PARIS

During my Easter break, I got the chance to meet up with my friend Pierina, who was also on exchange the same time as I was, but in Paris! I spent one week there and explored most of the city on my own since my friend was ill. We still got to spend a lot of time together once I came back from walking around all day, which was really nice because we made dinner together! It was nice to see a familiar face during that time since I haven't seen anyone I knew from home in a long time.

Paris is honestly, in my opinion, the prettiest city I have been to thus far. Everything is so impressive. The Eiffel Tour was the first big monument I saw in there, and my goodness, if you go to here and visit the Eiffel Tower, PLEASE take the route to where I am going to suggest. Take the metro and exit off of Trocadéro. Once you exit, continue walking left and to your left side, you will see it and I promise you, you will be in awe. If you want to get an idea to how it will look like, check out this video of Phoenix performing there.

On the first day I pretty much spent most of my time around the Eiffel Tower and walking down streets around it. I didn't go up it, but a few days later I did get to see Paris from up top at The Arc De Triomphe. I ate a crepe almost every day I was there (the best ones are by the Eiffel Tower). The food was very good. It was nice to get a break from British food and to see really fresh fruits and veggies (I'm sorry UK, maybe its because I always go to Tesco for produce).

I can't recall what I did day by day, but I wondered off a lot and found a lot of touristy sights off of road signs. I went to visit the Jardin Du Luxemburgh, Notre Dame, Musée Du Louvre, Sacre Coeur, Arc De Triomphe, and crossed a lot of known areas down River Seine. I took a day to go shopping too. Paris has really awesome vintage stores, and some of the vintage ones are really affordable!

I love the architecture

Notre Dame

The Louvre

If you're interested in visiting The Louvre and want to explore all of it, I suggest sectioning out which areas to go on separate days because its MASSIVE. You will get overwhelmed by the art if you try and cram all of it in one day. Got to see a lot of classical art and of course, the Mona Lisa.

She is very tiny in real life.

Sacre Coeur 

Foods me and Pierina cooked

I also got to spend time with my friend Shreya who was also on exchange in Paris. We met up, had Mexican food (which was surprisingly good by the way) and went out for drinks afterwards. 

Looking back at my Paris trip, it was definitely one of my favorite trips. It felt very accomplishing, considering that 1) I spoke French 2) I explored many things on my own and 3) I went to a city that I've been dying to go to on my travel list! A few years back, I would have never thought I would be capable of doing what I did in Paris, and with anything that I experienced thus far. 

And yes, as lovely as Paris is, it does have its dodgy parts. Like dog poop randomly on the streets, a few rude people (but where isn't there any? but i must admit, they were the rudest) and perverted men (those including the ones that harass you going up the Sacre Coeur to sell you souvenirs). But the sights, the food, and language, the fact that it's freaking PARIS makes up for it. I would visit Paris again, and even travel around France.

I really should upload all my photos on flickr, but if you guys would like to see more photos of Paris, here's a link to my facebook album.

Until next time. Bon soir mes amis!