Europe Post: My Paris

Hello! I'm back with Part 3 of 'Our Paris.' And here are my own favorite moments of our Paris trip! :)

1. Daily breakfast. 

Just... OH WOW! Our B&B host, Peet Verrest, prepares a mean breakfast! We picked from an assortment of fresh fruits, breads, cheeses, cold cuts, eggs, yogurt, juice, cereals, muesli, etc. etc. 

Plus, each guest was offered the most perfect croissant I've ever had in my entire life. One was not really enough, but getting a single piece per day is what makes the croissant even more special, I think. 

And it's Paris, so I would not have expected any less! :) 

Plus we got to eat, every morning, at this really wonderful dining area inside a sleek, sophisticated Parisian apartment, exchanging stories with other guests from all over the world. It was just plain awesome.

Out of all the B&Bs we stayed in, Peet's breakfast was, hands down, my favorite!

2. Montmartre. We didn't get to see all of Montmartre, but I really liked this area. So alive and arty (see Star's Paris)! This was where we bought most of our souvenir items, and it did remind me a lot of Divisoria... but since we're in Paris, it's a lot more romantic(?), I suppose. Hehe!

3. Bus rides and the Moulin Rouge.  We tried to ride the bus as much as possible, because it's also nice way to get to see the city. Here, I attempted to photograph the Moulin Rouge, and I almost missed it. It's along Boulevard de Clichy, very near Montmartre, and a 15-minute walk from our B&B.

4. The Louvre (Day 2). It was overwhelming. But I did love the grounds and the fountains and the pyramids. Just so majestic! 

But it was really memorable because this was where Ate Star and Bee started to get into the "biggest fight" of their friendship. Basically, Bee was as slow as a turtle, and Ate Star was impatient. A lot of time was spent waiting for Bee take a photo of himself with whatever art piece he fancied. So we ended up not getting to Laduree and Longchamp before six pm, as originally planned. Ate Star lost her marbles, and did not talk to Bee until the next morning. 

I, on the other hand, still tried to enjoy the sights, while being referee to these two!

Anyways....ooh, look at that long line! Tip: it's best to go to the Louvre early-- lines start to get really long after lunch.

 5. Arc de Triomphe. When I was in college, I did a project on world monuments, and I picked Arc de Triomphe. Getting there was supposed to be a special moment for me, but too bad there was a kerfuffle between Ate and Bee. I wasn't able to savor the moment. It's alright, though. I still got to take a few photos. :)

5. Like Ate Star, I vowed not to do tourist-y things in Paris. But I swear, Eiffel Tower is magic.

On our first afternoon in Paris, we lay down on the grass at the park by the Tower, ate sandwiches, shared one small cup of coffee (we were on a tight budget), waited for the sun to set and for the Tower to light up. It was the coldest (and hungriest!) I've ever been in my life, but it was worth it. I know I've said this a hundred times already, but there really is nothing quite the Eiffel Tower at night. 

That's me and Ate Star on the grass. Sisters bonding.

And this is my camera, which inadvertently took a bokeh shot of the twinkling Eiffel Tower. 

As I lay on that grass, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to be seeing what I was seeing. Really, what a way to end that day! And an absolutely special way to begin our adventure.

Until next our next destination (hint hint: canals, lots of tulips, and red,red lights),

Binky