PARIS

Voila!

I just had the most wonderful time in Paris this weekend. So much packed into two days, I don't know if I'll be able to remember all of what we did!

First off, what I don't understand is why it takes 5 (FIVE) hours by car, but only 2 (TWO!!) hours by train?? Screw it, I'd take the train any day! Definitely beats being squished in the middle of two car seats with two little ones sleeping on your shoulder the whole time. Ok, it was kind of tender that Lucile felt comfortable enough to lay her head on my shoulder, but only for about two minutes. After I got over being all "Aww" I was more like "Ok, get off." Luckily I had 100 new songs thanks to my mommy's Christmas present (iTunes gift card, thank you mommy!), to keep me company for the five hours I had ahead of me. I kept chanting "I'm going to Paris, I'm going to Paris" to keep myself from going insane.

We arrived around one in the morning. It was raining, and oddly enough I was listening to "Raining in Paris" by A Rocket to the Moon, at that time...Gilles had rented a small one room apartment just three blocks south of Notre Dame. It was smaller than my apartment in Lyon! But for two days, we managed.

Day one: We took the metro (oh la la, what a maze down there!) to La Defense which is surround by a lot of skyscrapers and businesses that are very well known in Paris. The thing was huge!! I even learned that it's not just a huge...thing...it's a business building in and of itself too!

Next was the Arc de Triomphe. It's surround by a huge round-a-bout that really has no rules when it comes to lanes, so conveniently they build a tunnel underneath to get to it. The Arc de Triomphe is also the resting place of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WWI. It honors all those who were lost in combat and never identified. That place struck very close to my heart due to the fact that My Boyfriend, Connor, is currently serving the US Army. So I felt a certain level of reverence there. Doesn't matter that these men weren't American, these men were soldiers and I know what that means, so I respect them. 

We walked down Champs-Elysees which was WAY over priced by the way... But it was fun to see all the Shops and Stores. The entire time I was singing the old song, "Champs-Elysees," of course. Walk Off The Earth did a fun little cover of that, which I added below. 

Then..... BA DA DUM!!! La Tour Eiffel!! I could hardly hold in my squeals as we approached it. I gained some crazy looks from some passerby's as I took some shameless selfies. It's on my bucket list to get ice cream on the top of The Eiffel Tower. The last time I was here, I was in line to get some but my tour left before I got to order :(. This time we didn't buy tickets far enough in advance to go up, but I know for sure that it's not my last time here. I will get my ice cream!! Which by the way, remind me to blog about my bucket list...Any way, I got some pretty good pictures, non? 

 
 
 
 


Next, off to the Ecole Militaire (Military School) and Hotel des Invalides, which is now a military museum. It was fun because I got to see a lot of French Soldiers. Don't worry Connor, I still think you look better in uniform ;) But it was fun for me because of my relations to the US Army. The Invalides is also the final resting place of Napolean Bonaparte which I thought was super cool.

 
 
  

Then in the evening we went out to see a Pixar Convention, The Opera, Obelisque, Le Louvre and Notre Dame. I was kind of bummed we didn't get to go through the museum. I would have loved to see The Mona Lisa for the second time. The last time I was there, the room was so crowded, I passed out...One can spend a whole two day's there and still not see it all! Tant pis, next time!! No photos were allowed, but I managed to get a shot of the original lamp and ball from all the Pixar openings, and an army guy drawing from Toy Story for Connor. The bridge with all the locks was cool. It looked like that all across the whole thing! It's also on my bucket list to put a lock of my own on a bridge like that one day with my husband. I even witnessed a couple having candle lit picnic next to the lock they placed on that bridge years ago. Tres Romantique!

 
 
 
 

 

 

The next day was of Montmarte, Sacre-Coeur and the Citie des Sciences et l'industrie. Gilles is a gamer so he wanted to go to the Video Game exhibit they had going on there. The Sacre-Coeur was AMAZING! I didn't get to visit that on my first visit to Paris three years ago so I was blown away. With the blue sky and clouds behind it, it was simply breath taking.

                                                          

And lastly, how could I forget the food???



  I do have to say, it wasn't as awe striking the second time as it was the first. I think that is because for the past two months, I've spent every day living, eating, shopping and going to school in places just like the places I saw there. I see these kinds of buildings every day. Although I had a  wonderful time, it didn't feel...New? I don't know how to explain it. Regardless, I am still in love with Paris.

Ah, Paris. I will return again!

Abi