Sojourn 2: Stay In Paris

May 5, 2010: I arrived in Paris at around 11:30 am where I was picked up by my college best friend. The flight was excellent and uneventful. I was happy indeed that I got to Paris safe and sound.

We took a Metro train from CDG airport and headed to Champs du Mars where Matleen (Doreen's friend) was living and left my luggages at her apartment. Then we left there and took the subway heading to the famous Louvre Museum to start my first day in Paris.

When we got out of the train at the Louvre station we headed right away to the museum and lined up at the ticket booth to buy two tickets for the entrance.

The museum was been packed with thousands of people of all walks of life and of different color, race, and languages. Young and old were been interwoven as one with the sole purpose of perusing the exhibits in the vast surroundings of the enormous and famous museum in the whole world which kept a lot of famous paintings and precious artifacts, treasures, and arts dated from a long long time ago until the current time.

We also took pictures of the well known inverted glass pyramid at the center of the museum and also the intricate paintings, sculptures, and arts that were shown everywhere.

The famous Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci was been mobbed by the pandemonium of revelers and tourists as well as the Renaissance, the Italian, and the Spanish painings of the famous and worldwide painters of different period of times.

The museum was very huge which was even impossible for us to peruse and roam around so we planned out our visit to only the few famous paintings, sculptures, and arts starting from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque era. It was a very good learning and educational experience for us.

After the long hours of tour inside the large museum we went to the nearby restaurant and sipped some hot French coffee and also ate toasted bread spread with the famous French favorite hors dourves the foie gras. It was very delicious!

After eating we left the museum and then took a stroll on the streets of Paris. We headed to the Notre Dame Church but apparently the church was already closed because it was already 7:00 pm during that time.

We decided to just take some pictures of the church's facade, churchyard, and the surrounding area taking into consideration the intricate architecture of the whole edifice.

After that we headed down the River Siene and inquired for a dinner on the boat. When we knew that it wasn't that expensive we then boarded the boat and ordered two seats for dinner. The tour started at 8:00 pm and it lasted for two hours.

We had a three course meal while enjoying the view of the whole Paris boating on the famous river of Siene. We were sipping wine while enjoying the view of the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, and the whole Paris from the river. It was indeed a very memorable first experience for us both!

After the dinner by the boat it was already dark. We then headed at the Place de Concorde where we viewed the obelisk that was given by the government of Egypt to the government of France as a sign of a peace treaty. The plaza was well lighted and there were a lot of lovers dating around the plaza. We also took some pictures of the place.

Then we headed to meet Matleen at Champs de Elysees where all the world's famous designer stores and shops were being found. We waited for her there and accompanied her to eat dinner before heading out to see some more scenery at night.

We also went to see the famous Arch de Triumphe were all four directions of Paris from east, west, north, and south meets. It was very beautiful at night.

It was almost midnight when we went back at Matleen's apartment where we took the park's way near the Eiffel Tower at Champs du Mars where she lives.

So far it was a very memorable first day for me after setting foot on the soil of Paris, France. It was a day full of adventure and surprises as well.

Again, thanks Doreen and Matleen for your kind hospitality and precious time in showing me some of the beautiful and promising places of Paris, France for a start.

It was indeed a good appetizer for me to see the beauty of Paris as well as taste the nice food of the French people.


May 6, 2010: Today is my second day in Paris. Me and Doreen started the day with a lot of walking, laughing, giggling, and talking. The sun occasionally peeps out of the cloudy Paris' sky but overall it was a very good weather.

We walked outside the apartment and ambled towards Champs du Mars park going to the Eiffel Tower. Upon coming out of the apartment we can see the towering facade of the famous Eiffel Tower so we headed towards that direction and saw a lot of people and tourists lining underneath it ready to start a thousand steps going up the tower.

We headed to the Trocadero Place and there we took some pictures of the tower from a distance enjoying the taste of the crepes with fruit jam. We took a lot of pictures of the Eiffel Tower from there then we left for another scenery to see and peruse.

We boarded the Metro subway train then went out near the hub where the Sacred Heart Church was standing. The church was located near the hilly side of Paris where we have to pass a commercial area until we reach a hill where the church was steadfastly standing.

We have to climb several stairs in order to reach the beautiful church. We were huffing and puffing when we got on top. But the climb was worth it because the church was very beautiful inside and out.

We also took a lot of pictures for us to document our pilgrimage and also was very ecstatic doing this tour of the famous buildings and churches of the city of Paris.

The church was been teeming with a lot of tourist from the different parts of the world. There were also concerts held outside the church. The atmosphere was really crazy and the crowd was very rowdy. It looks like we were in a marketplace but overall the trip was woth it.

We then took a little snack near the little canteen beside the church then left the area and  took the train and went out the hub near Saint Claire's church. But when we got there the line outside the church was so long so we decided to turn around the block and headed to Notre Dame Church instead.

The church was open to the public that time unlike yesterday that it was close when we came after hours. We then went in and peruse the whole building checking all the intricate colored glass windows as well as taking pictures of it to document our tour.

I also took a little time praying for my love ones and also for my own personal intentions. The church was been crowded also by a lot of tourist, locals, and revelers from different places of the world.

After looking around the place we then left the area then took another train and went out at the Madeliene exit were the Church of Magdalene was situated. The building doesn't look like a church because of it's appearance outside which is similar to Greece's acropolis. At first I thought it was a museum.

The church looks old and very vintage but the architecture appears very awe inspiring. The church was not that really teeming with tourist but it was located at the center of Paris.

When we went in I was awestrucked by the beautiful altar they had. The lady standing in the middle stripped by cherubims was made of a very shiny white marble. The sculpture was very intricate and beautiful. The hair, face, hands, clothes, and the little angels were cut intricately and very detailed. It was very very gorgeous to look at.

Again, we took some pictures and also uttered some little prayers near the altar for my personal intentions.

After that we left the church then took another train then went out of the Le Opera exit. The building was also situated at the heart of Paris and was a very very beautiful building with very intricate architectures. The building was also being renovated when we got there.

We managed to buy some ticket to peruse the whole building and my God it was very pretty inside. The walls were all carpeted with a red hue and the stage where the show was being held was very huge. The decorations inside the opera was very stunning and the brilliant and enormous chandeliers all around the large  building were very awe inspiring. I was even dumbfounded.

The tour lasted about one hour but it was worth it. We also took some pictures of every nooks and corners of the building.

The day of visiting the churches and the opera have educated me about the rich spiritual and recreational cultures of the French people. It was a very educational experience for us.

We met Matleen and a friend at a Japanese restaurant near Champs Elysees then we savor the best Japanese cuisine in Paris as well as imbibing with the beautiful ambiance of the place.


May 7, 2010: This starts the third day of my stay in Paris and my last day in the City of Romance. Me and Doreen started the day by going to the Philippine Embassy because she needs to renew her passport before it expires.

We went to get her 2x2 picture first then copied all the pages of her about to expire passport. Then we headed to the embassy and filled up an application form, submitted all the requirements, and paid the necessary dues required.

After we sorted out everything we then embarked on our last leg of visit in Paris which is visiting the palace of the famous Chateau of Versailles.

We took a twenty minute train ride going outside of Paris heading to Versailles. The palace where the famous Louis XIV was been crowned was situated outside the outskirts of Paris.

The newly renovated building appeared very new with gold painted sculptures and awnings around the huge building. Tourist comes and goes enjoying the vast estates and the hundred of hectares of beautiful well-trimmed gardens and well-manicured lawns.

The exhibits and paintings inside the palace were very beautiful, vintage, and intricate reflecting the opulence and luxury of the Renaissance era family. The building was full and rich of history and people were very eager perusing the vast estate and the rich culture of the Renaissance era.

We took tours of the chateau as well as a tram tour of the wide and vast gardens intently listening to the meticulous explanations of the tour guides as well as the well-programmed earpieces being rented by the information department upon buying the entrance tickets.

The trip to Versailles was well worth and I really enjoyed it together with my friend. We went home at around 6:00 pm then we packed our things because we will be leaving Paris after the three days of a very hectic tour of the whole city.

When we arrived at Champ du Mars we were so hungry that we decided to eat first before packing and readying ourselves for the train ride going to Lourdes, France.

We went in this hole-in-the-wall pizza restaurant few blocks near Matleen's apartment and ordered this very delicious pizza and excellent fresh green salad I've ever tasted. To top that it goes with this superbly good and finesse wine I've ever tasted in my life that leaves your mind reeling for sex and romance and make you ask for more.

We asked for another help for that wine and I didn't realized I was already drunk and numb and made my tongue waggle and talk a lot. I was buzzing and Doreen was laughing at me because I am very drunk and we will be leaving that night for Lourdes. This was the best celebration I had in my entire life leaving Paris drunk and really making out the best of it before my last exit from there. It was very funny indeed.

We will be leaving for Lourdes, France at 11:00 pm via train heading to the Pyrenees mountain. It was a very memorable and worthwhile experience I had in Paris since I came spending most of my first three days very well. It was really a well spent three days sojourn here in Paris!

Yeah..... Paris is indeed an awesome place full of unexplainable beauty, culinary richness, intricate arts, and spellbinding culture. I can't forget my very busy three days stay here!