Paris

Continuing on my marathon trip, after going to Nice and Monaco, I ended up in Paris. If you didn't already know it: I love Paris. It may be cliche, but it's true. There's so much about that city I love...the language, shops, people, sights, crowds, sounds, smells, of course the metro...

So, we arrive on November 11th (way back in 2005), and after eating sushi for lunch (I'm proud of myself for building up the courage to eat Asian in Europe again after the mishap of New Year's dinner last year - year of the Rooster...should have been even better because it was my year) I took some time to wander down the Champs-Elysees.
Everytime I visited the city last year, Louis Vuitton was under construction. I don't know if this was just because it was open again, of it it's a normal thing, but there was a line up to get in the darn store. Laugh all you want, but I wanted to know what the big deal was, so I joined the line. Once inside (the line did move rather quickly) I was in a little bit of shock. Sure, I've been in LV before, but this is the megastore, so forgive me if I was a little bit overwhelmed with all of the choices. I made my way through the tourists splurging and rode the escalator up to the second floor. There were some beautiful shoes, but I have to say that most of the clothing isn't really for me. After walking around the whole store, I have decided that the LV monogram (and most of its designs) are a little too tacky for me. I would much rather pay for Hermes. Speaking of Hermes, I forgot to say that before LV, I took a detour to Hermes. FABulous. I went there to try to look for that hat that I saw in Monaco (strangely enough, I couldn't find it) and even though there was no line up to get into the store, it was pretty packed on the inside. It was plenty pretentious inside, and the clientele was a lot more up-itty, but for good reason. Now that stuff is nice. LV just seems so tacky to me
now (HA! Listen to me trying to sound like it's all beneath me or something). So yeah, now I'm thinking that if I invest in something, it'll be from Hermes. I know I can't have a Birkin Bag, but there were a lot of other things there that I wouldn't mind looking into. Plus the combination of orange and brown is go much better than gold and brown. Whatever.
After seeing all of the necessities (even though I've seen them all before), you know: Sacre-Coeur, Tour Eiffel (it sparkles!!!), Le Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Bateau Mouches, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe I had to return to the Cafe Deux Moulins. Yuppers. Happy thoughts...


Taken from the "tabac counter"...which actually doesn't exist.





The glass that she writes on actually doesn't exist either.




Anyway, I already know that I'll be back to Paris before the summer again. Just walking around that city rejuvenates me.
I also got a haircut while I was there. Strangely enough, during my time in Europe, I haven't gotten a haircut in Neuch. Right before arriving, I chopped off my hair (very short - different and not horrible, but a little boring) and let it grow out until the end of the year (don't forget, I think of years ending in June, not December) when I went to Paris, and decided to splurge and cut my hair. Like, really really splurge. He ended up cutting my hair just like how they usually do it. Layered to frame my face and blowdried to perfection. Too bad I don't know how to blow dry my own hair, and I don't have a curling iron here to cheat. So when straight, it looks pretty much like nothing. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that while in Europe, seems like I end up going to Paris to get my hair done. (Kind of like going to Milan for shopping - ridiculous.) This time around, I spent a lot less money, and ended up with a cut that I really liked! I emphasized my need for something that looks good without any product or styling, and he actually listened! Finally! Months later, I'm still happy with the way it has grown out. I thought about going back to the same place when I go back again, but I'm thinking that if I go back to Toronto sometime, I might just wait until then and try the Vidal Sassoon school. I've heard interesting things (it's just hair...I'm not too picky). Who knows though. I might go back to the same place in Paris or try a new one!
What else different did I experience in Paris? Nothing that stands out (at least right now) it seems. I hit up all the shops that I really wanted to visit, did all of the things that I was waiting to do...and rode the metro lots and lots.
Paris is definitely my favorite getaway. It's like going back to Toronto for a weekend while I was in Kingston. Something familiar and metropolitan just for a little while. A breath of fresh air.

After Paris...flying to Berlin (another new experience)...