One Christmas after my 21st Birthday, I boarded on the EuroStar with my good friend and headed right to Paris. There could be something that brushes through the back of my spine right to my head that I felt a whole lot of excitement jumping in me, I'm going to Paris!
As both of us drag through the luggage and walk through the checkpoint, where should we even start walking from. I know nothing about speaking French, neither do I know a single way to go. My friend is slightly better where she has taken French classes back in her elementary school. And so, we stood by a wall map at the train station with another map in hand that we got from the stall after we got down the train, wandering how should we get to our Hotel.
Right before that, I needed to use the wash room, and when I found the washroom it needs to be paid! I open up my purse only to find that the money changer here in Malaysia gives quite a big note to me, all at 50 and 100 euros. You don’t go to the wash room with 50 euros, what’s worse is that it comes with a self entrance, so you just simply put the coin into the machine and walks in. The machine is definitely not going to take my 50 euros, so I went into a nearby machine, inserted my 50 euros and came with a whole lot of coins.
Thanks alot Paris, thanks for all the coins, so I could use more wash room when I wander around later. As soon as I got back to my friend who has yet to figure out how to get there, a kind gentleman who works in the train station approached us, “I can help you”, we were both surprised as he speaks English. With a lil’ help of his, of we go out of the train station and board on the monorail. Paris is cleaner than London, and as soon as we checked in the hotel, we put the luggage in and wander off for lunch. We were starving!
I am not sure where we want to go, but somehow we ended by the Notre Dame, we couldn’t find the end of the queue so we took a picture outside of it and move along just walking on the streets of Paris. We were somehow stopped by a waiter on street to try on the cheese steamboat, so we had out first try on cheese steamboat. I had quite an awkward moment when I didn’t recognize the person who recommended the set to us but forgotten to serve us on it. He then told me I was the one serving you outside. I’m sorry Paris guy, I am bad with faces.
After being in Paris for half day, I am still quite blur on where and what I should do, so we planned to go to the Lourve then we can wander around until night by all the street stalls and shopping by the streets and then we can countdown for the New Year by the Eiffel Tower. So, off we go to the Louvre, the next thing in the morning after breakfast. I have no idea what’s the Louvre, but my friend insisted that we must go to that place to see Mona Lisa! Ohh, I know Mona Lisa, the one that Mr. Bean got into trouble for, why not I thought. But as we walked closer to the Louvre, the queue already started from there!
We did a quick identify on whether this queue is to get tickets to the Louvre and join the crowd. Yes, you want to know how long we queue, not very long actually just approximately 2 hours, just nice enough for us to digest our breakfast. As we wander around the museum looking for Mona Lisa, my whole goal is to see Mona Lisa so we can move along to the next destination, I started getting bored after few hours. All the pictures are either naked or having sex; tell me I ain't artistic, heck, who cares. Just as we have one more turn till we reached Mona Lisa, jaw dropped, is Mr. Bean there, why is there so many people flashing the camera at a wall picture. I got crowded out a few seconds later, where I just stood behind waiting for my friend as she drown into the crowd.
She happily came out with a few pictures of just Mona Lisa itself, no hands blocking by the picture, no heads standing too tall. So do I. We are done with Mona Lisa, can we go now? Heck, the Louvre is not only about Mona Lisa okay, as we move along, is actually less crowded at the back, I feel, as I could get seats to rest my tiring legs. She happily snap a picture of me saying that her parents also has the same expression 20 years back when they visited the Louvre.
We are finally done with the Louvre, as we stood outside and say, let’s get to Eiffel Tower! We look to our front, Eiffel Tower is actually quite huge, we can probably get there by train, but according to the map it isn't as easy as it seems, we could just walk directly towards the tower. I'm not even sure what got into our minds, and off we go marching towards Eiffel Tower. We stopped by the streets for a few snacks, wander around the flea market and we’re not even there! When we finally reached the Eiffel Tower, heck there’s another queue to stand in, though it’s not as horrible as the Louvre.
By the time we got up the Tower, the sun is already setting, and the weather has turn cold. I was in the wrong coat! My cousin was really kind to lend me a coat, however, it’s not able to withstand this winter, especially when it’s on the top. My scarf went from my chest, to my nose, then to my head, I was basically walking like a zombie with my face all cover up. What am I talking, I couldn't even walk, I am probably jumping! We wanted to countdown over there, heck the sunset at 4 pm, when we are all done with Eiffel Tower, it’s probably only around 6 pm! I am going to jump around under Eiffel Tower till midnight, I might have been already frozen.
Since we were hungry and she wants to use the wifi, she suggest we go back to the restaurant by our hotel. I have no muscle to even say no, as we hop along the monorail and headed back. It was New Year’s Eve, the places are quite occupied and expensive, but curse the winter, let’s get in! We managed to sit in till New Year while she uses her wifi. At that time, I am still using my "iPhone 7" with keypad. After the countdown, we headed back to the hotel, or should I say, jump to the hotel, but along the way, I told her I need to go Disneyland, where everyone told me that I shouldn't go to the Paris one. Paris has more things to enjoy than Disneyland, but after the Louvre, I need them!
My friend just drop me a challenge, if you know the way to Disneyland then we go. Ohh! I will know the way, is Disneyland, don’t ever challenge me on that. Haha! We drop by the hotel lobby to ask for the way and surprisingly there’s a direct train to it. The following day, I brought along another jacket, just in case I have to jump my way back from Disneyland. The sunlight for winter is really very depressing, it’s all dark by 4. We played along the two parks of Disneyland, got overly excited when I saw the mascot of Chip and Dale, and stay in queue with a few other mascots and it was almost sunset. I could feel the weather turning cold, where I quickly hop on a boat where my friend regretted it, cause when we got of the boat, the sun has already set.
I put on that extra jacket that I brought along, which makes me wear 7 layers of clothes, and continue enjoying Disneyland. We stayed till the fireworks end and I sigh as I did not want to leave Disneyland. The last time I step into Disneyland was four years ago, and if I were to step into Disneyland 4 years later, it will make me 25 years old. But we've to go, we boarded on the last train back to our hotel, feeling like the happiest kid after being able to visit Disneyland. When the train reach our stop, it was almost 1 am, the free rides for New Year day is over, how are we suppose to get out of the station? Heck who cares, we’re going to climb over it.
Just before we head back to London, there’s one more thing that we've yet to try, which is the Beef Tartare, I’ve no idea what was that but as soon as I see it, it looks raw to me. You’re right Ying, it’s raw beef. Did you just throw all my appetite away, I made her finish most of the portion. Our last destination was the St. Bastille church, where we were both cheated by a group of black guys. Did you remember I have all those coins that I changed when I step into Paris, I offered them but they didn't accept it. I couldn't open my purse because there were all 50 and 100 euros; where my friend just took 20 euros out of her purse and we ran along. I was so mad that I could carry the luggage and walk the 100 steps up to St. Bastille, which later we found out there’s a small cable car to get up.
Even though the trip ended quite abruptly with the black people into the picture, I actually misses Paris quite alot after I came back. I don’t miss London, but somehow there’s something about Paris that I miss, it’s probably the cleanliness of the whole city. I am waiting for the day where I can wander into that city again.
As both of us drag through the luggage and walk through the checkpoint, where should we even start walking from. I know nothing about speaking French, neither do I know a single way to go. My friend is slightly better where she has taken French classes back in her elementary school. And so, we stood by a wall map at the train station with another map in hand that we got from the stall after we got down the train, wandering how should we get to our Hotel.
Right before that, I needed to use the wash room, and when I found the washroom it needs to be paid! I open up my purse only to find that the money changer here in Malaysia gives quite a big note to me, all at 50 and 100 euros. You don’t go to the wash room with 50 euros, what’s worse is that it comes with a self entrance, so you just simply put the coin into the machine and walks in. The machine is definitely not going to take my 50 euros, so I went into a nearby machine, inserted my 50 euros and came with a whole lot of coins.
Thanks alot Paris, thanks for all the coins, so I could use more wash room when I wander around later. As soon as I got back to my friend who has yet to figure out how to get there, a kind gentleman who works in the train station approached us, “I can help you”, we were both surprised as he speaks English. With a lil’ help of his, of we go out of the train station and board on the monorail. Paris is cleaner than London, and as soon as we checked in the hotel, we put the luggage in and wander off for lunch. We were starving!
We did a quick identify on whether this queue is to get tickets to the Louvre and join the crowd. Yes, you want to know how long we queue, not very long actually just approximately 2 hours, just nice enough for us to digest our breakfast. As we wander around the museum looking for Mona Lisa, my whole goal is to see Mona Lisa so we can move along to the next destination, I started getting bored after few hours. All the pictures are either naked or having sex; tell me I ain't artistic, heck, who cares. Just as we have one more turn till we reached Mona Lisa, jaw dropped, is Mr. Bean there, why is there so many people flashing the camera at a wall picture. I got crowded out a few seconds later, where I just stood behind waiting for my friend as she drown into the crowd.
We are finally done with the Louvre, as we stood outside and say, let’s get to Eiffel Tower! We look to our front, Eiffel Tower is actually quite huge, we can probably get there by train, but according to the map it isn't as easy as it seems, we could just walk directly towards the tower. I'm not even sure what got into our minds, and off we go marching towards Eiffel Tower. We stopped by the streets for a few snacks, wander around the flea market and we’re not even there! When we finally reached the Eiffel Tower, heck there’s another queue to stand in, though it’s not as horrible as the Louvre.
Since we were hungry and she wants to use the wifi, she suggest we go back to the restaurant by our hotel. I have no muscle to even say no, as we hop along the monorail and headed back. It was New Year’s Eve, the places are quite occupied and expensive, but curse the winter, let’s get in! We managed to sit in till New Year while she uses her wifi. At that time, I am still using my "iPhone 7" with keypad. After the countdown, we headed back to the hotel, or should I say, jump to the hotel, but along the way, I told her I need to go Disneyland, where everyone told me that I shouldn't go to the Paris one. Paris has more things to enjoy than Disneyland, but after the Louvre, I need them!
Just before we head back to London, there’s one more thing that we've yet to try, which is the Beef Tartare, I’ve no idea what was that but as soon as I see it, it looks raw to me. You’re right Ying, it’s raw beef. Did you just throw all my appetite away, I made her finish most of the portion. Our last destination was the St. Bastille church, where we were both cheated by a group of black guys. Did you remember I have all those coins that I changed when I step into Paris, I offered them but they didn't accept it. I couldn't open my purse because there were all 50 and 100 euros; where my friend just took 20 euros out of her purse and we ran along. I was so mad that I could carry the luggage and walk the 100 steps up to St. Bastille, which later we found out there’s a small cable car to get up.
