Karissa's European Adventure: Paris Day Two

Hellllooo Everyone,

On day two in Paris I woke up feeling fresh and ready to explore Paris. Rachael was a little hungover but got ready super fast as she did every morning on the trip. I rolled my clothes and got my things ready the night before so I wouldn't have to do them in the morning but Rach would always beat me and end up getting her bag on the coach before mine. She would throw as much as she could into the bag (not folded or rolled) and off she'd go with her snail shell to the coach!lol We headed down for our included Contiki breakfast at the hotel where we had a yummy French breakfast. I was so excited there was Nutella spread to put on our toast, which I quickly got sick of because I found out that it's HUGE in Europe!They have it everywhere!I'd say it's the equivalent to our Vegemite spread in Australia.

We got on the coach and Mia handed us our printed out Paris maps and Mia's things to do sheets which were sooo handy throughout the whole trip!I would have been lost without them. Ok, so I don't know how to read a map and anyone can tell you this.I usually rely on Brad, Dad and the two Rachael and Rachel's lol I always follow someone else unless I really have to work it out on my own. But I loved Mia's things to do sheets as they gave you a general run down of the best places to see, how to get there, how much they cost and a little information about each site. I will keep these forever!Thanks Mia :)

Mia's top things to do in Paris sheet

So helpful and informative

Mia's handout map of Paris

After we were handed out our things to do sheets we were given a brief language refresher which was where Mia would say basic greetings etc and we would have to repeat them back to her lol (Bonjour, Au Revoir, Merci and many others) and of course the most important French word (Sante) which means cheers lol Mia would also tell us many of the following facts about each country such as: history, famous people, food, fashion, economics, climate, music and so many other insightful things that you wouldn't find out unless you were to do the research yourself or you had a guided tour like ours on Contiki. I feel like I have learnt so much more about the world and each country not only through travelling through them but purely from Mia's amazing talks!

The Eiffel Tower:

After our talk we were told where would be picked up from at a particular place and time by the coach (Mia and Profirio) and we were left to explore the city on our own which was cool. We were all dropped off at the Eiffel Tower to begin, some people went there separate ways to explore other things first. It was sprinkling and very cloudy!I was pretty devo as I had wanted to get a picnic blanket, a bottle of French Champagne and some strawberries and sit in the park under the Eiffel Tower like I had seen so many of my friends do through photos before. Instead we lined up in the huge queue to buy tickets to walk up to the top level of the tower. I was with Rachael and a few others and we were so excited. That was the day Tara and Tamara became closer with Sharni, Rachael, Hamed and I. I remember saying to Tamara 'oh I love your jacket' and she replied 'oh it's ripped at the side' and then one of her buttons flew clean off and fell to the ground!We all started laughing and realised these girls were pretty fun and we wanted to hang around them. Their names still get me confused even though I know who they are because they both start with T lol All throughout the trip everyone was calling them the wrong names and then correcting themselves sorry girls!lol

As we waited at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower we couldn't stop looking at the policemen as they were all holding semi automatic guns and looked so scary ha I took a photo of a few of them and got some pretty unhappy looks from them after the flash went off!One of the elevators was broken to get up to the top of the tower the day we were there so a group of us decided to skip alot of the queue and walk to the second platform of the Eiffel Tower which ended up being much quicker. We did however have to walk up 690 steps to reach this platform!!!ha We were so unfit and all of our legs were shaking as we puffed and continued to climb to the top of the stairs. When we got to the top of the stairs the view of Paris were amazing!We could see everything although the weather was crap. We were excited to get into the elevator and see what it would look like from the very top and we lined up for a short time to squeeze in with alot of other tourists in the elevator to the top. When we go to the top we couldn't see anything :( We were on a small caged platform that you were meant to have the best view of Paris from all angles and we couldn't see anything!If I have the chance to get back there on my travels I definitely want to climb those stairs again on a beautiful day and have my little picnic also...

Me at the top of the stairs before the elevator

Me climbing the 690 stairs to the top of the Eiffel Tower

Me not so happy after reaching the top and seeing this view of fog!lol

After that we ate some delicious French Nutella and banana crepes made freshly in front of us by a little french guy. I remember trying to read the writing which was in French and try and order speaking French because we had been told that the locals like it when you try and speak using their language. I must have sounded like a complete dickhead because after ordering what I thought sounded like a pretty good attempt at speaking French, he replied in English 'What? Do you want a crepe?' baaahaa so funny!

Watching my yummy nutella and banana crepe being made mmmm

eating my French crepe under the Eiffel Tower!yummo

Then we decided to get on the 'Hop on Hop off bus tours' that are in almost every famous city. It was the same company that I did it with in London so I knew that they were a great way to see all off the famous sites. You can also get back on whenever we wanted and gain some information along the way. The 5 of us girls (Sharni,Rach,Tara, Tamara and I) all got our headphones on and listened to the information as we went around Paris. The first stop we got off at was the Musee du Louvre or as we know it The Louvre!Yay I had always wanted to see this ever since I read and watched 'The Da Vinci Code'.

The Louvre:

We all got off the bus in the rain and were a little confused when we got to the Louvre as we didn't realise that there was so much more to the Louvre then the triangular entrance. The building and architecture was amazing as we walked into the entrance and got lots of cool photos outside while we were waiting in the long, slow line into the Louvre. We were waiting for ages and Tara,Tamara and Sharni decided they didn't want to waste their time in the line so they went shopping. Rachael and I wanted to see the Mona Lisa and decided that we would persevere with the long line and waited and waited until finally we got our tickets. After this were discovered that there was another line for the DSi audio tour head sets lol We started off ok following along with the audio guide and walked to wherever it told us to go. We walked into an Ancient Greek art showroom with huge and amazing statues which was cool!We didn't realise how huge the Louvre was and how many different sections and rooms there were.Then we got lost and it was telling us about artwork we couldn't even see and we decided to ditch the headphones and head straight for the Mona Lisa!ha We even got lost on the way there and walked straight past the room she was in and had to back track. When we got there there were hundreds of people trying to get a glimpse of the famous Leonardo Da Vinci masterpiece. They had it roped off and a security guard standing next to it. Everyone was going crazy. Everyone was pushing and shoving trying to get a photo of the painting and I wasn't standing back!I pushed my way in there like everyone else and even though I hate the photo it was the best one I could get lol I wish we had more time to look around in the Louvre but after seeing the Mona Lisa Rachael and I left to explore more of Paris.

Me with the one and only Mona Lisa

Jumping for joy at The Louvre

Me sitting outside the Louvre entrance

One of my favourite photos taken outside the Louvre with my girls (Tara, Sharni, Rachael and Tamara)

Rachael and I decided in the pouring down rain to quickly get back on the 'Hop on Hop off bus tour' and see and get photos with as many other famous sites as we could. Our time was running out and we had to be back soon to meet up with the rest of the group. Some of the stops and photos of us in Paris were literally us just getting off, getting a quick photo and getting straight back onto the bus. I got my bag stuck in the door and couldn't move while angry people thought I was blocking the way onto the bus which was quite funny and the French bus driver was laughing at me the whole time until the bus could start moving again lol We saw so many other beautiful sites such as 'The Notre Dame Cathedral, The Paris Opera House and the original Louis Vuitton store (which had a huge line to get in the doors).I loved walking down the Champs Elysees and seeing all of the shops and cafes. We stopped outside one of the most famous macaroons shops in Paris (La Duree) the line was huge so we kept walking. I have however had the macaroons from the same store here in London and they are to die for! I also loved the Opera House building it was sooo beautiful!Rachael and I made the bus just in time but wished we had more time to explore Paris. There are so many things to do and see it's amazing. I'm glad that we made each other get out into the rain and see everything we could in the time we had though.

Me outside the Palasis Garnier (Paris Opera House)

Me outside the ORIGINAL Louis Vuitton store

Me outside the famous macaroon store in Paris

Me on the Lock Bridge (locals say that if you place a lock on the bridge and throw away the key you will have your lovers heart forever) So romantic and this is also the bridge where BIG and Carrie kiss in the Sex and the City movie!

Montmarte:

We had a quick change and were back on the Contiki bus off to our Parisian dinner and the Cabaret. Our dinner was at a small little French restaurant at the top and one of the most beautiful views of Paris (Montmarte). We walked up cobbled streets full of life, sex shops and there were loads of gypsy's trying to sell us things on the way there too. We stopped and gazed over one of the highest and most beautiful views in Paris and got photos outside the amazing Sacre-Coeur Basilica (The church of the Sacred Heart is a beautiful white travertine stone basilica on the top of Montmarte). This area of Paris is busy with artists and once was the local haunt of Van Gough, Picasso and Dali during their time!

Parisian Dinner:

At dinner we sat and listened to a couple of musicians singing French songs and playing the piano. Little did we know that we had our own talented duet on the tour (Rachael and Hamed)!I had no idea that Rachael could sing until people were clapping and someone from the tour told me Rach was out singing with the pianist on the other side of the restaurant!She later told me that she had finished 8th grade singing lessons or something...Wow!!Go Rach. Hamed was also a surprise as he got on the piano and started playing beautiful music and was sooo talented as well!He played so fast and it sounded amazing!Hamed and Rach were asked to perform a little piece for the restaurant and they had everyone clapping!Well done guys :) For dinner we had a 3 course meal of (Escargot/French Soup, Duck l'Orange and chocolate cake with cream). We also got to drink some local French wines which was nice.

Outside Sacre-Coeur Basilica with Rachael on the top of Montmarte Paris

Nouvelle Eve Cabaret Show:

After dinner we walked through Montmarte to the famous Cabaret strip which is also where the Moulin Rougue is to our cabaret show for the night at the Nouvelle Eve. It was so cool with it's lights and hype waiting in the line to enter. We weren't allowed to take photos in there as the cabaret dancers had their tops of in most of the dances so I can't show you any pictures. Paris is where the 'Can Can' all originated from and their costumes where so sparkly and beautiful on stage!I loved every minute of it!There were gay men dancing, can can dancers, French comedians and singers which made the show so entertaining. I didn't want it to end. We had great seats right up the front with dim table lights and more French champagne. Some of the Contiki people even had to get up on stage and dance and be apart of the acrobatics/clowns acts which was hilarious.

Clubbing in Paris:

After the cabaret I remember thinking I've had a great night already but was feeling tired after the 2 hour show. I said to Sharni I don't feel like going out...She was like oh we'll just go out for one drink....I went along with Sharni and the girls towards a club that Mia was leading our whole Contiki group to called 'O'Sullivans'. We didn't have to line up or pay a cover charge because it was all included with Contiki. We got in and the vibe was so fun and I loved the R&B music. I started drinking my favourite drink vodka redbull!lol After that we started dancing and drinking lots more, Mia even came with a bottle of Vodka cranberry I think it was and was pouring it into every one on the tours mouths lol The French guys were sooo cute!I love dark guys so I was in heaven ha Kissed a guy in the photo below and danced away with the Contiki crew. Everyone was mingling and that's the night we met JESSICA WYSOCKI!Yeah boii this girl is one crazy, funny biatch. She was so fun and really knew how to shake it!We later on found out that she was a pole dancing instructor in one of her many jobs so no wonder she could dance!That was the first night I kissed Hamed too and we ended up being the last ones at the club when all of the Contiki people left and it was just us with a club full of Parisians lol Hamed bought me a rose on the streets of Paris that night and thank god for him knowing the address to the motel got me home speaking the little French he knew to the taxi driver.Funny night!I ended up getting back into bed at about 6am and the saying 'Just touch it' comes from this night baaaaa Girls you will be cracking up saying this right about now lol

I ended up getting pretty drunk and thank you Sharni for making me go because I had the best night!!!Even if you did take the ticket for the cloak room home and the lady wouldn't give me my nice new jacket from Camden Markets back lol And yes it still is in the cloakroom in the Paris club guys ha