Warning! This is an extremely, extremely, EXTREMELY IMAGE-HEAVY post
because I'm cramming 7 days worth of pictures into one post.
-Boring camera talk ahead-
I regret bringing my dad's Canon EOS M on this trip. Although it was more compact than my 550D, I wasn't used to that camera and I had problems operating it. Whereas, if I had my own camera with me, I would've known how to combat the bad lighting from the gloomy overcast. Oh well, at least the EOS M didn't cost me a neck and a shoulder like my own camera would have. Paris was nothing but walking, walking and more walking, I wouldn't have had the energy to lug that heavy 550D + that big clunky 18-135mm lens + my precious 50mm lens.
-End of boring camera talk-
DAY 1
It was a long drive to Paris…about 8 hours including rest stops. I managed to finish a few episodes of Gossip Girl. The rest of the drive wasn't very interesting…
Our accommodation for next 7 nights was Marriott's Village d'lle-de-France, located beside the Disneyland Golf Course and 10 minutes from Disneyland. It wasn't anything fancy or spectacular, but it was a pretty and homely "neighbourhood" (think: each family had a villa and there were many villas). Being curious one night, I went online to check the rates for this place and had the shock of my life, it costed 289€ (S$500) a night!!! Then my dad told me he got special rates from his boss so we only paid S$100+ a night. Phew!
This is the view from our hotel lobby – the pool and golf course! The temperature of the pool was 6ºC ~.~
After dropping off our luggages in the villa, we went to La Vallée Village, which was an outlet shopping area nearby. Unfortunately, we didn't buy anything. In fact we didn't buy anything for the whole trip because truth be told, shopping in Paris is only for the rich. It also started to drizzle, and drizzled throughout the whole trip ;__;
My eyes lit up ♡ ⌓ ♡
After some shopping, we visited the Saint-Ouen flea market. The traffic there was bad, traffic bad was bad, the things sold there were so-so… Overall, it's an interesting sight but if you're not a collector of any sort, there won't be much to buy.
DAY 2
Just had to take a picture of the trains because they are so cool!!!! When you enter, you are on the middle platform, and there's a upper and lower level. Sorry, easily fascinated.
Took a train to the Musée du Louvre (a.k.a the Louvre, where Mona Lisa resides) just to snap some pics. We didn't go in because I'm not interested in museums, let alone my sister, and my parents have been there before.
My photography quite accurate LOL
We walked down the Jardin des Tuileries (a.k.a Tuileries Garden) and there I caught my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower!!! I have this obsession with trees so whatever gardens, I'm in!!! I think my mom is sick of hearing me say "I LOVE TREES" hahaha.
At the end of Jardin des Tuileries was Place de la Concorde. Look at the dark clouds...the weather was defo not on our side.
Slightly past Place de la Concorde was Avenue des Champs Élysées (or better knows as just Champs Élysées), the famous shopping avenue in Paris. From Louis Vuitton to H&M, you want it, you got it. Of course my mom had to enter the huge LV store, like how I could never pass up walking into TOPSHOP each time I see it. This LV store was flooded with Mainland Chinese. They are rich, but still choose to come to Paris for their branded goods because it's cheaper (a.k.a they ngiao).
After walking down Avenue des Champs Élysées, we reached the Arc de Triomphe. It was half bandaged, undergoing surgery or some shit, totally pissed me off because I was looking forward to seeing this beautiful monument. My parents have climbed the Arc de Triomphe before a long time ago, so my sister and I climbed it ourselves. We climbed up very quickly so by the time we reached the top I was nearly dead, gasping for air, dying for water. When I saw a water cooler, it was like light from the heavens above descended upon it. *Cues Olympics music* Then as I got closer, I saw the sign "OUT OF ORDER". FFFFFFUUUUUUU......my sis laughed at me ~.~
The view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe was spectacular. If you had a helicopter view, you can actually see all the roads joining and circling the monument in a roundabout. It's a breathtaking sight.
This was the helicopter view I was talking about, stolen from Google images.
We forgot to visit the Pont des Arts while at the Louvre earlier, so we took a train back. This is the famous bridge where pedestrians "lock their love" with a padlock and throws the key into the river. Snapped a few shots and left quickly before I started to feel like I was #foreveralone HAHA.
Nearby was the Notre Dame de Paris. Didn't climb this one because after Arc de Triomphe, I had developed a phobia for stairs. We did go in to kaypo kaypo though.
Dad trying to be the Hunchback of Notre Dame
We had some time to kill before we went to see the Eiffel Tower, so we decided to visit Jardin du Luxembourg, since my mom is obsessed with flowers and I'm obsessed with trees. We were hopeful that the flowers would be in bloom and the trees would at least have some leaves, although it isn't summer just yet.
And finally, the Eiffel Tower!!! I was most excited for this (apart from Disneyland) and I was very disappointed I couldn't get a postcard shot because we spent too much time queuing to go up. The snaking queue was 2 hours long... We stayed up there till sunset to see the city lights :)
The crazy queue...
LOL
This is the end of Part I... Part II will be up when I'm back in Singapore unless I have the stamina to finish it tonight, but I highly doubt so since it's already 1am in France.
I'm really thankful to have such an opportunity to stay in France and tour the vicinity. I'm a lucky girl. But it's just 1 more day till I'm on my way home. I really can't wait!!! I miss Singapore more than I have realised. When I get back to Singapore, I need to get my MacBook fixed -__- I'm not even upset that my MacBook is dead, I'm upset because I lost all my music and some pictures that are precious to me. I'm stupid for not backing my data up. I should've known shit would happen again. Still breaks my heart every time I think about it so I won't talk about it any further.
Till Part II, au revoir!
I'm really thankful to have such an opportunity to stay in France and tour the vicinity. I'm a lucky girl. But it's just 1 more day till I'm on my way home. I really can't wait!!! I miss Singapore more than I have realised. When I get back to Singapore, I need to get my MacBook fixed -__- I'm not even upset that my MacBook is dead, I'm upset because I lost all my music and some pictures that are precious to me. I'm stupid for not backing my data up. I should've known shit would happen again. Still breaks my heart every time I think about it so I won't talk about it any further.
Till Part II, au revoir!