With Love, From Paris. Day 1

It has been a life-long dream of mine to visit Paris.  Ever since I was a little girl, Paris was always at the top of my list of "Places To Visit".  It always had a certain "je ne sais quois" for me.  Was it the allure of the Eiffel Tower? The breads and pastries?  The French language?  The romance?  The City of Lights?  I guess it's all of the above and more. Finally, the opportunity arose, and I took it!  After all, how can a girl say no to Paris?
On September 10th, Nuno, the girls and I, boarded a plane headed for Paris, France.  Come along with me...I'll tell you all about it! 

Day 1

For our very first meal in Paris, we went to a Bistro called, Le Petit Marcel, recommended to us by a local Parisian man who lives near the studio we stayed in, in the Marais district.  We started with escargots.  They were absolutely delicious! This was my first time eating escargots at a restaurant.  Even Anita loved them!

My steak and fries dish was not so great.  The cut of meat was very tough and dry, although, it looked beautiful on the plate.  To make up for it, the owner was very friendly and welcoming!  Call me crazy, but I was not impressed with any of the meals we ate in Paris (except breads and pastries, of course).  I was thinking I would be wowed by the food, but I wasn't.  It was pretty disappointing.  I left wondering what all the hype is about.  Should I have to dine at an ultra expensive restaurant, where dinner for one can cost over $200, to be able to enjoy the food?  If Paris is famous for their food, I would have thought I could find delicious food, in at least one of the restaurants we dined at. Aside from the food disappointment, everything else about Paris was extraordinary and exceeded all of my expectations! 

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After lunch, we decided to go for a walk to explore our surroundings.  We stayed in the Marais area of Paris, in the 4th Arrondisement, only a few minutes walk from the Seine river.  We walked all along the Seine,and eventually, all the way to the Eiffel Tower.  Here are some photos from our walk...

 

 This was my first peek at the Eiffel Tower, in the distance! 

 

This is Pont des Arts bridge.  Hundreds of padlocks adorn the fence on this bridge.  They are placed here by tourists and lovers who write their names on the locks and throw away the key, as a pledge of love to one another!

Look at the full moon!  You will notice the sky getting darker and darker, the further we go on our walk.

September 11, 2011. 9 pm

The Eiffel Tower's twinkling light show takes place every hour, after it gets dark.  It really is a sight to behold!

Up close and personal

I will never forget my first encounter with the Eiffel Tower.  It took my breath away!  The full moon next to it, made it even more special! 

I heart Paris!

After taking in the magnificence of the Eiffel Tower, we took a cab back to our neighbourhood.  This Crepe stand was just outside our studio.  You will find these crepe stands all over Paris.  Anita and Annabel enjoyed one filled with Nutella! 

Goodnight moon, goodnight stars, goodnight Eiffel Tower!

I have so many more pics to share with you, so I will have to do this in several posts.  Hope you enjoyed following us on our first day!  More to follow soon!