Doodle Your Life: Best Places To Go! :D Paris, je t'aime (I love you) :D

After my sister's graduation last year in Birmingham, as a graduation present to my sister, we all went to Paris, the city of love. :D I know, awesome right? I was so overjoyed that we could all go as a family to Paris!!! :D We took a train from Birmingham to London and a plane from London to Paris. The plane from Paris was a little small but it was okay. When we reached Paris, everyone was speaking French. We couldn't understand them but luckily we found an information counter and asked them how to get to the hotel. We took a cab there and walked half of the way as the taxi driver kind of got confused with which hotel we were going to. So we had to walk, pulling our ever so heavy luggage to the hotel and to our dismay, the hotel was uphill so when we reached the hotel we were exhausted. After resting a while, we checked into our rooms. The hotel was not that big but it was antique, as in it looks old but the owner of the hotel was very nice and he helped us in everything that we needed. He helped us with calling cabs and telling us where the nearest subway was.

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower at night

When we were settled in to the hotel, it was about 7p.m. and most of the shops were closed. Shops closed earlier in Europe and the UK, around 5-6p.m. which was the only disadvantage I found when I was in Europe and the UK. So my family and I went for dinner then we took a bus to one of the seven wonders of the world - the Eiffel Tower! :D When we reached the Eiffel Tower, it was about 8p.m. and the whole of the Eiffel Tower was lighted. It was so marvelous that my jaw dropped, literally. There were a lot of people there from locals to tourists. Some were just admiring the Eiffel Tower on the grass and some were, like us, taking pictures with it. We were there 'til around 11p.m. as there was a kind of a show where the Eiffel Tower was lighted in different colours and it was really pretty. It has definitely proved itself to be one of the seven wonders of the world. :D The 'show' lasted for about 10-15 minutes. After that, we went back to the hotel with our hearts overjoyed and waiting for our next day in Paris. :D

During the parade
in Walt Disney's Studios Park

One of the themed food courts

The next day, we went to Disneyland! Which was also beautiful. :D Disneyland in Paris has two parks, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. Disneyland Park is more for younger children and anyone who loves Disney movies like The Princess and The Frog, The Little Mermaid,
Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, whereas Walt Disney Studios Park is more for those with an adventurous heart and those who love Pixar movies like Monsters' Inc., Toy Story and Finding Nemo. The rides in both parks are equally wonderful and interesting. Disneyland was so big that my family and I couldn't go for all the rides and watched all the shows that we wanted to go and watch. We actually were thinking to go back another day but we didn't have enough days left in Paris as we already made other plans.

Mini-Eiffel Tower Keychains
that I bought for my friends.

As another fantastic day in Paris passed, we awoke to a sunny new day and this time we were going up the Eiffel Tower and seeing it in the daytime. My sister bought our tickets to go up the Eiffel Tower online so we skipped the really, really long queue at the ticketing booth and made our way up by lift with the other tourists. It was very windy up there and we could see all of Paris from the tower. It was breathtaking. Paris was so beautiful and magnificent. I really was overjoyed. It felt like I was the king of the world! Well, in my case the queen. :D I felt really carefree and it seemed like all my problems and worries that were in my head were gone for that moment. It was really one of the best feelings ever. :D

A family picture in front of the Eiffel Tower

The Lourve

Notre Dame

After the Eiffel Tower, we took a bus to Musée du Louvre or better known as the Lourve Museum or simply as the Lourve. According to wikipedia, the Lourve is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historical monument. It has over 35,000 works of art displaying and especially one of the most famous paintings in the world, the Mona Lisa. There was also a scene in the movie 'The Da Vinci Code' that was taken at the Lourve. It was really unfortunate that my family and I couldn't see these works of art as there were too many people at every ticket counter. So instead we went around to take pictures and went to see all the shops that were there, souvenir shops, bakeries and many more.

Next, we went to Notre Dame, yet another magnificent place and also a must-go place in Paris. :D Notre Dame was so beautiful inside and out. The structure and also the sculptures and stained glass were so beautiful. They had loads of sculptures of holy people and art works on a story of Jesus, if I'm not mistaken. There was also a big, golden cross in the middle,at the altar. There were small candles on steel holders in mostly every corner for prayer needs. If anyone wanted to pray, they would just buy a candle for 2 Euros, light it up and after they have prayed, they would put their candle together with all the other candles on the steel candle holder. It was a wonderful sight as some people would cry or laugh when they were praying. :D

My siblings and I at the
Arc de Triomphe

On our last day in Paris, we went to the Arc de Triomphe or also called the Triumphal Arch. It is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. According to wikipedia, the Arc de Triomphe is a memorial to those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. I saw many people paying their respects to these soldiers and tourists just taking pictures for remembrance.

Paris is indeed an extraordinary place and I definitely recommend everyone to go there and visit all these places and more. :D

P.S. Shopping there was also awesome! ;D

Some additional pictures of Paris..