Finally...PARIS!

I think it is everyone's dream to go to Paris.

For me, it is the most popular destination in Europe. A European trip is never complete without catching a glimpse of the famed City of Lights. Even films and novels would usually choose Paris when they require a romantic and sophisticated setting.

So, after a series of hassles and frustrations brought about by Zach's visa application (UK being out of Schengen Territories), we finally got to see Paris last April.

We took the Eurostar from London and if not for our Brussels side trip, we could have been in the Paris city centre in a matter of two hours. The train offers comfort and convenience by avoiding the endless hassles of airports and aircrafts SOP. Passport and visa checks are done before boarding the train and passengers can literally jump off of the train upon arriving in Paris Nord Station and head on to their destinations.

As for us, we had enough time to find our hotel, rest a bit, freshen up and set off to our sightseeing. Without a doubt, Eiffel Tower was first on our list. Having bought a guidebook and studied the Paris Metro map weeks before our trip, getting around the romantic city was a breeze.

Eiffel Tower

I was in awe the moment I saw the massive Eiffel Tower. After admiring the metal structure from underneath, we proceeded to queue for the ticket booth and then head on for another queue for the elevator. We were at the top of the tower after a mere 10-minute wait. It was on another visit two days later that we realized we were absolutely right on going there that early evening as most tourists tend to go there on mornings. The zigzagging queue of people wanting to go up that day was just unbelievable.

Eiffel Tower - The French Icon

The view of the city from the tower was fantastic and I considered myself truly blessed at that time seeing it. We stayed and waited for the illumination of the tower which starts at sunset. The illumination started with a 10-minute glimmering light show and the said show is done on the first 5 minutes of every hour until 1 AM.

view of Paris taken from the Eiffel Tower

View of Place de Varsovie. The cluster of skycrapers is in Paris' Business District - La Défense

Parisian Sunset

Eiffel Tower at night

Instead of taking the Metro back to our hotel, we took the bus so we can see much of the city at night. Lucky enough, the bus line going towards our hotel's direction is passing along the prestigious Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

Montmartre

Mother Nature was so kind to us that she gave us a warm and sunny day the following day despite the rainy forecast. We headed to Montmartre, a hilly district north of Paris. It is known for the Sacre Coeur Basilica located at the peak of the hill. Montmartre also offers a magnificent view of the city. We had a short tour of the cathedral and stayed a bit to say our prayers.

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

Just a few steps from the cathedral is the Place du Tertre (a tip from Elanie). It was previously the main square of the Montmartre village and has been and still is an open-air studio for many artists. It was once a hub to great artists like Renoir, Picasso, Cezanne, Manet and Toulouse-Lautrec (all these names I just used to hear in Humanities class) as they had kept studios and homes in the adjacent streets. You can find landscape and portrait artists and caricaturists who are more than willing to draw your likeness on the spot.

After walking around and looking over the shoulders of artists doing their craft, Zach and I headed for the restaurants and indulge ourselves to a variety of crepes before hitting the roads again for our next destination.

Louvre

Next on our must-see list was the Louvre Palace located at the centre of Paris. It used to be a royal palace and presently, it houses the Louvre Museum and a number of government offices. The Pyramid is simply marvelous and it served as an entrance for the museum. The pyramid and the fountains in the courtyard provide a welcoming break for tired tourists to stop, rest for a while and admire the great architecture that is the Louvre.

Zach and the Louvre Pyramid designed by I.M. Pei
The solid is for the dead, but the transparent is for the living - I.M. Pei

Us, the Louvre Palace, the Grand Pyramid and one of the three Mini Pei Pyramids

at the Cour Carree in Louvre

Being on a tight itinerary and due to long queues to the museum, we decided not to go inside and continued to walk to the adjoining Jardin des Tuileries stopping for an ice cream and some snapshots from time to time.

one of the many interesting sculptures in Jardin de Tuileries

Place de la Concorde and La Madeleine

The west of the garden leads to Place de la Concorde. It is the largest square in Paris and once served as guillotine site during the French Revolution. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were guillotined there in front of cheering crowds.

Hittorf's Fountain in Place de la Concorde

(I clearly remembered that this is where Anne Hathaway throws her phone in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada")

From there, despite aching feet, we continued walking along Rue Royal where La Madeleine stands at the end of the road. It is now used as a Catholic Church and the architecture of which was inspired by Roman Temples.

Église de la Madeleine

Île de la Cité

Île de la Cité is a natural island in the Seine River and is considered to be the heart of Paris and it was where the medieval city was established. The medieval structures that still exist in Île de la Cité are the Cathedral de Notre Dame de Paris, La Conciergerie and the Sainte Chapelle.

Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic cathedral and is the cathedral of the Catholic archdiocese of Paris. Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in the world.

To avoid monotony as in standard Gothic practice, assymetrical elements are introduced. Thus, the slightly different shapes of the three main portals.

La Conciergerie is a former palace and prison. One famous prisoner is Marie Antoinette. It was in La Conciergerie where she awaited execution in 1793.

Pont Neuf which means New Bridge is actually the oldest bridge in Paris. Zach and I spend some minutes resting in one of the bridge's bastion due to my aching feet (which definitely requires another post. hehe!) observing tourists passing by and later identifying the buildings surrounding the area. We decided to have a coffee break in one of the cafes nearby before heading to our final destination for the day.

Arc de Triomphe

One of the famous monuments in Paris is Arc de Triomphe. This triumphal arc honours those who fought for France. It stands at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, a big roundabout with 12 avenues, one of which is the Champs-Élysées. Underneath the arch is the tomb of the unknown soldiers who died from during the World War I.

taking a quick snapshot of Arc de Triomphe amidst the busy motor traffic

Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers

Pinoy Accent ???

I was on the phone moments ago speaking to a vehicle dealer and out of nowhere he told me that he recognized my accent. He straightaway asked me if I am from the Philippines!!!

It turned out his wife is a Filipina from Cavite. Then, we exchanged pleasantries about the Philippines and how he loves the islands and that he was already on the process of buying a house there. As soon as we hung up, it made me think about Filipino accent.

I have nothing against our kababayan who sort of tried really hard in adapting the British accent. I know that most of the time we get the hang of it without realizing it. But for me, I have never tried to copy the accent as I know it would sound funny to native speakers here.

I remember the time when I was stranded in Munich due to a cancelled flight and I happen to share a meal and interesting conversation in the hotel bar with a British gentleman. After a couple of hours into the conversation, he asked me where I got my American accent and if it was because I was educated in the US or because of watching American films. I was surprised and told him that as far as I know I am speaking with my own Filipino accent.

But how does the Filipino accent sound? It really intrigued me.