1st stop... Paris!

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We just left Paris yesterday, so before I even start this blog, I'll tell you all I'm having withdrawals already!!

We arrived really late on a Wednesday night and after our flight from Dublin, then had to take a bus from the far out airport (where the cheap flights arrive) into the city.

The hostel we booked into was one of those party- all- night- long hostels. It worked out for us on the one hand that there was still someone at reception at 1:30am, but turned out to be the worst hostel we have stayed in yet! All rooms surrounded a courtyard that people assumed it was ok to play music, drink and talk all night in. For anyone that has been to paris, you'll sympathize with the expense and lack of budget options for accommodation. So, out of panic that we wouldn't find anything else at 20 euro a night, we stayed for 3 sleepless nights at the worst hostel ever- its called 3 ducks by the way- don't go there!

Mairead with her most prized purchases in front of the Arc de Triumph
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On a much, much happier note, we didn't spend much time at the hostel anyway. We had a whole beautiful city to explore! We were like the energizer bunny...  going and going and going! We walked for hours every day, taking in the beautiful buildings, monuments, bakeries, sandwich shops, lingerie stores, crepe stands, museums...

We did a 4 hour guided walking tour led by an Australian who knew a lot of French history, or was VERY good at bullshitting! We're not sure which, but either way we've pretty much forgotten everything he said by now : )

picnic
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We went to the Louvre (most famous, visited museum in the world) and headed straight to the Mona Lisa to see what the fuss was all about... and i can say that there really isn't much fuss, BUT- a great story we learned from the tour... It was successfully stolen at one point by a disgruntled (Italian) security guard at the Louvre who hung it beside his bed in Paris for 2 years. Then he decided to move back to Italy, got caught by boarder patrol, but the Italians then had it in their possession and asked the French to let them keep it for a bit to display in one of their museums for a while. The French agreed, and the disgruntled security guard became a national hero for bringing the Mona Lisa to Italy!! How great is that! The Mona Lisa now resides permanently back at the Louvre behind a very secure case and rope 20 feet away from it!

Bridge in the Series finale of Sex and the City where Big told Carrie he loved her and asked her to come home (A MAJOR SITE IN PARIS I KNOW!!!!)
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Our hostel was located about 15 minutes walk from the Eiffel tower, so we took advantage many times taking bottles of wine (which we later found out was illegal) and picnics frequently to the garden around the tower. Another fun fact- every few years they change the color of the eiffel tower and you can actually go online and VOTE for the color you think it should be NEXT!! I'm thinking Hot Pink!!

One of the biggest reasons for coming to Paris was my request to spend my birthday here. So, I have to share with you all how amazing it turned out to really be (thanks to Tyler and the city of paris, and mother nature)!!

there are crazy people all over the world! This guy had security chase him for half an hour- it was pretty hillarious!
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The weather was SUNNY... this was huge since we had been wearing our coats everywhere since August! The day started off with breakfast in bed WITH FLOWERS! Then a picnic at the Eiffel tower where Tyler had pizza and I had creme brulee and a chocolate square! After soaking up some sun, we went to one of Paris' biggest department stores where the WHOLE basement is a lingerie department. You'd think Tyler would get excited by this, but he was just dying to leave. Before we left though I did pick out a birthday present. Following our shopping spree, we had our first espresso in Paris, walked around some more then had 5 euro mojitos and the best french onion soup. They actually do just call it onion soup though. After picking up a couple more bottles of french wine (the wine is cheaper than water!!) we headed back to a new hotel we checked into the day before. It was even closer to the Eiffel tower, cost less AND it had a WHOLE star rated by the board of tourism. The night was Polished off by a pedicure given by Tyler himself!! I put the picture in, because i was incredibly impressed and wondered if that actually was his first time?!?! I also did get to check my email- and THANK YOU to everyone who sent lovely messages!! It was really fun reading all of them!!

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After 5 days of sightseeing (sacre cour, arc de triumph, notre dame, the louvre, royal palace, opera house, and more and more and more....), we were POOPED! We stayed another night at the hotel and literally watched movies and relaxed all day (which worked out well bc it rained all day!).

Now we are in Bruges, Belgium. We have lots to see in this medieval city before we head off to Amsterdam tomorrow!!