Today was another busy day filled with lots of adventures that included visiting museums, trying to visit a monument but it being closed for a year and a half, since it was closed us heading over to my old boulangerie to get tartes aux fraises and pains au chocolat. We then also stopped by Angelina's to have some of it's famous hot chocolate that is so deliciously rich and ending the evening at the Louvre. We really lucked out at the Louvre by skipping the security line, the many perks of Becky's museum pass and people not knowing about the special side entrance.
We started our day off by heading over to the Musée l'Orangerie where Monet's waterlily paintings are. They truly are stunning but sadly you can't take any pictures in the museum but we got some nice pictures of Place de la Concorde after visiting the Museum.
Place de la Concorde
Becky & I at Place de la Concorde
We had to wait in line at Angelina's but it was so worth the wait and the line surprisingly moved rather quickly.
Becky trying the hot chocolate at Angelina's
Becky & I at the Louvre
The Louvre at dusk
Becky checking out the Egyptian art
Enjoying the French art at the Louvre
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Today we headed off to Notre Dame and were planning on going inside but the line was so ridiculously long to get in that we opted out and had lunch behind the cathedral in the park and then headed over to Berthillon's to get some delicious ice cream.
Becky & I at Notre Dame
Notre Dame with the Christmas tree in front
Notre Dame
Becky & I enjoying our raspberry & chocolate ice cream
(We were the only people walking around with ice cream cones but it was so worth it despite the cold)
We then headed over to Sainte Chapelle and the line was quite long but we eventually got in and were able to enjoy the beauty of the stain glass windows.
Inside Sainte Chapelle
More of the inside of Sainte Chapelle
We then headed over to Musée de la Musique, which I had never visited before and was interesting enough to visit. There was a guy from the Congo playing instruments from his home country and explaining what the instruments were.
Some instruments at the museum
This was really interesting
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Today was a full day because we went out to Versailles. We had nice weather for it which was such a blessing. We skipped the château because the line was ridiculously long and Becky has already been inside and wanted to see the gardens and the Petit & Grand Trianon since she didn't get to see these the last time she was here.
Becky & I at the Château de Versailles
A fountain in the gardens
Exploring the gardens
We had a nice time and even had a nice little picnic on a bench before heading over to Le Grand Trianon & Le Petit Trianon, where Marie-Antoinette spent much of her time.
At the Grand Trianon
One of the rooms in the Grand Trianon
A cute little building we came across
Le Petit Trianon
The entryway in the Petit Trianon
A room in the Petit Trianon
Le Temple d'Amour
Exploring the gardens
More of the gardens
Marie-Antoinette's hamlet
Becky & I enjoying the little village
The beauty of the gardens
One of the houses of the hamlet
Another little house
Enjoying the view at the hamlet
Becky then wanted to stop at the Musée l'Orangerie on our way back to the apartment because she wanted to pick up a souvenir in the gift shop so I sat outside and waited while she waited for a long time in line to get inside. I was quite cold after the long wait that we just headed home to be in the comfort of a warm apartment. However, I did get to see a pretty sunset at Place de la Concorde while I waited.
Sunset at Place de la Concorde
Monday, December 30, 2013
Becky and I got up early to meet up with my friend Olivia and her friend Andrea to see the sunrise since it rises late around here. We then all went to a café over by Place St. Michel and spent a good couple of hours just chatting and having a good time.
The sunrise seen from Pont des Arts
Becky and I then headed over to the apartment for lunch and after that we visited the Château de Vincennes, which is right outside of Paris and I had no idea what to expect seeing as I had never been there. I was pleasantly surprised and had a nice time.
The outside of the Château de Vincennes
The entrance to the Château de Vincennes
The chapel inside the château grounds
Inside the chapel
The dungeon on the château grounds
Inside the dungeon
Exploring the Château grounds
After we left the Château de Vincennes we headed over to the Cinema Museum which was somewhat interesting. You are not allowed to take pictures inside so I unfortunately don't have any photos.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
We got up really early to attempt to go to the Catacombs and my friend, Olivia, joined us. Well we got there about 20 minutes before the opening and the line was even longer than the first time we tried! We stood in line and waited for a while and after waiting for quite some time and barely moving we decided to skip it and see some other things. So we headed over the the church St. Sulpice, which Becky was really wanting to visit. We then headed over to the Musée des Egouts, which is the sewer museum and it was very interesting.
Inside the Musée des Egouts
Exploring the sewers
An interesting path in the museum
Olivia went back to her place after the museum and Becky & I went back to the apartment for some much needed lunch. In the afternoon we went over to movie theater near Opéra to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, in English of course with French subtitles. We enjoyed seeing it. We spent the evening in the apartment because it was absolutely crazy out there and it was cold and rainy and we really didn't want to stand in a huge crowd in that weather to just see a light show at the Eiffel Tower, also all the French claim it is "dangerous" on New Year's Eve.
Bonne Année! Enjoying our champagne that took forever to find
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
We got up at headed out to see some of the few sites that would be open on New Year's Day because almost everything is closed. Since we got to Notre Dame at a somewhat decently early hour of the morning for New Year's Day we were able to get in without having to stand in a crazy long line.
Inside Notre Dame
The rose window in Notre Dame
We then headed over to Sacré-Coeur and explored around there. It was complete madness getting into the Basilique de Sacré-Coeur, it was just a mad shove your way through kind of thing. But it is beautiful on the inside and Becky had never gone in so it was a must.
Sacré Coeur
Becky & I at Sacré Coeur
We also headed over to Place du Tertre to check out the paintings by the artists since Becky really wanted to bring home a painting of Paris. Well, I wasn't planning on getting anything but then I found these watercolor paintings that I just fell in love with and had to get. Becky got some by the same artist and was excited to now have some paintings of Paris. We then just hung out the rest of the day around the apartment since there wasn't much else open.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Today we went to Opéra Garnier, which typically has ballets. It is such a beautiful building and is extremely ornate.
Opéra Garnier
The ornate staircase in Palais Garnier
Inside the Opéra Garnier
Exploring Opéra Garnier
The ceiling in the grand hallway
The grand hallway
Becky & I on the balcony at Opéra Garnier
A side room
The theater
The main stairwell
Later in the day we headed over to the wine tasting, which was fun. It was different than what I was expecting but we had a good time nonetheless.
Where we had our wine tasting
Becky & I before the wine tasting
We then spent the rest of the evening hanging out and enjoying our time in Paris.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Today we went to Musée Marmottan which is a museum that has a lot of Claude Monet paintings. It is such a pretty museum and is nice because it is kind of hidden away in a corner of Paris that isn't very touristy. Unfortunately, you can't take pictures in the museum. We just spent the day taking care of things and bringing my bag of stuff out to the Klevilles' since we will have to lug all of Becky's stuff to the airport on Saturday. We did go out to a nice little restaurant for dinner that was near the Ecole Militaire métro stop and the food was good and you got a lot for a decent price which was really nice!
Saturday, January 4, 2014
We got up early so Becky could make it to the airport in time for her flight. We had no issues getting to the airport. It was hard for me to see her go since I had such a great time and it was really making me miss home. However, I know that I'm to be in France and that I need to take advantage of every minute I have here because before I realize it, it'll be time for me to go back home.