09/23/11

We took our time to get ready and headed for the metro around 11-1120AM. The metro system here is enormous to say the least but once you actually look at it, it’s actually pretty simple. If only there were escalators. We took the 12 line to Montparnasse then the 4 line to Chatelet. NOTE: If you need to use the restroom and don’t want to pay – goto McDonalds. The Mcdonalds are large here spanning 3 floors with an elevator and they also sell macarons in the McCafe – 6 for 4€50 and 12 for 9€. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, pistachio, caramel and lemon. They are actually pretty decent.

We walked to Notre Dame church and met up with Luis. Loads of tourists around and all those gypsy ladies with their clipboards around. NOTE: If a gypsy approaches you with a clipboard or a piece of string avoid them at all costs. The church itself was beautiful especially the rose shaped stained glass. Grabbed a omelet jambon baguette. You will see people carrying baguettes under their arms and eating it plain. The baguettes are baked fresh with no preservatives. Rue de Rivoli is another street great for shopping. We walked along and did some shopping then made our way to another Galleries du Layfayette that was closer to the L’Opera house. We stopped by Le Tanneur, Pull & Bear in the first building as many stores were clumped together on different floors in a circular layout. There is no fresh air here at all as everyone smokes including the highschool students. The metros have cell reception everywhere, no air conditioning so windows are usually opened, you either need to pull the lever up or push a button for the door to open. It’s not as spacious as Toronto’s TTC subways but seats can fold up if needed. We ended the night at Nomiya for sushi, sashimi and brochettes (kebabs) one of the better meals of this trip. Paris is a very fast paced city with so many people all the time. Motorbikes, bikes, cars and peopled everywhere. I think its just a little to congested for me but I did enjoy it. I could have done without the smoking everywhere but that’s just life around here. I wish I had gone through the french immersion program as a child because the language is so beautiful; luckily a few phrases and words stick in my mind.

09/24/11

I woke up early and went for a little stroll of the city to shoot a bit especially since in our neighbourhood the Eiffel Tower is so prevalent. We stopped by a bakery called Boulanger for breakfast – quiche and a pain du chocolate to go. Our hotel features a top floor patio over looking the city skyline and we ate our food looking at the Eiffel tower. We checked out and grabbed taxi to Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG). It took about 30-45 minutes and our total came up to €90 (mind you, we were in south paris) but split between 3 isn’t too bad. Our flight wasn’t until 540PM but we wanted to make sure we had ample time to get here and got through security by 2-230PM. Terminal 3 is literally a waiting area with nothing to do and no where to go after you scan and go through. There are shuttle buses that bring you to the plane. Since it is a bus shuttle service, there was another flight ahead of us and the seating area piles up people. We boarded and didn’t get into the air until 6-610PM. An 8 hour flight but excited to get back to Toronto with still decent summer/fall weather.

So what can really be said about these 2 weeks?

Met a lot of great people from all over the world.

Saw, ate and experienced amazing things.

For the limited time we had in certain cities, I absorbed as much as I could and of course its a once in a lifetime trip that I could spent with my best friends celebrating all our birthdays (roughly)

Out of all the places we’ve been; Germany and Austria are on the list to go back to.