Europe Trip: Part 1 - Paris

This trip was like 1 year ago but I find it still worth blogging about. I used to travel within Asia, but Europe, 1st time! Was so excited. =) We went to 7 countries in 2 weeks time. It was such an experience. So, keep reading and find out which places we had went.  

Day 1
The 1st destination of our Europe trip was... Paris!! My my, such a beautiful place. It's was mid of May when we arrived and it was end of spring, coming to summer. The weather was just nice, not too cold and not too hot. We headed out to explore right after we left our luggage at the hotel despite of the long hours flight. 1st place to visit - Arc de Triomphe. 

Under the Arc. Everything is so intricate. Finely crafted or engraved. 

Ok, some history about Arc de Triomphe - it is built to honour those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. French victories and generals names are inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath the vault is the tomb of unknown soldiers from World War I. Construction started on 1806 and it took 30 over years to be inaugurated - 1836. 

Next, we walk along Champs Elysees. It's a walking distance from Arc de Triomphe. People who like shopping is gonna looveee this street. 2 long rows of shop lots, ranging from high fashion to street fashion. It's going to be like shop till you broke. 

I gotta show you this. Swarovski has its staircase full of crystals. Shining bright! So pretty isn't it? Erm, pardon me for my ill-looking pose. =p

Here comes the famous Eiffel Tower. 

It was such a nice weather to stroll around. So relax. 

Night view of Eiffel Tower. Stunning. 

We headed back to the hotel after this and had a good rest. Such an amazing day.  

Day 2 

Strolling at Jardin du Luxembourg. One of the famous park in Paris. 

Trees were planted in rows and all neatly trimmed. 

Stand in front of this row of trees for so long to take this photo for him cause he wanted the angle to be exactly the same like the one he had taken for me. 0.o. Persistent... hehe... 

I look so plum here. Yucks. =S Never mind, the main purpose is to show what kind of angle he took. Spot the difference? =p 

More photos along the streets of Paris. 

Visited The Pantheon. The Pantheon was originally built as a church and currently converted into a burial place for French great men. The word AUX GRANDS HOMMES LA PATRIE RECONNAISSANTE with the meaning of "To the great men, the grateful homeland" could be seen at the entrance. This is to honor the great men and only those who are approved by the parliamentary act of "National Heroes" are allowed to be buried here with high honor. 

Inside The Pantheon. Huge!

The Crypt - where the French great men lie. It's located at the underground of The Pantheon. 

Then, Notre-Dame Cathedral. 

Look at the crafting. It really amazed me. So fine with details. 

An inside view of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Grandeur. This is just 1 small part of it. 

Last but not least, Basilica of The Sacred Heart of Paris or Sacre Coeur Basilica. It is located at the highest point in the city. We had to walk up lots of staircase to reach here. So, if you are tired of walking, then it's better to get a bus.

We are not allow to take photos inside the basilica. Hence, unable to show you the inside view. If you are in Paris, this is a must visit. It is beyond words to describe how grandeur it is. Jaw dropping in fact. 

View outside of the basilica. It's like you could view the whole Paris city from above. 

We had spent 2 full days exploring Paris. The buildings are all so beautiful and you have to see it by your own eyes. The architecture, the interior design and the craftsmanship will blow your mind. I really wonder how those people built them during those days with the lack of technology. 

Paris is an amazing place and we had a nice time there enjoying the weather and the scenery. The downside is, safety is kind of low. You wouldn't want to wander around late night and you really gotta take care of your valuable stuff. Someone opened my boyfriend's brother's pouch in the subway. The pouch was fully unzipped!! Lucky thing was he didn't lose anything. Perhaps he had stuffed to much things inside and it was so packed and difficult for the pickpocket to steal anything inside. Really gotta keep an eye especially at crowded places. 

1 destination down and 6 more to go. We took a night bus late that night and headed to our next destination. Which country we went next? Stay tune to find out more. Will be on the blog soon. See ya. =)