How Paris happened....

This post should have actually happened first, but oh well, poop happens!
I just realised that I never told you how we ended up going to Paris.
We met up with Lelande and Alan for dinner and drinks one Monday night in February (22nd to be exact). We had a lot of fun and the shooters were flowing! And then out of the blue we start talking about holidays we are planning and the next thing you know I am busy writing a contract in my notebook to say the we will definitely go.

The next day I was busy looking for flights and 2 weeks after that our tickets were booked!
We managed to pull off an amazing and expensive holiday in 5months! I think we rock for doing that! But never again, all the stress about having to save enough was just too much! Next time we plan well ahead!
And this way I am also able to tick off one of my Dream Destinations from my list that you can find HERE!

That makes me one happy chappy! (big awkward smile)

"Ingenuity plus courage plus work equals miracles." - Unknown

xxx

{Travel} Shopping in Paris!

Don't worry I am slowly but surely catching up to the holiday blogging!
Today (27 July 2012) was a day filled with mixed emotions.
Cedric and myself went shopping, after almost buying a new camera (it is on our list by the way), and almost buying a Ipod (also on our list) we ended up buying none of the aforementioned. haha
We are comparing the prices here to what we would pay in South Africa and it's more or less the same so will rather go look around when back home.

We shopped on the Champs Elysees, and I went to H&M, there are sales everywhere which meant the shops were packed and then I get irritated. But I found a bargain people! A dress for 3 Euro!!!!!! I paid with coins! Felt extremely strange to me! But fun!

Then we went for lunch at Pizza Pino, I had pizza and Cedric had seafood.

We also went to the Market in one of the streets close to the apartment. And this was when the weather also started changing a bit, the rain decided to join us on holiday, but only a light visit now and then! We didn't complain, after the heat the last few days we enjoyed the cool rain on our skin!

I also bought the cutest green dress from a boutique opposite our apartment, and also found out that my big South African hips don't fit into the small pants sizes from Paris! Now I don't know if I should feel fat or just very curvy??? Think I will go with curvy!

The evening we went to watch Moulin Rouge! mmmm my opinion is it is very expensive. The show is nice but you pay more for the name "Moulin Rouge" than the product. So I did shopping at the souvenir shop there. We went for a quick Mussels dinner before the show.

And that is the way to end a day of shopping in Paris!

Have a lovely day everyone!

xxx

Welcome back to us!!!!

Well what do you know, I am back from holiday! And exhausted is an understatement! We landed this morning at 4am after being in travel mode for the past 22hours. That can really get to one, but we made it! And now I am shocked by the fact that it is already August! Where has the year gone? So weird!
I've been blogging for 5months already! And enjoying every second of it! Thanks to all you other blog addicts out there for keeping me motivated and excited about something so simple! You guys ROCK!

This is how I feel about myself sometimes haha! Anyway don't worry I know I am very behind with my updates from our holiday but this will follow in the days to come! So kick off your shoes, sit back, relax and wait! 

Have a happy wine Wednesday all!

xxx

{Travel} Paris - Versailles

Oops I see I am a bit behind on keeping you bloggers updated on my holiday! So sorry!
Today (26 July 2012) we decided to take it easy as my feet were killing me, no seriously, I think my heels have cracked from all the walking (well the cramps tell me I've reached my limit in walking - NOT).
We decided that Versailles would be perfect for a relaxed day of......you guessed it - MORE walking!
Once again the Tourist attraction was packed! And it was like 40 degrees Celsius outside I swear! Luckily this time I took my umbrella with! Screw you sun! haha! Not getting me today!!!!

Anyway the Castle was amazing, I wish I lived in that era, the building is beautiful and massive. Not even to mention the gardens! I was speechless I promise you! The castle part we almost ran through because there was so many people and it was hot and smelly! Gross!

Then we went into the garden for our home made lunch! (thank you Alan)

But Cedric and I couldn't make it further than that and decided to go home after the lunch! It was just toooo hot and we were exhausted!

And on our way out I couldn't resist not taking photo's!

Isn't it breathtaking? I know!!!! We ended our evening with dinner at Cedric's brother.

Have a Manic Monday peeps!!!

xxx

{Travel} Paris - Ouch I'm RED!

As you read in a previous blog HERE to be exact, I am very white and burn easy! So today almost ended with me in tears! But we will get to that a bit later.

Today (25 July 2012) we decided it was going to be a productive day and we woke up earlier.
We got ready showered did all things pretty and off we went to our first stop, Notre Dame. The only reason we woke up earlier was to miss the que, ummm surprise, que was already very long! We had a 1,5hour wait! And the sun was pounding on us (well only me), I swear it is like the sun seeks me out between all the other people!

And then all of a sudden it hit me that I was afraid of heights! Eeeek! And I just wanted to get off asap! Scary part we were only on the first level of Notre Dame! And when we finally got down which felt like forever and saw how high the 2nd part was I was like "hell no I was going to do that"!

So by now I was looking like a lobster and I was in pain! I blame you white skin!!!! Now for the fun part of our day - bridge of locks! We walked to the Louvre and the bridge is opposite it, and found locks at one of the little street shops. Pretty colorful ones! Yay! 

As we walk away from the locks, I thought let me be the friendly tourist and ask a group of friends if I can take their photo for them (they were busy balancing their camera on a bench with the timer on) when Cedric told me "Baby they are busy smiling they can't answer you while waiting for the timer" - and then moody Johlet appeared (I think it was the sun affecting my brain) and I told Cedric to &^(#&*%T# off and called him a *$*#&, something like that. And I have this bad habit of walking storming off on my own when I "strip my moer" (go google this as I have no idea how to translate it to English). And poor Cedric just runs after me. (I am a real b#tch sometimes always - not really) 

By the way, it is 3am now and I am just writing from my Small Notebook as my memory seems to be putting me to shame! Locks = done! (Johlet = happy)

Then off to the Louvre (remember it was closed when we went on Monday), and still the sun is damn hot!

And then we went to the Museum! TOO DAMN HOT!!! Don't they know the meaning of the word AIR-CON, and seeing as it was so busy we were dying little by little. So I am very sorry but we just walked into the room with the Mona Lisa and left. Sending all of you my mental picture........NOW! You like?

Remember, we have been sight seeing for 3 days now and it is non stop walking, my feet are killing me and we are hungry and the sun just keeps on indulging on me! On the road again to the Champs de Elysees, well sort of because we are not sure where to get the bus to take us there. So walk would any normal tourist do? Stop and ask these 2 sweet old french ladies for directions and according to them it's not far we can actually walk! whahahaha what a joke! We start walking, and well walking and nothing in site! So we finally get to the beginning of the Champs de Elysees, and the restaurant we are on our way to is still freaking far! So now we stop and ask the Police officer what would he suggest we do? His answer? WALK! whahahaha these people are funny! So I show him how burnt I am and he thinks its hilarious! So he says in that case the metro which was around the corner. Woohoo! Off we go!

Before:

I think you know which one I had (fussy eater remember?)

And the after:

We ended the night at, yes you guessed it, O'Briens with Cedric's brother and his girlfriend! Fun ending to our hectic walking day!

Seems like my creativity is flowing this time of the morning, but I am sorry it is coming to and end, for now! Will entertain you again, soon! Don't worry!

And I am sooo tired while typing this but don't want to disappoint and in the process it seems like I am bombarding you with information about my holiday! How fun! 

Lekker slaap almal!!!!!

xxx

{Travel} Paris - Tourist Crazy!

It is day 3 of Paris and wow. Have we been lucky with weather I tell you! I know I know it is summer here but last week it was still raining here! Hence the fact that we are lucky!
Today Cedric and I decided to sleep in a bit (hmmm well later than usual) and hopped on the Hop On Hop Off bus and started our day.
We got off at the Louvre and took some pictures, Lelande and Alan left much earlier and they were somewhere walking their butts off!
Seeing that it was only 2 of the 4 musketeers we struggled with the group pictures a bit and the Louvre pictures ended up coming out like this.....

And in case you couldn't see it properly through our heads here it is again! (look how amazing the reflection looks on the building)

The museum was closed today (Tuesday), we did not know that but figured it out after we saw that there was no one inside the building itself. So off we walked to Notre Dame! What a amazingly beautiful place! Also didn't manage to go inside as I was not willing to sit in a que for 2 - 3 hours. There is no way in hell! But managed to take some stunning pictures. The details on these buildings are exquisite and I can stare at it for hours!

I met one of Cedric's cousins that live here in Paris. We went to the Arc de Triomphe and on one of those funny bicycle rides, had a picnic at the ET waiting for the lights to go on. And I bought some souvenirs. I just realised now that I must be busy boring you with all my typing so I will bore you some more now with pictures!

Love this man so much xxx

Arc de Triomphe xxx

Cedric and his cousin xxx

Bicycle ride (or whatever it is you call this) xxx

ET Lights xxx

And we call that a day! Off to bed now!

Much blogger love!

xxx

{Travel} Paris - Iced Coffee as I know it???

It is our first full day in Paris and we are ready to get the party started!
Today we spent the day wandering the streets looking for a nice Market to buy some fresh meats, cheeses and fruit but seeing as it is Monday most of the shops were closed.

And I had my first Starbucks! woop woop! or rather poop poop! So I LOVE Iced Coffee but in South Africa when you ask for Iced Coffee it is like a Milkshake type form, obviously I was expecting the same when I ordered it at Starbucks. Ding ding ding - it is not like a milkshake, it is black coffee with ice blocks in it, gross! (so that ended up in the dustbin - sad to say I know)

After that we went to go buy some groceries and ended up at home for lunch.
Then we did the ultimate tourist thing - Topless Bus Tour of the city, well worth it as you get to see most of the popular sites. I went overboard with photo's (200 to be exact), and we didn't even do the full tour!

We got off at the Champs - Elysees and did some window shopping and walked back to the apartment. If only my bank account was bigger with about 1 million euro I would go crazy in this area! Can you say walk in closet??? haha

After all that walking I was overheating and needed a beer! (yes a beer)
And look how cute my glass is! :)

We ended up having a nice dinner just up the road from the pub and ended at the pub again with an American couple that we met on Sunday night. And yet again another 2am night!

Much love

xxx