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[Angel_Ariel]

Lovely lovely photo's! I am really enjoying your Parisian adventures!

[never2old]

Amazing how much you can fit into 1 day!! Paris is a wonderful city, and through your eyes and pictures its even better!

Wonderful report with stunning photos, can't wait to discover more!

[DLP-Photos.com]

Loving your report You have fitted in so much already!

Thank you - next packed update will arrive tonight, so stay tuned :-)

Hi Nicolai & Mie,
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your trip report, so happy to hear you are both having fun in Paris; looking forward to reading the next chapter.
oh, and thank you Nicolai for sharing your wonderful photos. :minnie:

Thank you so much :-) There are many, many photos to come - I shot 1500 in total :-)

Oh WOW!!! Fantastic photos of one of my favourite cities. The Opera House is one of my favourite buildings, inside and out. I could sit and just look at it all day. When I finished reading this, my first thought was "I wonder if I could fit a little visit to Paris in when we go to Disneyland".

You look like you are having a great time, and lucky Mie - all those shops!!

Looking forward to more!  

Yeah - for me it's almost a must to visit Paris - at least just for an afternoon. It's such a wonderful city! And I can say that there is still two Paris updates to come - one of them coming later tonight :-)

Lovely lovely photo's! I am really enjoying your Parisian adventures!

Thank you very much Angel_Ariel :-)

Amazing how much you can fit into 1 day!! Paris is a wonderful city, and through your eyes and pictures its even better!

Wonderful report with stunning photos, can't wait to discover more!

Thank you N2O - you know me, there is always loads packed into one day :-)

[DLP-Photos.com]

Day 3 - Paris Essentiels

Our second day in Paris starting with the warm, bright rays of sun shining through the curtains drawing the silhouette of the classic Parisian rooftops surrounding our very warm hotel room.

After eating a breakfast as big as the day before it was time for some of my "Paris Essentiels" - mainly we wanted to see Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower and Sacre Cæur. It turned out only one of these would be seen on this day - with the others replaced with other, smaller Paris sights.

Our first target was Notre Dame, so we took the Metro to Chatelet to be able to walk the last way. As we emerged from the metro station instead of walking straight to Notre Dame we went towards Hotel de Ville. A place I had actually never seen and for several reasons it turned out to be a good choice! First of the building itself is very beautiful:


Hotel de Ville by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

As we arrived there we noticed a big sculpture of roses and a lot attention and people gathering around this. It turned out to be some event to support equality for homosexuals. We got our photo taken with the sculpture and shared our support to the representatives.



While walking around the area near Hotel de Ville I popped in to a store in which I shopped quite a bit.



As you can see, I was very happy to shop in...



The Body Shop!! My GF had been walking around in her kawasaki shoes all the first day and her feet/legs were aching! So we bought some very good cooling foot spray and relaxing leg gel. It helped us out throughout the rest of the holiday - a great purchase!

Now, it's time for some photos. The area around Hotel de Ville (also hosting an agriculture exhibition) is better shared through these photos than through my words:


Hotel de Ville by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Hotel de Ville by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Hotel de Ville by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Hotel de Ville by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Hotel de Ville by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

After spending some time here it was time to head towards Notre Dame over the Seine through the little streets leading up to the majestic church. I must say that no matter what bridge you cross the Seine it produces some beautiful sights. I could easily spend a complete day exploring all the different sights around the bridges of Paris. But our schedule was tight, so that must wait for a later visit :-)


The Seine by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

As lovely as the bridges is the area before Notre Dame when you arrive from this side. So many little shops, cafés, bars and so much life - a truly parisian area. And surely this must have been a sign of what awaited us the next day ;-)



We arrived at the Notre Dame and the first thing I noticed was a big blue and white structure, which I would later find out marked the 850 years anniversary of the church. They had build a massive stand on which people were sitting while enjoying the sun, maybe an ice cream and of course the perfect view of this amazing and gorgeus piece of architecture. Mies feet still hurt a little bit, so while she took a break on the stand I went for some photography. Once again I'll let the photos share the beauty of Notre Dame:


Notre Dame by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Notre Dame by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Smartphone Tourism by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


850 Years of Notre Dame by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

We continued our journey through classic Paris crossing the seine once again towards the Saint Michel. This was an area, which I don't remember visiting earlier, but I really liked the Latin Quarter. Once again you cross a corner in Paris and is presented with a new, great experience. Away from the big boulevards and big sights, you are suddenly in small streets filled with restaurants. This really reminded me about Florence and Rome. The next time you are in Paris you should really consider going here :-)




Latin Quarter, Paris by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Saint Michel by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Saint Michel by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

We needed to go back to the Notre Dame as we had noticed a little place we had to visit now that it was time for something sweet. Bertie's Cupcakery located in one of the small streets surrounding Notre Dame. We got two amazing cupcakes (7€ total - not bad); one with Oreo and one with lemon/strawberry. Oh my sweet cupcake, were they tasty!!!





After enjoying these delicious treets we took the metro to the Jardin des Tuileries/Concorde to fulfill one of the dreams we had had ever since noticing it the first day. To go up the Champs-Élysées in a rickshaw/pedicab. After negotiating with some of them we found a reasonable price (10€ to go from Concorde to the middle of Champs-Élysées! This was a stunning and unique experience :-) You have never seen Paris like this and it was so relaxing, so beautiful and so peaceful. You have to do this - this is THE way to experience Paris!!


Rickshawing down Champs-Élysées by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

After this it was time for some lunch, although we weren't that hungry. So we decided to go for the same lunch as thursday - a nutella crepes. We even went back to the same place to get it :lol:

After once again spending some time on Champs-Élysées we were once again tempted by a pedicab as we neared the Arc de Triomphe. We wanted to go to Galeries Lafayette as my GF wanted to look for something she had forgotten on our rather stressed visit on thursday. So we decided to go from the Arc de Triomphe to Opera and this would turn out to be the most value-for-money of all our pedicab tours as we only paid 20€ (actually we had agreed 18 but "unfortunately" for him he didn't have 2€ for change ;-)). This took more than 30 minutes and took us down the Champs-Élysées through the embassy area further on into the designers area with all the most exclusive stores finally ending up near at the majestic Opera house. I greatly regret not taking any photos during this ride, but I have some video which will be shared later on.

After Galeries Lafayette we returned to the hotel to relax for an hour or so - actually we went to get a massage for my girlfriend. Let's say we found a cheap place and my girlfriend got a "massage" - however, both of us were very happy that I didn't get one too ;-) I hope you catch my drift

After the hotel break we decided to return to Champs-Élysées. We had planned all along to have dinner there this evening and I also wanted to take some photos after sunset of the traffic, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre. Before this, however, we went into Sephora as I wanted to spoil my girlfriend a bit. So I gave her some Chanel make-up to put into her purchased cosmetics bag from the day before. Unfortunately some of the things she wanted was sold out, but we got a couple of things for her to start the new collection (for make-up knowers she is switching from MAC :p)

We discussed a bit whether we wanted to eat her (we couldn't seem to find a place that suited us or just go back to the place we had dinner the night before).. And then (luckily) we came to Cafe George V! We could both find something to eat and the prices weren't that bad! We sat down and I think we both agree that this is one of the best dinners we have enjoyed together during our time together! We sat outside on the Champs-Élysées, lovely atmosphere and great food :-) The only thing spoiling the perfect night was finding out about the tragic train accident near Paris as my GFs family asked us if we were okay, so we had to just write them and my family to tell that luckily we were all okay :-)

And then just look at this food:



I had a delicious chicken with home made french fries :-)



Mie had a yummy seafood salad, which was quote "the best salad she had ever had" :-)

For dessert I got the best Creme Brulee I have ever had, while Mie had a lime sorbet with vodka and a Long Island Ice Tea, which I must say tasted very nice and not of alcohol at all despite featuring no less than 7 types of alcohol. If I was allowed to drink alcohol I would have had one too :-)





Taking our time to enjoy the meal (only 90,50 €) I was left with not much time to take my wanted photos, and I am sad to admit that it can be seen on the results. Judge by yourself:




Champs-Élysées by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Arc de Triomphe by NKA-Photo, on Flickr


Champs-Élysées by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

After this we decided to - SURPRISE! - take a pedicab to the Louvre. We loved our driver and respected him! It was midnight, he had no motor on the bike (unlike the others) and yet he drove us all the way to the Louvre with great spirits and energy. We actually wanted to tip him besides the 25€ we paid him, but we hadn't got any coins



The final photo of the night, before we headed home, to bed prepared to go to Disney on saturday. This I am VERY satisfied with:


Louvre by NKA-Photo, on Flickr

[ecila]

Your photos are so beautiful Nicolai, I've really enjoyed reading these first few days and can't wait to read about your time in Disney!

[tubbsy]

Oh wow Nicolai! Your day sounds brilliant and your photos are AMAZING!
I am very much an amateur (using a Nikon bridge) but I am hoping to get some fairly good photos next week.

[DLP-Photos.com]

Oh wow Nicolai! Your day sounds brilliant and your photos are AMAZING!
I am very much an amateur (using a Nikon bridge) but I am hoping to get some fairly good photos next week.

Thank you very much, Tubbsy!  :thumbs:

I am sure you will come back with loads of great photos. The most important thing about holiday photos - especially with your family - is to catch the atmosphere and the lovely times. I look forward to seeing them :-)

Your photos are so beautiful Nicolai, I've really enjoyed reading these first few days and can't wait to read about your time in Disney!

Thank you - 6 days of Disney coming up including loads of photos of the 14th of July Fireworks and Disney Dreams, with NO people in front of me or in the photos at all :-)

[carelessness @ DLRP]

Extremely fantastic report, so glad you had a most wonderful time!!!
Needless to say that pictures are awesome  :thumbs:
Looking forward to the rest ...

[BlackPearl]

Wow, thanks for sharing this fantastic photos of Paris!  
 =D>  =D>  =D>
Oh, the report itself is great,too, of course!  

[DLP-Photos.com]

Extremely fantastic report, so glad you had a most wonderful time!!!
Needless to say that pictures are awesome  :thumbs:
Looking forward to the rest ...

Thank you very much - indeed we did. But the best is indeed still to come - 6 days of Disney magic and a final sunny day in Paris :-)

Wow, thanks for sharing this fantastic photos of Paris!  
 =D>  =D>  =D>
Oh, the report itself is great,too, of course!  

Haha thanks - I have a few Paris photos that haven't been shared here, but I expect to share some more unseen photos on my website or Facebook page at a later time :-) Feel free to follow!

[minnieme]

Ah, more stunning pictures of Paris. Notre Dame is another favourite - beautiful.

Really great report so far Nicolai, Looking forward to the next day.

[SwipatronSparks]

Looking forward to more especially disney

[DLP-Photos.com]

Sorry for the delay and lack of a new update - my week has just been incredibly busy!

However, I promise at least one DISNEY update this week :-)

[Aurora1]

Ohhhh, come on the week has just begun!!! (just kidding) Great report so far! Looking forward to the next installment!
Have a nice, hopefully not to busy, week!
Aurora1

[esmeralda]

So far so good. Looking forward to the actual Dlp report!!!