After waking, we had some time before we officially arrived in Paris. Once we did, the loading area was so full we could barely get off the train, let alone pull our luggage with out running over 20 people.
We escaped and left the beautiful train station, even the outside is pretty. Look at that clock tower!
We really didn't have a terrible time finding our place from the station. We had started to download the location on D's GPS, which helped us when we didn't have WIFI. We rented this adorable studio in the heart of Paris for most of the time there, except for this first night. So we found our 'hotel', which was actually a hostel, gross. We tried to check in early, but had to wait until 16:00 before we could. They did allow us to leave our bags there, which was great. We had so much time, it was only around 10am at this point. We decided to walked to Montmartre for our first Paris adventure, which was a good 45 minute walk from our place. I am obsessed with the streets of Paris. I think I took so many pictures of the buildings and just how stinking pretty it was.
We finally finished the journey there, and as soon as you turn on to the street that leads you up to Montmarte, you are surrounded by a crazy amount of street vendors. It was insane. There were people out gambling with vendors and just stuff everywhere. It was not the cleanest street.
We made it past and thought we had gotten by with out having to tell too many people no. Well we were so wrong. Once you entered the gate to start towards the steps up the hill, there were all these men trying to get you to hold out your finger, so they could wrap string around it and make you a bracelet. I was holding on to D's arm and we were both getting harassed, but they drew the line w D when they grabbed his arm. I'm pretty sure D was about to punch him, but we kept going. They just didn't know when to quit.
We of course went into the church first, before really enjoying the view on the top of the hill. It had quite elaborate domes, but we couldn't walk into the church for the full view.
Montmartre is on the north side of Paris, about 130 meters high and gives you a great view of the city. It's really hard to see what things were in the day time and with the clouds, but pretty none the less.
After some time up there, we made our way down and passed through the annoying men again. Avoid! Avoid! I did like that they had a carousel at the bottom of the hill.
We did stop in one chocolate shop on that street that had these beauties. They were WAY over priced, so I didn't get one, but it was in my near future to get my hands on a few.
Before we left that area, we stopped at the metro station to see if we could get a day or week pass while we were there. Paris is just so spread out that walking everywhere wasn't going to work. We both when down and were looking at the map. D went up to an open window and just started talking in English. I'm pretty sure this was just the man being a snob, but wouldn't even speak to D. He just asked in French if he spoke their language. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot with the French. We got zero help from him and just walked our little selves back towards our hotel. How cool was this side of a building on the walk home? I have no idea who it is portraying, but I loved it.
We also crossed this huge intersection on the walk there and back, which I believe was famous. I took a picture of the statue in the middle, just in case. We did stop at this little shop to get some lunch. It was called a' l'Heure des Thes. We ordered some sandwiches, got us some sodas and sat outside on their patio.
Because we had time to kill, we were goofing around with the camera and ordered a cappuccino to get me through the day.
Since I'd seen those macaroon's earlier, I had to find a place to get one. Lucky for me, there was a store just down the street.
We went in and both picked out a goodie to nibble on. We took them out of the store and ate them on a nearby bench.
Not only did I get a macaroon, I got a HUGE one! D decided that I'm officially a macaroonasaurus (like a T-rex). I'm not sure where he came up with it, but we laughed for quite some time about how I apparently have small arms and life is super hard because I can barely eat them, which is why I need a big macaroon. We got an eclair to share and D got himself a huge brownie. We spent the rest of the afternoon before we could check in on this bench people watching and having the most random conversations. We finally made it to 16:00 and were able to check in to our sketchy hotel.
It was quite the place we were staying at for one night. You check in and they hand you your sheet to use on your bed. I'm pretty sure I didn't even want to lay on the bed.
We decided to try our luck one more time with the metro. We went and purchased a bundle of 10 tickets each and actually got off on the right spot. Surprise surprise!
We walked around Champs-Elyesse to the Arc de Triomphe.
It took us a little while to figure out how you get to the center, since it's in the middle of a huge roundabout. The trick is to go through the underground tunnel, duh.
Then, just because we love to walk and see the city, we decide to walk to the Eiffel Tower. We had heard to go at night, and it seemed like the perfect night.
We were so excited to be there and see it. We took TONS of pictures. I had a hard time deciding which ones to put, so I apologize for how many there are! This next picture makes me laugh. I told D we should do a picture, similar to another picture we have with our hands in the shape of a heart, and this is what he did:
Silly boy. The second time worked a little better:
I loved the structure. It was so pretty as the night approached and once it lit up.
On the way there I see this huge ball of cotton candy, and I really, really wanted one! D said we should go up first and we could get it later, so I followed along. We got in the long line for the one pillar that was open. We ended up waiting for over an hour to go up to the top.
This was by far, one of the coolest things we have done. We were super excited that as we were getting our tickets, we got the 24 years and under pricing. The ticket counter didn't even ask us. D took that as a point for him, since he turns 30 this year, but apparently we look that young.
Right before we went up to the very top, we got to see the lights twinkle. It's amazing because I thought the first stop was high. The first stop really just gets you up the leg of the tower. Then you take this glass elevator all the way to the top. Holy hell. It was a little nerve racking until you get your bearings. It's so high. I'm pretty sure it took my breath away!
This was the very top of the tower that shines the beams out on either side.
It was such an amazing view. I was surprised how windy it was on some of the sides.
After quite some time, maybe over an hour, up there, we decided to come back down. (The guy in the background is totally a creeper!)
We left the tower, and I was so excited to finally get my cotton candy. Come to find out it was already closed. WHAT?!?! Nooooooooooo! Sad day, I was so mad.
Not really, well kind of, but I had to give D a really hard time about it.
We decided to walk back to the Champs-Elyesse for dinner. We chose this tasty pizza place and enjoyed a bottle of wine.
I think it was much needed heading back to our 'hotel'. We saw a drunk man peeing on the side of the hotel as we were coming back, and the attendant was out yelling at him. Classy. My dreams were filled with this lovely image to try and ignore where we were staying.
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