All good things must come to an end. Boarding in 15 minutes.
Bye Paris. We will find time to visit again in the future but not in July. Too hot even for me, someone from the tropics!
Au Revoir Paris!
25 JulIt seemed like only yesterday that we arrived and six days has gone by. Today is our last day in Paris. Where did the time go? I guess when two are busy having business meetings while one is traversing across museums and attractions, time does fly by.
Six days away does create separation anxiety, this time more obvious in the children and Rooney. I try to FaceTime with them whenever the time zone allows and I also discovered that official pet number one misses us both terribly. He has been unusually quiet in our absence.
I leave Paris today with better memories than the last time. Hotel Magenta has been pleasant, convenient and very comfortable. The museums have been very inspiring, I may go back and whip out that canvas that has been collecting dust. The food, well, could be more exciting if I had more time to enjoy it at a leisurely pace. But then again, I really enjoyed my ham and cheese baguette lunches. And when dinner time came around, I was too tired to enjoy anything but a nice cold beer. Thumbs up for 1664! The city is great, if not for the hot and humid weather the last few days, which according to the locals is rather unusual. Global warming?
Would I return? Yes. Au revoir Paris, I will be back.
We leave the city of lights tonight. With another 15 hours to kill before departure, I am willing the hours to fly by quickly now; I miss my girls and I can’t wait to see them (and Rooney) again!
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A Different Adventure
24 JulToday I embarked on a different visual appeal: shopping! The weather is much, much better today, cooler and feels more rightly so that I am in a foreign country than in KL.
The train was packed at ten. Is this rush hour? Stepping out from the sardine pack, one must be aware of signages and not follow the herd. Yesterday in my state of tiredness, I got out of the train and simply followed the crowd to another train line instead of the exit! So, ‘sortie’ is what I have to look out for…
Three hours into my shopping, I must admit it’s a tough job! Whether in KL or Paris, shopping is not quite my thing. M1 and M2 are constantly on my mind as I browse to get them things. And being in Lafayette, there was wifi, so I was able to chat with M2 for awhile.
I found out the reason for her panic attack. She was getting back her school test results! The fear of not doing well got the better of her resulting in dizziness and nausea. Poor child.
Well, the overall results are an improvement so this calls for gifts from Paris! M1 should not be left out too for I should mention she aced her interview with the school board and has been selected as head librarian of the school! Her mummy taught her well how to talk as if presenting a design pitch to a client. Well done girls! Lotsa prezzies coming your way!
By 3pm my legs started to give in; I was dragging my feet, now very heavy with those boots. I quickly made my way out from the shopping haven and hopped onto Line 7 to get back to FaceTime with them before their bedtime.
All in all, 9500 steps, 3km and almost 200 calories for the leisure pace.
Should I Be Worried?
24 JulI came home from my museum exploration to a barrage of messages from M2 on the iPad Mini. As today I was on the move a lot, there was hardly time to get connected at free wifi spots.
She messaged to tell me she is more sick than last week and requested permission to be excused from her tuition class this evening and would like to skip school tomorrow too. Hmm.
Should I be worried?
However, by the time I replied, she’d gone to bed already, with the 6 hours time difference. I suppose it’s serious and she’s frantic as her messages were typed in all caps and my name in caps three times. Even M1 texted me via Viber!
I better try to catch them when they are getting ready for school the next day to assess the situation. Maybe an SOS call is needed to Grandma… We shall see.
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Another Day at Another Museum
24 JulThe walk from the train station was quite an energy zapper! Thank goodness for the two-day museum pass for I wait in a shorter line to get inside Musee d’Orsay.
I must say the crowd here is less frenzied. There is a sense of order, respect, awe and hush as I admire Van Gogh, Seurat and Gauguin’s work, along with the few in the room with me.
But as I walk through the rooms, the stillness in the air changed as I entered the Impressionist exhibit.
My heart palpitates as I set my eyes on Claude Monet’s work. He inspires me to no end! Makes me want to whip out my sketch pad and draw haystacks or towering poplar trees.
The other Impressionists somehow do not move me as much, I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because since college I have been fascinated with Monet and his style.
I went back to view Van Gogh again hoping that maybe he will inspire me. But the crowd has grown and the noise level has increased. Too noisy to be moved and the guards are more strict (than at the Louvre) when it comes to photography. Loudly, they reprimanded adults like little kids and for all to turn around to see, when they spot a smartphone taken out taking aim at a painting! Wow. Authority at its best here.
I feel very tired at this point. Yawn; must be from the earlier walk here. By 12.15pm I came out from the museum! 4080 steps, 1.43km and only 79.7 calories. Could it be the speed of 0.9kph that is causing the tiredness?
After grabbing a quick baguette bite, I dispensed with stereotype and took out my mini umbrella to shield me from the intense heat as I make my way over to the other Musee de l’Orangerie. But alas! It’s closed. Disappointed I had to change plans.
And from here on, things started to spiral downwards. My pedometer was not on for the last hour and a half. So earlier figures are way off!!! And suddenly the skies are turning grey with rain threatening.
I find myself wandering towards the Eiffel Tower and detoured to Musee du quai Branly in case it does rain.
Branly is pretty cool from the architecture point of view. Funky walkways, curvy and no straight walls. But a bit psychedelic if you asked me. You have to really watch where you walk else you might walk into a display! The displays… gosh, they are pretty creepy. Artifacts are not my cup of tea. Back to the building and its shades. Man it’s really playing on your eyes or it is really dark outside.
I peeked out a window and yikes, it is raining! I guess I am staying put for awhile…
It didn’t just rain, it poured. For situations like these, I am so glad I am wearing boots. Taking a risk, I made my way to the Eiffel Tower. The rain has subsided to a drizzle and like yet another sucker for the ‘been there, done that’ syndrome, I had to take a picture of me and the tower. Pretty dramatic sky in the background.
By now, my options to continue on seems rather uncomfortable. The bottom half of my pants are drenched and the energy sapped even more. The appeal of the cooling temperature is not enough. It is only 3pm and I want to crawl into bed to rest….
But the spirit persisted and I sauntered on to the Trocadero! Along the way, I discovered Musee d’Art Moderne and enjoyed more paintings. When I was done, I came out to hot weather. Eeeks. The mini umbrella proved to be useful in rain or shine conditions. So glad I brought it along.
Anyway, I made my way through Champ-Élysées and got onto a train and headed back to the hotel.
What a day! Despite missing an hour and a half of data captured, today I walked 19,877 steps and close to 7km, burning 391.8 calories.
Dang, I need a beer!
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I may be far aw…
23 JulI may be far away from my girls now but they are never far from my mind. Am I missing them yet?
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You Gotta Have Good Shoes
23 JulToday I walked a lot. Left the hotel at 9.30am to go to the Louvre. I opted for my padded and comfy boots over my sandals which was a good thing, for I did 18,126 steps over a distant of 6.34km. In the process 365.2 calories was burnt.
I don’t think this could be achieved if the shoe choice was not right. Keeping up the speed of 0.8kph, this stats are way much better over a usual round of 18-holes for golf.
Let’s see how I fare for tomorrow when I visit another museum.
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Sculptures at the Louvre
22 JulI know it’s a sculpture but in reality, does the leaf always stay in place to discreetly cover over, you know… there?
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Day at the Museum
22 JulIt’s another hot day and a very long queue to see Mona Lisa!
The hubby and the brother went off for their business meeting, so I am left to discover Paris on my own. Donning my super comfy Blundstone walking boots instead of sandals, I took the train from Gare de L’est to Musee du Louvre.
I am determined to visit the Louvre this time as I missed it on my last trip here, back in 2008. And being a single person tourist today, things are moving quite fast. Good.
The buzz inside is so reverberating. Didn’t realize that the lure of art is so strong for people from all over the world.
Sculptors amazes me. They get so right into the details of the anatomy right down to the butt crack! Lovely cheeks, no? This was just a small detour before the big attraction.
Ceiling art are also amazing pieces of work. How do these artists endure the neck cramp painstakingly getting the details for us to appreciate? I get a neck cramp by just looking at all these!
Like every other ardent tourist, I made my way to get a glimpse of the Mona Lisa.
Alas! Being a short person I can’t even get close. This is the closest! I think it is overrated. At least cameras are allowed unlike the Sistine Chapel where everyone has to be hushed while being ushered in.
Mona looks green, probably from all the attention and nausea from the noise and smell. Hahaha….
Why is she such a fascination? I think it is more of the ‘been there, seen it, done that’ syndrome that people are thronging Room 6.
The crowd is just too much and I am getting a headache from it all. So am plugged into my music to drown out all the museum excitement which I don’t really need as I explore and jot my observations along the way.
I attempted again, sucker for the ‘been there, done that’! And succeeded to get a closer picture.
I find this picture comical. How does one go to war without any loincloth or something to cover that part of the anatomy?! Aren’t they putting themselves at risk for such exposure? Tsk! Tsk!
It is interesting to note also that while sculptures are crafted with so much details on the body muscles and hair on the head and crotch, all sculptures do not have armpit hair! Maybe this is deemed ugly that can mar the beauty of the body?
I have been wandering through the many halls housing many themes and era of art pieces. Three hours into my exploration, I have walked 2.78km and took 7948 steps and burnt 164.1 calories. Yes, I am one of those who likes to record my physical efforts. I lost my pedometer awhile back but thank goodness for the iPhone, I have an app on it to do the job!
Paris is Hotter than KL
22 JulAnd so the holiday begins! With the different time zones between the two cities, we get an extra 6 hours after traveling for the last 18 hours to arrive at Hotel Magenta on Boulevard de Magenta, Paris.
Firstly, Paris is hot and feels way hotter than KL. The train ride from CDG to the city was a total sardine experience, packed and sweaty, long and cramped, confirming the sweltering heat. The train broke down after one stop and all passengers had to disembark to change train. What a start!
We finally got to the hotel and the front desk guy told us it can get to 34 degrees this week! Dang. But reassured us the room has air-conditioning, phew, thank goodness.
I managed to FaceTime the girls at the airport but the 15 minutes ended way too soon. And it’s too late to contact them now. No, I am not missing them… I am on holiday, remember?
It’s amazing the trouble we endure and go through with the journey to lead to a good vacation, which is the prized experience at the final destination. Despite with the extra hours gained, I feel tired and should hit the sack soon and be fresh for the next day.
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