14 - 22 November, 2014
Bonjour lovers!
So, it turns out I'm in love with Paris. Oui. Which was kind of a surprise to me given the last time I was here I wasn't so fond of the place (granted I was eighteen, had only enough funds for a five litre plastic vat of cheap wine and I wore a garbage bag as a raincoat). This time however I loved everything about Paris. The cobbled streets, cosy cafes, tasty champagne, amazing architecure, incredible art, beautiful bridges, decadent treats and boutique shops. I also loved our little life for the week in Paris. We had the cutest loft apartment, just near Notre Dame, that was above a creperie! Oui, un petit creperie. And we rode bikes all over the city like locals. It was bien. I miss my Paris already. Damo and I have pinky promised to come back one day soon.
The highlights
- Waking up each morning to the sound of ringing church bells! How European. Normally at the end of the dinging there were nine big chimes. And sometimes - after a big night on the champagne - ten. Funemployment is a tough life.
- As mentioned, we lived in the cutest loft apartment above a freaking creperie. It doesn't get much more Parisian than that. A loft, on top of a creperie, with dinging bells, coming from the Notre Dame which was 300ms away, in the groovy Latin Quarter, with all the bistros and cafes at our doorstep. Ohlala.
- True to our style, we rode push bikes everywhere. Along the Seine, through the Louvre, down the Champs Elysees (in the words of Art vs Science, "it's a busy street"), up to Montmarte, over to the big ET (thats slang for Eiffel Tower) and along Parisian pathways whilst holding hands. So romantico.
- We offset all our bike riding with LOTS of French cuisine. Snails, frog legs, foie gras, onion soup, champagne, wine, creme brulee (I alarmingly had 3 over the course of a week, they're delicious), cheese, cured meats, macarons, crossaints, pana chocolates, crepes, fondue, hot chocolates - you name it, we ate it. Big thanks to Soph and Maz for the hot tips on food joints!
- The Eiffel Tower blew our minds. We couldn't stop staring at it. Or taking photos of it. We climbed all 704 steps to the top. We saw her by day, by night and with all her crazy sparkly lights.
- We saw lots of other pretty buildings in Paris too. We did a full day walking tour around all the sites and lights when we first arrived. We also went on a night boat tour under all the twinkling bridges. I could've spent all day in the Notre Dame, the huuuuge colourful and stunning church that it is. In fact we did spend about a day in the Musee d'Orsey... Damo dutifully followed me around the gallery as I recited to him my high school art history knowledge on Monet, Manet, Degas, Picasso, Renoir, Van Gough, Rodin and more. It was incredibly exciting, mostly for me.
- Damo was a little more enthusiastic about our trip to the Catacombs. Did you know that there are 6 million bodies buried beneath Paris?! True story. Apparently in the late 1700s the cemeteries were so full that homes nearby couldn't leave milk or wine out for more than a few hours before the stench of the dead turned the milk sour and wine off! Gah. It was pretty cool to walk through all the quarrys under the city and pop up on a street miles away.
- We both had a blast at a cabaret show, Can Can dancers, acrobats and all, it was rad! Hilariously, the camp matrade dude had a soft spot for Damo and relentlessly flirted with him, much to my and the entire audience's amusement. Ha.
The Summary
Weather: It may have been a bit on the chilly (4-11C) and occasionally rainy side, but it didn't matter, it was still perfect for strolling and riding..!
Activities: bike riding, strolling, climbing towers, eating crossaints.
Food: Everything from snails and frog legs to macarons and creme brulees. The best thing about Paris is that the restaurants are so competitive, you can get delicious and affordable meals! Three courses for €10? Oui please!
Beverages: Everything from fine champagne to €2 bottles of bubbles, we don't discriminate. Hot chocolates also.
People: Paris is the city of love, we don't need other people.
Accommodation: An airbnb winner!! Epic pad in the heart of the Latin Quarter owned by a gorgeous lady who had a baguette and bottle of champers for our arrival! Super. If you're going to Paris, stay at 33 Rue des Harpe, you won't be disappointed!
Fun fact: I think moost people are aware of the Love Bridge in Paris where you clip a padlock with your lover to the bridge and toss the key in the river, yes? Well, it turns out doing this doesn't mean your love will last for eternity, it seems it will only last 3 months before the fence of the bridge becomes so heavy with locks it's borderline dangerous and they have to remove the fence every three months, tossing away the locks!
Budget: Killed it. 6% under thanks to our thrifty biker legs for transport and our love of €10 meal deals.
Overall: Paris was an absolute highlight. I never understood the hype about what I remember to be a wet and dirty and rude city. But now I get it, it's amazing and interesting and mysterious and incredibly beautiful. I'm definitely coming back. With Damo of course - I need him to make sure I don't eat Paris out of crem brulees.
That's it! We're now in Singapore with the lovely Steve and Nina who are hosting us in their groovy pad.
Au re voir,
Kath (and Damo)
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| Paris! Best seen by bike. |
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| The city is soooooo pretty. Just look at these houses. |
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| And the bustling streets in the evening. This is the Latin Quarter. Where we lived. It is very groovy. |
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| There's always something going on in Paris. |
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| There're stalls to buy pictures and trinkets. |
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| And bistros and cafes to drink at. |
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| We lived above a creperie! |
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| Our loft apartment was super cute. We drank bubbles in it every evening. Exhibit A. |
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| Sometimes there would be two bottles of bubbles. Exhibit B. |
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| And some nights we would watch a move in our humble abode. Parisian movies only, of course. And always with bubbles. |
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| We spent a day doing a walking tour with this chic. |
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| Soooo many locks. See my fun fact for deets. |
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| Parisian wanderings. |
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| The Louvre. Weeeee. |
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| Damo having a special moment with his first Parisian pana chocolate. |
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| Notre Dame! How beautiful is she?! |
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| Check out those rose windows. Woah. |
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| This guys not quite as impressed... |
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| Inside the Catacombs. As mentioned, 6 mill bodies are buried down here. |
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| There are also winding tunnels like this sprawling under the city. |
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| Musee d'Orsey. Made in an old train station and full of amazing art. |
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| Like this one from Renoir. With these kids in high vis vests. |
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| Ohlala! |
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| The Champs Elysee! We rode our bikes up this street. Yep. |
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| The view when you look back down to the Louvre. |
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| Arc de Triomphe! Damo jumping cars. |
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| Me taking a load off on the curb. |
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| Hello Eiffel! You're so pretty. |
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| We liked your sparkling lights. |
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| Damo tried to jump higher than you. |
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| I wanted to give you a smooch. |
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| We both agreed that we loved you very much. |
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| Even at night on your busy streets. |
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| We liked the views from on top of you. |
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| We climbed all 704 of your stairs. Easy. |
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| And then went on a boat tour and watched you from the river. |
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| An evening boat cruise under the Parisian bridges. Tres romantico! |
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| Cruising the streets. |
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| Purusing the many bakeries. |
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| One of our local dinner haunts. |
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| Jammy crossaints. |
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| Best. Hot. Chocolate. Ever. From Angelinas. |
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| Weddings in Montmarte. |
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| Views from the top of Montmarte. |
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| Navigating my way around a snail plate. Eek. |
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| Yummo! |
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| Froggies. |
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| Can cans and acrobatics at our Cabaret Show. |
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| Bonjour! We at the cabaret! |
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| Nutella crepes. Oui. |
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| Ha. |
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| Au re voir! |
