Saturday, March 15, 2008

J'adore Paris

What can I say about Paris that you don't already know/expect? Well, not everyone loves it apparently. But I think it's hard not to fall in love with it, especially if you're a big city boy like me. Sure, I love nature and the waters, the beach and the lazing ard.. But when a city is buzzing with such romantic old town charms, a twinkling beacon of light the French call "La Tour Eiffel" and a river flowing under 35 bridges right in the city.. How could u not like it?


Imagine this: It's wintertime at the end of the year, you walk down Champs-Élysées.. You're on a shopping boulevard with trees lined up towards the Arc de Triomphe and which are full of dancing blue lights. Behind you, a large ferris wheel and carousel centre in the heart of the city.

Then, in the near vicinity, the famous Louvre museum stands with the magnificent glass pyramid adorning the courtyard of a 800 year old Palace. And u chance upon another musical carousel in the middle of the park.


As if that wasn't enough, further along the Seine river, you spot yet another buzz of activities, this time with yet another 2 carousels beside an outdoor skating rink and igloo, just cause it's christmas time. All of these in front of another palace.


Oh, and once in a the Centre Pompidou contemporary art museum, we were able to spot the disneyland castle in the horizon of the night sky. Magical.


In all, I've had almost a full 2 weeks of touring Paris, so I think as far as tourists go, I know the place pretty well. Sure there're the Notre Dame Cathedral and Da Vinci Code's Saint Sulpice, or the Moulin Rouge and Paris' Red Light Montmarte.. And as much as there is much to see and do in Paris, there is at least as much atmosphere to feel and soak up .. Be sure to drop ur first visit with a special someone and capture all the magic that Paris has to offer.


Cautions!

1) French people really do not like to speak English at all. But the younger generations in general are more adept at it. A simple 'Bonjour' and a genuine look on ur face asking for help will do the trick when you ask "Do you speak English?" or "Parlez-vous Anglais, s'il vous plait?"

2) Same goes for waiters at a restaurant! If it's busy, they are the king! MANY "s'il vous plait"s will finally get u ur menu or bill.

3) Metros run to everywhere in the city at intervals of 500m or less! Unless you're a cheapskate like me who prefers to walk everywhere anyway, get a booklet of 10 metro tickets (carnet). It's cheaper than individual tixes.

4) Latin Quartier has cheap and pretty good French 3/4 course meals at ard 10 Euros. Can't beat that! And do urself a favour and eat at Léon - a mussels restaurant chain that converted even a non-fan like me.

5) There's a free museum in the evenings every Wed - Sat for under 25s! And every first Sun of e mth is free-almost-any-attaction day.

6) Miss the sunset view at Basilique du Sacré-Cœur at your own peril! It's Paris' highest vista point and it's totally free. The Tour Eiffel, on the other hand.. so-so for the view. But if you're a checklist kinda tourist, you'd do well to visit it of course. I got suckered into it twice. But pay only for the first level elevator and u can climb ur way up n save urself a few Euros and calories in the process.


More Paris pics here

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