Europe Trip: France > PARIS!!! (feat. Moulin Rouge...14/05/07)

Galeries Lafayette! :D

This is a grand shopping mall in Paris, which is similar to our Takashimaya in Singapore. It consists of mainly the international branded boutiques as well as its local famous brands. The interior design of the mall is also one big attraction of its crowd, with a wide collection of perfumes selling on the first level of the mall.The ceiling and the railings of each level is elegantly designed. It actually looks like a small palace on its own. :)As we search our way to Moulin Rouge, we come across this cute pair of twin babies!

The parents were kind enough to chat with us a little as they notice our interest in their babies. And to my surprise, they told us they already have 6 kids!!! They look so young manz...can't believe it...hahaha...they must be very blissful now...lolFinally...MOULIN ROUGE!!! :DWe saw this flower stall in the middle of a square...pretty much out of nowhere. But somehow, I like how it looks like and the coziness of it... *smile*Flowers! Pretty aren't they? :P Our place for dinner on our final night in Paris...nice hor? We choose to eat here mainly because of its interior design... :)

Our sumptuous French dinner! :P

I wouldn't want to leave Paris without having a glass of the local wine as well...it tastes great!

Steak for dinner...yummy! *drool* :P

Chorcheng and I decided to take a walk after our dinner along the river. We suspect these guys are filming some French movies....lolRiver has always been my favourite place. I wouldn't mind just stand at the bridge and stare at it for a long time... :)We walked all the way from Notre Dame Cathedral (where we had our dinner nearby) to The Arc at the end of Champs Elysees. We passed by many other tourist attractions like the Lourve and The Mounument. Well, the walk is scenic but we wer both exhausted and shivered under our jackets in the chilly wind and the cold, dry weather... :(

Buildings in Paris is old and gloomy yet they give out this mystery feeling that somehow, they look simply great! :D

We reach Champs Elysees at around 11pm...a total of 4 hours walk!

One thing we learnt is that next time, when you don't the road and the scale of the map well, DON'T try walking from one place to another but just take the Metro!!!

Avenue des Champs Elysees (pronounce as Chump Eli-sey) is the stretch of road right in front of The Arc. There are many big boutiques and branded shops like LV, Merz, Peugeot here. This road is just like our Orchard Road, the shopping street of Paris! :)

Our destination at last -- The Arc! :D

It looks manificent at night. I am just glad that we manage to explore so much in our last night in Paris on our own...hahaha...lol

"Next up...Switzerland! :)"

Europe Trip: France > PARIS!!! (feat. The Lourve Museum...14/05/07)

Notre Dame Cathedral in the morning.Paris in the day!

It is still as pretty as it is... *smile* :)One of the pillars along the road. I was mesmerised by the golden statue on top...so grand!Our coach brought us to this dome. It was used to be a palace in the past and now it was sort of abandoned and under renovation for other uses. Even though it was not put into use for some time, the dome still looks splendid from afar. The building facing the square beside the dome.Eiffel Tower in the day! *bleam*

This picture somehow looks like a painting to me... :PThe group of girls whom I hanged out with during the tour! :)

[from left to right] Chorcheng from Singapore, Michelle from Tasmania in Australia, Me, and Catherine from Sydney in Australia.We are finally inside the LOURVE!

This is the world's largest and one of the most famous musem, especially after part of the movie "Da Vinci Code" which caused a stir in the society is filmed here. And here I am taking this photo right below the glass pyramid... :PWe also notice that there is an upside-down glass pyramid in the centre of the Lourve mall... :) Lunch Time!

Meal at the foodcourt in Lourve is super expensive!!! The water alone cost about SGD 6.00 and my meal is like SGD 10?! Well, no choice coz the coach never stop at any convenient shop along the way to Lourve too and I am really starving... *pout* I have decided to try the crepes as Yeejia recommended to be a local delicacy...looks good right? :P

Inside the Lourve museum at last, taking a guided tour here. The two statues (top right) are supposed to be famous according to my guide...oh well, I forgot what she said about them... :P

A small garden inside Lourve...nice? :)

Well, that's because Lourve was used to be a palace way back in the past...The hall of paintings is long and never ending. Since our tour is supposed to last only for 2 hours, we almost need to run across the hall...juz so we can take a peep at the world most famous painting of all times...the Mona Lisa!Taking this shot requires lots of risk taking!

Juz picture this -- the hall of paintings are mostly huge and bigger than human beings yet not many people really stopped in front of them to take a closer look. Yet suddenly, you see a big crowd, standing right in front of a small, normal A5 size portrait which is placed right in the centre of the hall. Not only the crowd that is unusual, for such a small painting, there are actually 3 security guards guarding it, who would shout at the top of their voice whenever they saw someone taking a photo of it. Moreover, the area in front of the portrait is divided into 2 sections, the closer section is meant for the kids, elderly and the disabled, while the rest will come to the section further away...

This is what you need to do when you have the world most famous and probably the most expensive paintings under your roof!

The ceilings of Lourve are as splendid as well...Remember if you visit Lourve next time, don't just look straight ahead but to look up to the ceiling as well! :)This is also one of the famous statue that I forgot what's the name of it...hee... :PThe glass pyramid!We headed down to the basement of Lourve which was used to be the fortress of the palace, or a crypt, or also claimed to have secret passages from Lourve to outside of Paris.The remains of some tombs uncovered here when it used to be a crypt. Next we walked back up to the museum to find ourselves in the apartments of the royal families who used to stay here in the past when Lourve was still functioned as a palace.

Coronation ceremonies took place here in the past.
Finally, the halls the exhibitioned the modern arts and paintings. There is also a hall of Egyptians artifacts here.
Taking my own photo through a mirror reflection! :P

Every part of the Lourve is manificient...love this place manz...lol

Lourve is really huge and you would expect to spend a whole day there if you intend to explore it yourself. My 2-hour guided tour is actually very rushed and we need to walk around in fast paces. Juz remember to hold to your map of the place as well coz you would find yourself getting lost in this world largest museum pretty easily.

I love paintings and ever since I have done my oil painting lessons at NAFA I learn to appreciate much more how amazing those artists in the past can draw such great art! I realise the ang mohs also love such places like museum and paintings more. The European culture is actually very artistic, which is very different from Chinese.

Thank God for this great experience that I had in this trip! :D

Europe Trip: France > PARIS!!! (feat. Eiffel Tower...13/05/07)

Guess where I am when I am taking this photo?

(Hint: Take note of the shadow on left...)

YES! I'm finally inside the Eiffel Tower! :D

The view is spectacular on top of the Eiffel Tower, overlooking Paris...I still remember how excited I was inside the Eiffel Tower coz I was no longer watching it from TV or magazines, but to be here physically...seems to me a dream come true... *smile* Trying to pose for a photo on top there, but it was juz so windy and cold...if I put on a wider smile my lips are sure to crack... :( Remind me of the chinese idioms:

夕阳无限好，只惜在黄昏。。。

The shadow shall be able to tell you how tall Eiffel Tower is...

There is also a small display room up on top of the Eiffel Tower, showing some old folks discussing about this building in the past.

On the third level lobby area, you will notice this stretch of flags all around above the window.

The words beside each flag will tell you the name of the country, and exactly how far it is away from the Eiffel Tower at the point where you are standing. Well, that's quite a lot of information but...I wonder how they managed to calculate and come up with that figure there... *thinking*

You know, when you cannot afford to buy something, you should juz take a photo of it! :P

Looking down from the lift while descending reminds me of roller coaster ride, especially when the lift don't go straight down but a slight curve towards the end.

View of the majestic Eiffel Tower from the bottom. :)

The field below the Eiffel Tower is actually quite pretty too! :)

Our tour guide brought us to the open square opposite the Eiffel Tower to take a few nicer photos of the building.

Well, I have no idea where we are as well... :P

Eiffel Tower finally lights up as the sun is setting (which is 9.30pm at night in summer).

Here's our tour guide, Jelle! (pronounce as yell-le)

He's a Dutch and is actually 1.99m tall! Not too bad looking, always has his signature fluffy curly hair on which makes him look quite cute. :P He is very humourous and funny and nice too! I think I called him many time during the trip as my friend and I often got lost while we explore the city on our own...hahaha...wonder if he can still remember us if there is a chance we meet again next time... :P

When he's helping one of us to take a photo of the Eiffel Tower, he made this pose that we are all very amused by his pose and his fitness! Hahaha...lol At 10pm, the lights on the Eiffel Tower lit up and the whole structure glitters in the dark! It is juz stunning! Well, I don't know if this picture can tell much of its aesthetic to you guys... *shrug*

After the tour at the Eiffel Tower, our coach drive us around Paris to have a city illuminations night tour. It was close to midnight at that time and everywhere is pretty quiet. Paris at night is lovely, and truly romantic...I'm loving it! *blush*