Hey! Welcome to my blog! In my blog I am going to tell you about my great getaways, including the best and the worst of the places I have traveled to. Hopefully, you will find this helpful in your quest to find a great getaway!
In Paris I loved shopping at Galeries Lafayette, a great French department store. The one thing I love about European shopping is that even their department store have beautiful architecture! In the jewelry and accessories area, the ceiling was a very tall skylight dome, beautifully decorated (first picture below). Also, the escalator area was even very fancy. In Galeries Lafayette they have a huge selection of products, and a range of pricing so that they are an affordable store. Make sure you check out Galeries Lafayette when you are in Paris!
After watching the movie Marie Antoinette, seeing the beautiful landscapes and architecture of the palace, I told my Mom that we had to visit Versailles when we were in Paris. Although the day we went we didn't have great weather, my expectations of Versailles were not let down. Versailles is amazing- a must-see when traveling to Paris! The most amazing part of the tour at Versailles was seeing the famous Hall of Mirrors. It is funny how everyone's jaw dropped open when we entered into the hall! Here are some pictures of the Hall of Mirrors:
I also really enjoyed seeing the Queen's chamber. It sure is fit for a Queen!
The grounds are spectacular! The gardens are so well taken care of; they are beautiful! Since we went in the summer there were still flowers, and they certainly added to the beauty of Versailles. Here is a picture of a part of the gardens:
I was quite amazed to see the Golden Gate at Versailles. I have never seen so much gold! Despite it being made centuries ago, it looked brand new!
The artwork in the palace rooms on the ceilings and walls is amazing. Just to think of how much work went into all the rooms, and it still looks great down to today! I loved visiting Versailles. I hope one day I can go back and explore more of the property, such as Marie Antoinette's cottage and some of the other areas I was not able to see due to time. You must visit Versailles when you go to Paris! Happy Travels!
Of course one of the highlights of visiting Paris was the Eiffel Tower. Standing under the Eiffel Tower is an amazing experience, because you realize how massive it is since you feel like an ant standing under it! Our hotel, Hotel Le Marquis, was only a five minute walk away from the Eiffel Tower, so as soon as we dropped our suitcases off at the hotel rooms we walked over to the Eiffel Tower. Hotel Le Marquis was the most luxurious hotel I have been in- I loved it there! It is a very cute and beautiful boutique hotel. The rooms were fit for a queen, plus the beds were so comfortable- I slept like a baby!
Hotel Le Marquis
After shopping at Galeries Lafayette, a popular French department store, and other shops nearby from the afternoon into the evening we headed back to the Eiffel Tower. We heard that going up the Eiffel Tower at night is best, and it certainly was! While we were heading up, via elevators (I was too chicken to climb up), the light show started! Below is a YouTube video of the light show. Yes, I did go all the way up to the very top of the Eiffel Tower! It was a bit frightening, but once I got used to the height I was fine and had a great time! When you go up the Eiffel Tower, make sure that you go up when it is dark; the views are amazing since all of Paris is lit up. As well, when it is dark it is harder to tell how far off the ground you are, so it is better for those like me who are scared of heights!
At first I wasn't keen on going to Le Louvre since I am not a museum person. But, once I got inside and started wandering around I actually really enjoyed the experience. The artifact I liked the most was the Venus de Milo. She was created sometime between 130 and 100 BC, and is believed to depict the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. She is very unique since her features are not common in the art found in her era. Her body is twisted to the left, and her hair is parted and tied back into a low, loose bun. She is very beautiful too.
Venus de Milo
I also enjoyed seeing the Mona Lisa! They had to put up a glass shield around her, due to some crazy man storming in and attempting to destroy her not too long ago, so it was hard to take a picture of her. Le Louvre itself is a very beautiful building; the architecture is amazing! The grounds are very neat, like where you enter. You enter via a futuristic glass pyramid outside that takes you underground. It is very cool. I highly recommend going to Le Louvre even if you are not big on museums like me, because you will be pleasantly surprised.
