Bonjour Paris! Comment tu t'apples? Je mapplle Runiza :)) Okay... that's all I can remember from my French class 28 years back in TKC... lol! :D
This is my 2nd trip here in Paris! Mr Hubby has been here several times (yeah, he lost count :P) and the kids' first! ;)) I know this entry is a bit late... thanks to those who read my blog and anxiously waiting for the Paris story :D To Wan Sue, this entry is for you... haha! :D
We reached Paris quite late in the eve and decided to sleep at Ibis Hotel at Charles de Gaulle Airport for the night. It was a last minute booking but alhamdulillah there were still a few rooms available ;)
The next day we checked out from that hotel and checked-in into another Ibis hotel at Chateau Landon Gare De L'est (another last minute booking... huhu!), which is quite convenient as it is located beside a metro station and there is a halal kebab restaurant right in front of the hotel.
We only have one full day to explore Paris as early the next morning, we would be flying home back to Malaysia. Paris and Barcelona were just our 'hubs' for this trip as Marrakech was our main destination.
Paris I'm in LOVE! :)
Mama and daughter first pic together in Paris ;)
As we don't have much time in Paris, we decided to explore Paris aboard an open top double-decker FOXITY bus (of course the top is closed during winter.... sojuk gilo babe!).
Waiting for the FOXITY bus at the Opera Quarter
Sat on the top of the bus... depan sekali you all! :)
So, let's just enjoy our view from the bus ride ;)
Opera National de Paris Garnier - The Paris Opera Building - with a mixture of styles ranging from Classical to Baroque, this building has come to symbolize the opulence of the Second Empire
Musee du Louvre - Home to French kings for almost four centuries, the Louvre is now a museum with one of the world's great art collections!
I have entered the museum 16 years back during my honeymoon trip. The museum is HUGE! I spent almost a day in the museum during my last trip! There were so many things to see in it! Leonado da Vinci famous portrait - Mona Lisa was of course was my favourite :D
This time around, we did not have much time to pay a visit inside the museum :((
The five-arched Pont Royal linking the Louvre with the Left Bank.
Seen from far the Colonne de Juillet - On top of the Colonne de Juillet is the 'genius of liberty'.
This column is a memorial to those who died in the street battles of July 1830.
Beautiful scenery at Seine River
The famous Notre Dame seen from far. This famous cathedral was left to rot after the Revolution, until Victor Hugo led a restoration campaign.
Visited this church 16 years ago.
The Pont
des Arts - The pedestrian bridge which rosses the Seine River. It links
the Institut of France and the central square of the Louvre.
Many
couples have taken to attaching padlocks with their names written or
engraved on it to the railing on the side of the bridge, then throwing
the key into the Seine River below, as a romantic gesture to represent a
couple's committed love.
Stucked in Paris famous traffic jam :((
The Grand Palais - Designed by Charles Girault, this grand 19th century building is still used for major exhibition.
Place de la Concorde - One of Europe's most magnificent and historic squares.
The 3,300-year-old obelisk from Luxor at the center of the Place de la Concorde. The obelisk used to be one of the 2 obelisks that was located at the entrance to Luxor Temple in Egypt.
Arc de Triomphe, seen from far...
There was a Christmas market along the road...
Grand Palais again...
Pont Alexandre III - Paris's prettiest bridge with its gold winged gold horses at either end.
Details on the winged gold horses @ Pont Alexandre III
More beautiful scenery at Port Alexandre III
Hotel des Invalides - the first military hospital and home for French war veterans and disabled soldiers.
At the back you can see the Dome Church - the Dome took 27 years to build. In the crypt lies Napoleon, whose final wish was to have this ashes 'rest on the banks of the Seine'.
Depart from Foxity bus at this place to see...
The famous Eiffel Tower! :)
Good to see Eiffel Tower again after 16 years!! :)
She was so excited to see Eiffel Tower!!
Moi, Kiddos and Eiffel Tower ;)
Us back in Eiffel Tower... after 16 years ♥
And the 4 of us ♥
More pics @ Eiffel Tower
Super excited eh? ;)
Now....
Us in December, 2013
And Then...
Us in Sept 1997
See the differences? :D
We later took the metro to go to Champs-Élysées
At Arc de Triomphe - The famous monuments that stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle and western end of the Champs-Élysées.
We then walked along the famous avenue of Champs-Élysées where lots and lots of luxury specialty shops/boutiques are located. Oh boy... bulat mataku looking around! :D
Then I saw this building.... lagi bulat la mata ku... LoL!
OMG... this place is so huge!! Lots and lots of LV products sold here.
Well, when I told Che Tone the Diva that I am going to Paris... as expected, dia pun melobi lah agar yours truly go shopping at LV boutique and tolong belikan an LV wallet for herself... and buy a handbag for myself. She was like... 'semua orang dah ada LV bag... ko jer takde!' -_-
Yeah okay... I memang tak de LV bag :P
My plan was to buy a prada bag ajer... not LV....LV is too expensive for my taste... huhu! But when I entered the LV boutique here in Paris... hati ku mula berubah hati. Hey, I am in Paris... this is the right time to buy an LV bag! Of all places... Paris is where LV is born! and it's cheaper here!
So that night... after dinner (kebab bought at the halal shop in front of our hotel), off we went to the LV boutique again....(we had to leave the LV boutique earlier before the sunset to perform our solat)
And voila!! :D One handbag for myself and a wallet for Che Tone the Diva. Sempat lagi wassap minah tu to ask what was the model of the wallet that she wanted (it was like 2am in Malaysia tapi Diva terjaga and tak boleh tidur lepas tu bila dengar cerita LV kah kah!)
Yang lain tumpang happy now that mama has an LV handbag.. LoL :D
Next, singgah sini pulak...
More damage done... LoL! Bought watches for my kids as 'advance' birthday gift. Their birthdays are in January which is just around the corner.
and singgah sini pulak...
Mr Hubby's 44th birthday was on 29th Nov, the day we left Malaysia for this trip... and I kinda promise him to buy his present in Paris ;) Well, I wanted to buy an LV wallet for him... but he preferred a watch. We ended up buying a watch here.
Posing with the 'damages' done at Champs-Élysées.
So, a handbag for mama, and watches for the rest... semua orang dapat 'souvenir' sorang satu from Paris eh? Sedikit lari budget mama di situ... but what the heck! Bukan selalu sampai ke Paris :D
Night pics in Paris...
Now, us in 2014
and then, us in 1997
Lawak tak gambar lama? Hehee.... :D
Early the next morning, we left Paris for Malaysia. Things at the Charles de Gaulle Airport was a bit kelam kabut the next morning. But alhamdulillah, we managed to claim the VAT refund (claiming the tax refund for things that we bought in Paris - ie: handbag and watches)... so Au Revoir Paris and Assalamualaikum Kuala Lumpur!!! It's good to be back in home sweet home :)
Jom belek hasil tangkapan di Paris...
I bought LV Sully.... LOVE it sooo much!
I particularly love the gold zippers and the thick handle! Lovely!
And this is Hubby's 44th birthday gift...
Izzat's 12th 'advance' birthday gift..
and Izzaty's 15th 'advance' birthday gift :)
Both kids requested to go to Paris again.... 'sekejap sangat kat Paris... tak puas' katanya. Duh... you think it's cheap meh to go there?? :P Anyway, kalau ada rezeki, insyaAllah sampai la ke sana lagi...
Alhamdulillah... thank you Allah for giving us the opportunity to enjoy this trip. It was definitely unforgettable! :)
