Must see: Paris

Assalamualaikum...

You’ll get magnificent view around Paris. Don't worry. The architecture, the museum, the canal, and even small café is eye catching. Be sure to have a good camera and extra batteries if you’re into photography. You will also see a lot of beautiful historical buildings. It is a waste to just see them and not knowing the stories it hold. So the solution is, join a walking tour. Don’t worry about budget. There are a few free walking tours for you to join. Of course, at the end, it’s up to your conscience to reward them for their service. They will take you around main attraction and feed you with interesting facts about it.

the guy was our tour guide. His English is gooood!

We joined one of the free walking tour by Sandermans Tour. Their gathering point is at St. Michel. The tours are available in French and English; up for you to choose. It last for 3 hours. The tour guide did a really good job; he was jovial and tells history in a ‘comical’ way. So it was not boring at all. Here are some places that you might consider to visit while in Paris.

*Things that I'm about to share is based on the information I got from the tourist guide, by what I experienced, and what I read. :)

1. Eiffel tower (pronounced as e-fell)

Paris : Bahasa Perghanchiss

assalamualaikum..

Nak pergi France tapi tak tahu cakap perghanciss?? ape nak buat..oh no OH NO!!!!!

chills...I don't understand a word but still survived being there for 3 days.

BUT!

Better learn it or get a good dictionary or anyone who speak the language. In France, if you don’t know their language, you might have some trouble or unpleasant experienced. Ye la, bayang kan emergency nak cari toilet tak jumpa, tanya orang, semua bagi direction bahasa perghanchiss. idok ke naye di buatnye? (bak kata orang perak). Well it did happened to me, nasib baik orang tu tau cakap english. pheww!!

I admired how they preserved their language from foreign influence, particularly English. Just like Japanese. Bayangkan kat Malaysia semua bangsa boleh cakap bahasa melayu...kan bahagia (kerja kat wad..). Malangnya ada rakyat malaysia yang tak tahu berbahasa Melayu..so sad..by the way, yeah, people there rarely speak English, even at ticketing counter. They might know but they just don't bother. they think......

Paris: Accomodation

I’m sure, there’s plenty of good hotel in Paris, it all depend on your budget. For a low budget travel, travel lodge is the best option you have. At least that the only option we had. There are few hostel, with reasonable charges. We chose one called Aloha Hostel. We picked this one as it is the nearest to most of the main attraction in Paris.

the Aloha Hostel

the facilities

Paris: the Eiffel Tower

After 8 hour journey by coach (or bus) from Amsterdam, we arrived in Paris! From the Euroline coach station, we took a tube from Gallieni to Volontaires station, which was nearby to the place we’ll be staying throughout the 3 days 2 nights journey. The rides took about 45minutes.

 The weather was cold that day, the wind felt like sharp knives stabbing your skin. We got no idea where to go, ask around and were directed to Rue Borromee, the location of pre-booked hostel. We checked in, kept our heavy backpack, took a refreshing shower, get a good map and head down the road. The first destination……Eiffel Tower!! This tower used to be one of the 7 wonders of the world, and now, it remains the main attraction to visit Paris.

huh, finally!

A day in Amsterdam

The journey from London-France-Amsterdam took almost 12 hours. We took a coach from London, then board a ferry to cross the English Channel to France and then continue the coach ride to Amsterdam. It only cost around 38 pound sterling for that ride.

If you value time over money, other options to travel there from England are:

- train by Eurostar; it travels through English channel via underwater tunnel at high speed and very cool! 

- Airplane, if you are claustrophobic.