Last Day in Paris :(

I can't believe it's the last day already! Today was a great day! I went to Saint-Chapelle to see the stain glass windows. Very beautiful! Then it was full time shopping! I got some great stuff that put a fairly good dent in the Paris budget!

I also headed over to Basille neighbourhood to see about Opera tickets AND I'm good to go! I questioned the lady for at least 10 minutes about the neighbourhood at night, using the Metro, how late does it go... and it looks like a go! I can't wait! Check it out - Rigoletto

After that... more shopping! I found this great call store called C&A (sort of like H&M!)

I then walked about and landed again at the Musee Rodin... my absolute favourite! I just sat in the park and relaxed!

Now off for some dinner and then OPERA time! I'm so exciting!

See ya back in Ottawa tomorrow!

I Now Know Why French Women are So Thin...

It's all the freakin' steps here! It's COMPLETELY INSANE! It was quite the day for stairs... my legs are a bit shaky now!

This morning I started with the Musee d'Orsay. Given some very good advice I head straight for the 5th floor. The painting up there are amazing and pretty much every famous impressionist painting. Completely amazing to see them up close and real! That was until the security alarm when off and we were all hurried out of the museum and break-neck speed. I figure it took about 20 minutes to go through security the first time (and I have a special "skip the queue" pass) once they fixed the problem there would be hundreds of people making there way back in. That is once they fixed the problem. Seeing two police card heading towards the museum, I head the other way... it could be a while.

I head to Notre Dame (yup... third time). I gab some lunch and get in the hour line to go to the top. It's beautiful up there and you can see for miles! I wanted to go to Saint Chapelle after but the line was HUGE (longer than the line for Notre Dame)... so maybe another day. Did I mention the crazy stairs to get to the top?! I also stopped briefly to light a candle for Uncle Serge.

With time on my hands I figured now was a good time for Montmartre. I took the subway to Basilique du Sacre-Coeur. More crazy stairs and again it was worth the climb. You can see for MILES and the Basilica is beautiful (another candle for Uncle Serge).

I then walked into possibly the seediest part of town... it was total ICK. My hope was to spot La Moulin Rouge. I snapped a photo and ducked into the metro.

So that ends my second to last day in Paris... I can't believe tomorrow is my last day!

First Day of my Thirties

What to do on the first day of your thirties... Take Paris by storm! Totally awesome day started with Le Louvre! I got to see the key sites and spent all morning seeing bits of everything else... when it began to blur to one painting over and over again it was time to check out and do some B-day shopping!

I got some new shoes (The old ones I swear were made by the Devil as tiny torture devices!) well at least will hurt my feet differently. Then to H&M (which had remarkably the same stuff as the MTL H&M) where I got a dress shirt.

After some shopping I headed to Centre Pompidou. Some totally crazy art... contemporary is pretty messed up! And some of it left me pretty messed up!

I rode the subway everywhere today! It was AWESOME! I hit the grocery store got some mini-cheeses, bread and champagne! Bring on 30!

I'm off for dinner and then Le Tour Montparnasse to see Paris at night!

So my 3rd decade wisdom... or really 3rd decade thankfulness... really only to say... My life truly rocks! And to be down saying goodbye to my twenties would a shame to what they truly were... one awesome ride! I realize that I am so incredibly lucky to be able to do the things I do! Not just Paris but everything! I hope the next decade brings nothing but more excitement and greatness!

First day of my thirties I hope only starts the really rockin' trend to come!

Last day of my Twenties!

My last day of my twenties was purely amazing! I SLEPT in to 11am (I wasn't feeling so hot from the dinner the night before... I have to stop eating and then going to bed!)

On my way to the subway what was the fruit, veggie, meat, and cheese market yesterday was now an art market! Artists from all around... some of the work was a bit crazy but I found something that was PERFECT for me (and an awesome self-birthday gift! If Paris was not enough!) A man recycles old metro tickets and paint and draws on them! I bought on with St. Germain-de-Pres on it. It is truly beautiful! The artist asked me where I was from and when I told him Canada he went on about how nice Canadians are... Apparently he was planning a trip to Mexico on 9/11 and the great folks in Gander NFLD feed him, clothed him, and even provided entertainment.

After that I was off, Arc de Tiomphe, Les Invalides, & Musee Rodin. So far Musee Rodin is my favourite and I hope to be able to go back again!

After dinner I headed to the movies (just down the street from my place). I was a bit worried that I wouldn't understand (I had no idea what the movie was about only that it was the only movie playing that was originally in French). Turned out to be this bizarre movie (at least I think it did!)

Feet are KILLING ME!

Another great day! I discovered a market on the way to the subway this morning. This is for sure where I would do my groceries if I lived here! Everything looked so good... they even had take away stuff so I had a Nutella Crepe! So amazing!

I was first in line for the Catacombs which meant I saw a lot of it by myself... Paris alone = cool, Catacombs alone = totally freaky! Plus Nutella Crepe followed by the Catacombs might not have been the best idea!

I then headed out to see L'Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés which was really nice, followed by Notre Dame... I tried to go for the trifecta and see Sainte Chapelle but it is closed for the weekend. I guess I will be going later this week.

I then walked around heading toward the Arc de Triomphe... I didn't really get there... I walked by the Louvre, through the Jardin des Tuileries and stopped for a Pain au Chocolat and sat in the park. It was really beautiful.

I then headed for some shopping but bought nothing :( Next time I guess!

Off for some dinner!

So Tired... But I'm in PARIS!

PARIS IS AMAZING! I'm a little light headed from the lack of sleep (37 hours and counting... although I think I might have gotten an hour in on the plane) but I'm going to do my best to stay up! I love the neighbourhood I'm staying in... there's a movie theatre, grocery store... and a TON of restaurants a 2 second walking distance to my hotel. PLUS there are two metro station close to my hotel!

I got to Paris around 10h30 and I got my luggage and through security (seriously they asked me more questions when I went to the US (and that was for like 4 hours!) I checked into my hotel and headed off the to Eiffel tower... I climbed the 700 stairs to the 2nd level! Then the elevator to the top! It was awesome!!! The view was amazing... I took a ton of photos and didn't even make a dent in my card!

After that I walked... I saw the outside of Hotel des Invalides and I saw the gardens of the Musee Rodin (LOVED the Musee Rodin... SO going back!)

Okay... I'm off for dinner and bed! So tired!

Laura

P.s. Excuse the spelling grammar... I need sleep really badly!

6am, wide awake, and ready to go!

So I've been up since 6am... I'm pumped about going but really it's more than 24 hours until I get to Paris! My flight from Ottawa (to Chicago) leaves at 12:35 then I'm hanging out at the airport for 4 hours until my 8 hour flight to Paris.

I should be in Paris on Friday, September 19th at 8:40am!

Avoir trente ans à Paris

Salut tout le monde,
Je m'en vais à Paris demain! Je vais essayer de raconter chaque jour mes activités et les nouvelles dans la ville des lumières! À la prochaine! Je serai à Paris!

Enough with the Individual Travel Blogs!

The last couple major travel adventures I’ve blogged but each time on an individual blog dedicated to that trip… well that is just not logical and hence the birth of Laura’s Travel Blog!

You can still check out my India Blog and my Japan Blog but from now on all travel-related blogging will happen here!

So what’s next?! Paris, Baby!!! 10 days and counting!!!