From Paris with Love.

I LOVE PARIS!

That is all I can say about this beautiful place. I used to think that people who says they love Paris is so cliche, mainstream and so overrated with the Eiffel Tower and all the lovey dovey hipster pictures. But after experiencing Paris myself, I take back my words. I shouldn't say that people is acting all romantic and artsy in Paris just because everyone calls it the city of love, people doesn't call Paris the city of love for no reason because Paris itself is indeed romantic. The weather was chilly and nice, the golden sun was heart warming and the clouds were like Michelangelo's painting. Everything was perfect. You will forget about everything and just hold your lover's hand and stroll along the street, intrigued by this nonchalant place.

We took the whole day to reach Paris from Switzerland, definitely a tiring bus ride. Once we reached Paris, the bus had some problem and the driver decided to stopped by the roadside in the middle of the highway. And luck was so on our side, a police patrol car passed by and suspected something fishy with us. The bus driver was ordered to take the bus (with all Chinese inside) back to the police station! FOL! The first destination we went once we landed in Paris was police station! Can you believe that? We stayed in the bus throughout the whole heated conversation between the driver and the police. Yeah, I do know French people is quite hot headed. We were released after half an hour, phew! We must have been suspected as illegal immigrates =_=

THE HOTEL

We had Thai food for dinner, yes in Paris. And the food sucks. I didn't even bother to find out the name of the restaurant. The place is small and their chicken soup tasted like chicken shit, yes believe me. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, Mercure Paris La Defense.

The interior of the room is rather old, and the height of the toilet bowl is higher compared to the normal one. I think French people are technically taller?

CITY TOUR

The first destination during our Paris trip was the Arc De Triomphe. Magnificent masterpiece with so many historical stories to tell. The blue-ish sky with yellow-ish sunlight makes the atmosphere even more melancholic in this romantic city *sigh in admiration*

Checkered jacket from Zara, rabbit fur neck warmer from Sharon, black knitted top from Attire Attic, gray leggings from Nichii, pink boots from Sungai Wang.

Not much cars, just tourists from all around the world roaming the quiet street.

Everywhere you see in Paris is like a piece of art.

Acting all emo in this melancholic city.

I love Paris! So vintage! So romantic! So melancholic! So artsy! So fashionable! So...so...so many things!

THE TOILET INSPECTOR

Not all was beautiful in Paris. If you still remember my previous post where I raved about the German toilet, here in Paris they don't have automatic cleaning toilet, but they have toilet inspector! There is this super atas toilet in a park looking more like a boutique more than a toilet, seriously. And of course you have to pay before entering. After doing my business, I got out of the cubicle and a lady asked me to wait and she went into the cubicle to check. She stopped me from leaving with an annoying face and pointed in the cubicle without saying anything, like a teacher pointing out the wrong of a kid. I felt so humiliated because she did it while people were lining up outside waiting for their turn. It was like a show of humiliation. Apparently there were a few drops of water on the seat cover, I think it was from the flushing water. I was like...WTF?! Just like that you need to humiliate me?! Can't you just do it in a proper manner instead of pointing like that in front of everyone like as though I shitted on the floor?! I stomped back into the cubicle and wiped with toilet papers, I got out and asked her to check again, asking her "Happy?" She gave me a "fuck you" face and said yes. WTF?! One of a kind toilet with one of a kind toilet inspector!

Yes, this is a toilet. Looks more like a Chanel boutique! 

I was so pissed and furious for being embarrassed by the toilet inspector! The husband saw my grumpy face and I decided to rant and rant and rant. But all was forgotten when I saw the beautiful view in the garden.

I wished I had a cup of hot chocolate at that moment. I could sit there and watch the world goes by just like that.

Dear stupid toilet inspector, while you rot inside the toilet checking toilet cleanliness, I was out here enjoying the moment with my husband and having fun. NABEH!

DU LOUVRE!!!!!! Just passed by this amazing place. I swear I will come to this place when I go Paris again!

EIFFEL TOWER

Finally, we reached the most famous landmark of Paris.

Not only did we manage to see the view of Eiffel Tower from far and near, we also got the see the Paris skyline on top of Eiffel Tower! We took the ascending escalator up to the 2nd tier of the tower.

I felt like singing Andrea Bocelli's song.

Look at the beautiful clouds, so emotional and inspiring.

It is mandatory to take kissing photo in front of the Eiffel Tower.

SEINE RIVER CRUISE

After touring the Eiffel Tower, we went for a river cruise. I thought it was just another river cruise but I was so wrong. This might be the best river cruise of my life. I felt like crying emotional tears sitting on the cruise boat looking at the marvelous architectures with the wind blowing briskly at me while they played orchestra pieces to suit the mood. Flocks of birds flying above the calm river, it was like I was in a romantic movie.

ROMANCHIKU!

Lovers Lock Bridge. The husband said we are married with marriage certificate. No need to lock =__= lol.

The building of Du Lovre. 

Sit by the river and serenade me with a love song. Life in Paris, simple and love is everywhere.

Notre Dame!!!!!! So beautiful!!!!!!! The bells were chiming when we passed by this beautiful church. Besides Du Louvre, this is another must go for my next Paris trip!

Here is a short video I took on the river cruise.

THE SHOPPING

After city tour, it was the time I was waiting for: S H O P P I N G ! ! ! ! We were taken to the Gallery La Fayette. I heard all sorts of stories about this shopping empire. Shopping paradise for tourists especially China. The mall is owned by an Arabian tycoon aiming to gain fortune from tourists all around the world. The mall is famous because of the convenience of VAT deduction counters in the mall where you can get it done there and then without any hassle in the airport. When we reached the mall, I was surprised that our bus was stopped at the back entrance with Chinese New Year decoration. It wasn't the decoration that amused me, but the amount of China people sitting by the roadside and staircase of the mall. The amount of people was enough to suffocate me. I had to take off my jacket, gloves and neck warmer at the same time because I started to sweat after squeezing through my way.

Every shops in the mall were packed with people queuing up, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci. While I was browsing for the luxurious goods, all the China people stood in front of the display counters and shelves like a piece of wood talking and shouting non stop, blocking other people. I found the Prada wallet I wanted but not the color that I desire so I asked the sales person who was entertaining a China lady. Judging from her face I could see she was quite annoyed by the China lady because she kept asking all sorts of questions like which wallet looks nicer with the bag, which color suits the bag, yada yada yada. The sales person took 2 seconds to tell me the color I wanted was no longer available and turned her attention back to the China lady. I got quite upset and left. I had no chance of having a good look and shopping because all counters, booths and shops were hoarded by non other than the China people.

I got impatient and wanted to leave. I took the escalator up to another floor and was surprised to see more Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci shops on this level but nobody was lining up comparing to those downstairs. I entered the shops and the sales people came to my service with broad wide smile. They answered each and every questions I asked with patience and courtesy and even spent time taking different bags from their store room to show me for suggestions. When I turned them down they obliged with a friendly smile. When I entered Prada, I tried my luck to ask again for the color that I wanted. Shockingly the sales guy turned up with the wallet in the color I wanted!!!! I was so furious the sales person earlier told me the color was out! She just didn't want to entertain me! While I was having some small talk with this sales guy, he asked me if I was from Singapore or Hong Kong. I was surprised and I asked him why didn't he think I was from China. He said I didn't behave like one ;) Ouch to the China people.

I'm not being bias or racist or whatever you call it. But I seriously think people from China should polish up their manners and etiquette. I just find them very ignorant, hoarding something all by themselves and speak like as though they're yelling like nobody is around. I, myself is a Chinese, raised in Malaysia. When I was in Europe, I somehow felt ashamed to be a Chinese because of the way how people from China behave. What's the point of having all the money in the world, buying Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton and all the high end branded goods when you don't have the etiquette to act like one. I saw them carrying bags and bags of branded goods, but what's the point of having high end stuff when you act like a low end person.

But nonetheless, I had to thank them for spoiling my shopping mood in Gallery Layette, or else I would have spent a fortune there. Thankfully I just managed to buy a Prada wallet and Paris' most famous dessert, Pierre Hermes' Macaroon! O M G ! ! !

After a week in Europe, we had the best dinner ever in Paris. Fresh seafood with red wine!

Everything was fresh and raw. I wasn't a fan of raw seafood but it was too good to resist. They tasted so fresh and sweet!

After dinner, the tour guide took us back to the Eiffel Tower to see the tower at night. We waited in the cold dark night but our patience was paid off because the view of the Eiffel Tower came to life with blinking lights in the dark horizon was simply magical.

Souvenirs and my first baby from Paris!