. The skies were still bright cos the sun sets late in the Spring (8pm-ish), but our tired selves decided that we should take it easy. Paris Disneyland up next! (:
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