Sunday, March 1, 2009

Je t'aime, Paris (2 days trip, 07 Feb - 08 Feb 2009)

Places Visited:

Day 1:
Morning -
  • Half of the Champs-Élysées street - Many branded shops, souvenir shops and etc. LV shop is located there too, but I've no time to enter into the shop.
  • Disney shop at Champs-Élysées street
  • Citreon car shop at Champs-Élysées street - Car show room was displaying an electronic car.
  • Sephora beauty shop at Champs-Élysées street
  • Monoprix supermarket at Champs-Élysées street
Afternoon -

Picture from Bateaux-Mouches Official Website

  • Arc De Triomphe at the end of Champs-Élysées street - Just took some photos and didn't enter to it. Found a Hong Kong guy traveler to help me take photo!
Evening -
  • Place de la Concorde - A beautiful fountain located there and took photo of Obélisque de Luxor.
  • Jardin Des Tuileries park - Took beautiful pictures of the sculptures and carousel  Visited some souvenir shops and one of the shop owner thought I'm Japanese, she said Arigato Gozaimasu to me after I bought a souvenir there! Haha...
  • Godiva chocolate shop - The Valentine's day small heart shape chocolate box is sold out. But, I still able to buy another heart shape chocolate box.
  • Cafe Angelina - Too crowded and long queue, therefore I gave up to buy the famous hot chocolate drink and saved time to rush to the next destination.
Night -
  • Galeries Lafayette Department Store - Reached there a bit late, the mall was closed shop around 8 pm, unable to explore more. Spotted a gay couples were kissing nearby the Printemps Department Store!!
  • The Opera Palais Garnier - I'd seek help of the people passed by to take photo for me, the funny part was the bus always stop in front of the building, and the friendly Parisian woman who helped me had to wait for the bus to leave in order to take the perfect picture! Haha :P
  • Shopping in Sephora and Monoprix shops at Champs-Élysées street

Day 2:
Morning -
  • Louvre Museum - Before reaching there, there were some announcements in the metro train talked in French which I don't understand. Then, only I realised the Palais Royal Musée du Louvre station was closed, I only can stop at Louvre Rivoli station. Luckily it is just 10 minutes walking distance to Louvre Museum. I reached there quite early and it had not opened for visitor yet. I found a Japanese gal traveler to help me took photo while waiting to enter to the museum! Also took some photos of the surroundings (including first and smaller version of the Arc de Thriomphe). Bought a book that introduce the things displayed in Louvre Museum, where its book cover is the Mona Lisa picture. I found the Mona Lisa painting quite early and the room was not crowded which allowed me to take photo without blocking by the others!
  • Post Office inside Louvre Museum - To send out my postcards and wanted to collect the special stamp of Louvre Museum.

Hotel Stayed:
  • Pavillon Montaigne - Quite expensive 3 stars hotel, but 5 - 10 minutes walk to Champs-Élysées street.

Tour Expenses:
  • Thalys Train Tickets - £ 136.00 (RM 652.47)
  • Hotel Room Fees - £ 109.87 (RM 577.11)
  • Paris Metro Tickets - £ 7.20
  • Bateau Mouche River Cruise Ticket- £ 10.00
  • Louvre Museum 1 Day Pass - £ 9.00
  • Other Expenses (food, souvenirs, etc) - £ 121.91
  • TOTAL = £ 393.98 (exchange rate *4.895)
  • = RM 1,928.53

Paris is my dream place to visit! Since I'd already spending some time in Europe during my business trip in Germany, don't wanna miss the chance to visit this romantic place! Finally I found a weekend to visit Paris, hurray!

Thanks to my Germany colleague and his wife gave me some guidance on this Paris free and easy solo trip, so that I can visit and view the beautiful places and sceneries as much as possible during this 2 days short trip. First time ever in my life for having a free and easy trip all by myself! An achievement in my life, yeah!

Too bad 2 days trip is too short, cannot visit the Paris Disneyland. I wish I can visit Paris again during spring time :)



Booked Thalys train weekend tickets. Weekend tickets are more expensive :( Departed from Dom station at Cologne, Germany. 4 and a half hours can reach Paris!
Electronic car - Cactus by Citreon at Champs-Élysées street
Disney shop at Champs-Élysées street
The cinema at the famous Champs-Élysées street
Monoprix supermarket at Champs-Élysées street. Can buy some cheap but good quality stuff here :P
Sephora beauty shop at Champs-Élysées street. I love the body lotion and body spray of this brand!
Metro station - built about 100 years ago!
Franklin D. Roosevelt Metro Station
Picture taken during Seine River Cruise - Palais Bourbon. Blurry picture due to heavy snow :(
Seine River Cruise - Musée de la Légion d'Honneur.
Seine River Cruise - Musee d'Orsay
Seine River Cruise - Institut de France
Seine River Cruise - Colourful wall
Seine River Cruise - Notre Dame
Seine River Cruise - Beautiful bridges. Heavy snow during river cruise trip, hands shaking while taking photos :P
Seine River Cruise - Eiffel Tower!!! I love stuff designed with Eiffel Tower! Too bad I'm only seeing it from the far and bad weather. Next time if got chance, will go there visit again!
Seine River Cruise - Sculptures on the bridge. 1 hour river cruise ended so fast...
Back to Champs-Élysées street. LV shop! Tight itinerary schedule, no time to walk into the shop! Special windows deco for Valentine's Day! (P/S: A China aunty asked me whether I can help her to buy a limited edition LV bag since it is only limited one per person, but I gotta rush...)
Peugeot shop at Champs-Élysées street
Arc de Triomphe at the end of the Champs-Élysées street
Beautiful fountain at Place de la Concorde
Obélisque de Luxor at Place de la Concorde
Outside Jeu de Paume



Eiffel Tower - Special light effect at night!
Sculptures at Tuileries park
Carrousel at Tuileries park
Godiva Chocolate Shop. Valentine's day chocolate box sets are sold out :(
Crystals souvenirs
Galeries Lafayette shopping mall. Reached there too late, 8 pm closed shop. Cannot shop much.
Interior design of Galaries Lafayette
Opera Garnier. Beautiful night view.
Nearly "kissed", the art of parking in Paris.
Arc de Triomphe - Standing at the middle of Champs-Élysées street. Second day of the trip, going to Louvre Museum!
Fountain & Pyramid at Louvre Museum
Venus de Milo (Aphrodite) - Louvre Museum

Nike of Samothrace - Louvre Museum

Salai as John the Baptist by Leonardo da Vinci - Louvre Museum

Mona Lisa, the most valueble masterpiece - Louvre Museum. It is framed by large pieces of glass and guarded by two security personnels.
Another part outside Louvre Museum
Portrait of a Man Holding a Statuette by Bronzino - Louvre Museum
The Galerie d'Apollon - Louvre Museum
Pyramid Entrance of Louvre Museum
Borghese Gladiator at Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities - Louvre Museum
Pysche and Cupid at Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities - Louvre Museum. Romantic sculptures!
Big sculptures at the exit
Pyramid inside Louvre Museum. Time to say goodbye to Paris...


While waiting to go back to Germany, video captured in the Paris train station.
Beauty products bought from Sephora - (from left)  Face mineral water spray, Sephora musk almond body lotion, Clarins perfume sample (free), Sephora mini body spray, Sephora makeup remover
From upper - Perfume (from Monoprix), Facchon chocolate (from Monoprix), Godiva Love Shape chocolate box, Godiva mini chocolate balls. (From bottom - last four rows) chocolates (from Monoprix)
Eiffel Tower design souvenirs - (first row) Gold fridge magnet, (second row) gold and silver keychains, (third row onwards), gold and silver Eiffel Tower miniature

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