5 Countries 7 Cities in 18 days (Part II)

DISCLAIMER : This post is not meant to be written in a proper English. Cos the writer is unable to write so. fml. Plus, the entire trip is to be described based on observation and personal opinion, not on how the media/public usually portrayed it to be.

Oh, once I stepped into this city, the air I breathe almost got me pregnant. So romantic!

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Paris!

It is a place where I believe every lovers wants to go.
This city gives the impression to the public that it is somewhere filled with romance, artistic, and high fashion.
It might be true. But my experience there was not so much the same.

Random street in Paris

From London to Paris is about 2 hours+ train ride. We took a reserved-seat-train and the journey was good. Travelling by train is so much better than travelling by plane. We just need a passport to get stamped in the London train station and we are all ready to get on the train. Don't need check in luggage la, 100ml liquid bottle to put in plastic bag la all. Not to mentioned the train is much more spacious.

From London to Paris

The train literally travelled under the sea for about 15 minutes to pass through the sea between the two lands. But don't need to hold our breathe though. There is enough oxygen in there. lol

Eiffel Tower, Paris

After we had our lunch, we head straight up to the location of Eiffel tower.
I think I did mentioned before, I am born with the lack of sense of direction/position. So reading map is definitely a challenge for me. And guess what, I totally believe it is a genetic thing. My jie actually not that good in reading map too. Especially when we were trying to figure out which station to transit. Try look at this crazy map.

Tube map of Metro Train

I apologize for complaining our KL KTM map earlier in my previous post. I think one thing they have this so complicated underground tube route is because France has a very old history in developing train. I mean most of the Europe countries pun sama la. They have a very developed underground train system indeed. And it was really impressive. But maybe it is one of the reason why the train is actually quite 'lau ya' also. The maintenance has not done enough. Apparently the train is quite dirty. The station itself is also quite dirty, the air in the station are not so pleasant, the place is very dark, and to be frank, it's a little bit scary.

My jie has warned us earlier to take good care of our belonging, because there are already a number of thefts have been reported there. And one of his friend was the victim before.

So unlucky, we had our 'moment' too.
So, here is how our story goes. A bunch of kids, like two or three of them, approached us asking us to make donation when we are buying tickets in front of the ticket machine. They speak French which obviously we don't understand any words at all. They were so desperate and didn't even give us the chance to say "sorry, I am not interested", and they already start grabbing your hand, and then your bag. Four of us stared and yelled at them to ask them to go away. But they keep grabbing until we ran to the place where there is more crowded.

That was so terrifying!! My camera bag almost got snatched!

After that we try to keep an eye on them whether they are still following us.

My jie explained that these kids are quite pitiful, as they have been bribed into this kinda illegal activity in order to live their life. Human trafficking.

I nodded and didn't even notice my whole head is already sweating like they are almost dripping down to my shoulders. I mean, come on, takkan you won't feel gan jiong at that moment.

That was the time I started to feel that French language is certainly not a 'romantic language' at all.

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.
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But then finally we have made it to EIFFEL TOWER!

Eiffel Tower

On top of the Eiffel Tower

We queued for more than an hour to buy the tix to get to the top. The elevator lifts us to the centre and we have to 'transit' to another elevator. The tower now is under construction which I believe they are trying to build a wider area in the middle for restaurant and stuff to attract more tourists. But I thought that was quite a bad idea though. Cos it might 'lose its originality'! Cos now their main target is just to attract more tourists and make money.
The price to get up is €14.50 per person.

Eiffel Tower to the top

The top is packed with tourists, no doubt. And the view is okay okay only la.
It is a bit look like Prontera city in Ragnarok Online. *lol geek!

The view on top of the Eiffel Tower

The view on top of the Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower is 324 metres tall and it is the highest building in Paris.
If to make comparison with KL Tower in Malaysia, it is about:

KL Tower is 421m while Eiffel Tower is only 324m tall

The fun fact about Eiffel Tower is that it was actually meant to be built for temporary only during a World's Fair for the French Revolution anniversary. Today this structure is one of the 'gold attractor' for the country.

Random street in Paris

For dinner, my jie found a restaurant on the internet that is recommended by TripAdvisor. The restaurants in France is normally has a very limited tables. So we went there earlier to make reservation. It wasn't a very big or very 'atas' restaurant though. A small and casual restaurant. And I wasn't expecting their friendly service. Cos normally French people has a 'busuk' face when serving customers, especially people like us who we look like a Chinese. Tbh, some of the Europe people don't like Chinese. Chinese as in China Mainland Chinese not Malaysian Chinese la. But for them we look the same. The reason why they don't like is because of the way that the majority of the Chinese behave in public, eg: the bad manners. Ok, to cut the story short, the service was good.

The restaurant

The menu

However, the food...

The food is cooked by local chefs. So the taste is 100% French! But the food are just not suitable for my taste bud.

Starter - Foie gras (pronounced as 'fwa-gra', is made of liver of duck that has been specially fattened.

okay, I bet you can sort of imagine the taste already right. Its taste is just like butter-ish animal's liver. It is used to spread it on the bread. And I believe it is served with some sweetened/marinated onion. 

Salmon fillet with creamy parmesan cheese

Roasted duck breast with honey and rosemary

The waiter said that red meat like duck breast meat should be served 'half raw' or '70% raw' I forgot.
Immediately I heard the word 'raw' then I looked to my sister.
We wanted a 'cooked' food. lol
Then we try to change to another dish.
However, they are very determined in convincing the customers to believe the cooking skill of the chef and to try the food they cook. I believe they want us as the customer to taste the best local dishes they can cook for us, and at the same time, to have faith with the chefs inside the kitchen.
Then, I looked eye to eye again with my jie trying to refuse but feel so paiseh after a few rounds of his convincing. So we ordered it.

The food is served. I cut the duck meat and it was raw. I can still see the blood all over that thick meat. I think the only thing that is cooked is the skin of the duck meat.  So I decided just to eat the side dishes i.e. the mash sweet-potatoes and some asparagus. My jie said it was not really cooked as compared to the one she tasted last time at the other place. She then requested for the meat to re-cook again. I am so sorry, we are just not used to eating raw duck meat. So the waiter send our plates into the kitchen. But the second round the meat is still quite raw. The only thing is that it is hotter, and I am happy they 'refilled' the side dishes for me. HAHA! Cos that was the only thing I can eat and I just can't get used to eating a half-cooked (less than half-cooked) red meat! Apologise for my 'kampung-ness'. So sorry!
No photo of the meat is taken though. Cos I don't want to show 'disrespectfulness' to the people. They are good. Their service is really good tbh.

Moulin Rouge, the spiritual birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance, where those ladies will kick up their legs when dancing. (and me looking tired, holding the tube map)

Arnaud Delmontel Bakery

The next day we went to pastry bakery shop for breakfast. The popular chef Gourdan Ramsy has been here before to make croissant. And the croissant here is SUPER DELICIOUS!!!!

The croissant!

Croissant is originated from France and the French people are really good at baking this! In fact, all the pastries we bought are SO DAMN DELICIOUS! The croissants are super crispy on the outside, and I can felt the layers of the texture in my every bite. IT WAS SO GOOD! THE BEST CROISSANT I'VE TASTED IN MY LIFE!

Stunning creation!

OMG, I almost fainted in the bakery shop! I WANT ALL OF THEM!

Look at these beautiful macaroon! 

lao zi getting lazier now.
The rest I'll just let the pictures to tell the stories.

Then we went to see

Arc de Triomphe, one of the most famous monuments in Paris

Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the street with all the 'atas' brand that you can name it

There is a 12% of tax refund if you wish to buy a branded bag in Paris. So my mum bought one. happy mama. lol

Another one

Look! They have macaroon in their McCafe!

Ladurée, French luxury bakery house

We bought some macaroons here! It taste INSANELY DELICIOUS! 

@.@'' I can't! I just can't! SO BEAUTIFUL!

Ladurée is one of famous bakery houses in Paris, so there were a lot people queuing to buy those dessert. So while we were queuing, my dad was at outside waiting for us. Much later, my dad came in and told us that he almost got cheated by a random guy on the street. SERIOUS SHIT?!

This random guy approached my dad and he handed him a metal ring saying that it was my dad's. He say that ring fall off from my dad's pocket. In just a second, my dad thought the ring is his, so he took it to have a look. Then that guy just walked away. That ring is not even is my dad's! After a moment, that guy turns back, asked my dad whether can give him some money. My dad quickly hand back the ring to him and walk back into the shop to avoid talking to him anymore! OMG SHIT! I think if my dad didn't run back to the shop quickly enough, he might get cheated/robbed!

I had a goosebump after hearing my dad explain that incident that just happened!
My jie warned us again not to talk to any stranger on the street that approach you for nothing!
(*side note: The other day I saw the same incident reported in the news on Astro !! PARIS IS REALLY INFAMOUS FOR THIS SHIT!)
Again, please be careful la if you are gonna travel to Paris in the future.

On the way to The Musée du Louvre. Look at the weather! IT'S BURNING HOT!

Then we went to The Musée du Louvre.
It is a HUGE museum with many floors and sections!
The entry fee per adult is €12. But they didn't really check the tix. So I think you can just buy one ticket and enter la, then once you came out you can pass your ticket to your friend who wish to enter la. Can save money ma. (ah Wai travel tip of the day wtf) lol

The Musée du Louvre

The Musée du Louvre

The Musée du Louvre - the original painting of The Mona Lisa (If you are a fan of Da Vincci Code or Demon and Angels I am sure you will love it.)

The painting I find it rather more interesting in the Musée du Louvre is The Last Supper. This painting is so GIGANTIC! Impressed. 

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Random street in Paris

 Then we went to the famous Lovers Bridge.

The 'Lovers Bridge' that is crazy full of 'Love padlocks'! 

The fence along the bridge is full of padlocks! INSANE!

PAUL & COLEEN, MICHAEL AND MICHELLE, EDWARD AND BELLA, BELLA AND JACOB, VAMPIRE AND THE WOLF. lol

In the future if you wish to bring your boyfie/girlfie to come here 'lock your love' you may do so la.
I bet the fishes in the river are all fed with keys that thrown by couples ba. Pity those fishes. lol

Along the street you can see there are a lot of stalls selling old books. Very eyes-opening! O.O

Lastly, if you are familiar with the Disney Animation "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" then you will recognise this place.

Notre Dame

and I purposely wear green colour so that I can become the Hunchback. lol fml!

All in all, my experience in Paris was okay. If you are planning to backpack in Paris, please don't expect this trip will turn out to be the most romantic vacation out of all. (well, unless you have local friend/tour guide or you yourself know how to speak a fluent French!)

The next day we flew to Rome, Italy.

Check out the Part I here.

5 Countries 7 Cities in 18 days (Part I)

Underground  tube station in Waterloo, London

DISCLAIMER : This post is not meant to be written in a proper English. Cos the writer is unable to write so. fml. Plus, the entire trip is to be described based on observation and personal opinion, not on how the media/public usually portrayed it to be.

It has been two weeks I am back in Malaysia and still no update about this trip cos I am a lazy pig. wtf
No la, the main reason is also I am not enjoying writing travelling kinda post. Cos I don't want later my wording expression turns out can't describe the trip so precisely. I am kinda suck in writing and verbally describing things.
But like I said, I don't wish later I got Alzheimer's disease and completely forget my entire life and feel regret not to document down my moments. Just in case la. lol

Underground  tube station in Waterloo, London

So on 9th of July 2013, I went to London for the second time. This time is to attend my sister's convocation. (The first time was just to visit my sister)

Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, London

My Jie is a JPA scholar, just completed her Master degree in Pharmacy first class honour in King's College, London. So of course my whole family, including my two proud papa and mama has to be there to attend her convo.
12 hours flight from Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow is no joke. Though it's not my first time, but 12 hours man! 12 hours to fly to and fro it's already 24 hours! We literally spend a day on the plane already. T__T

And what is more worse is when your neighbouring seat in front or behind you keep on farting. Like non-stop. wtf. And you have to smell it IN YOUR SEAT for the ENTIRE trip until you have landed. Disgusting cheese and bacon smell fart. Gross! It's kinda like a new bully la. =.='' Air plane bully - where you can't complain to the cabin crew also.
And I am not complaining about the MAS seat is too small or whatever, but some people just can be so inconsiderate, push down the leaning seat completely, leaving barely some space for your my beer belly. Everytime I exhale I can feel my belly touches the seat in front already. fml
Okay stop. Maybe I should start working out already. I should totally control myself so that not to write something else off the topic already.

Fyi, it is summer in the UK and Europe. So the weather is almost like in Malaysia, except the wind is chill.
NOT FUN. T___T cos I like cooler weather. We are all born and raised in Malaysia already scare of the burning hot weather. That is why we all like to go to Genting or Cameron Highland once it is holiday right.
But anyway, the convo happens to be in the summer. bo huat.

Hay's Galleria, London

We reached London at about 5pm in the evening and we reached jie's apartment about 7pm at night to put our luggages. The night time here in Europe is nothing like in Malaysia. The sun only set at about 9pm in the summer! So 7~8pm is still very bright like in the daytime! Then we had our "dinner". (not sure it is a dinner or not, cos it is morning in Malaysia and it is almost 8pm in London, but the day still bright, and we have jet lag.wtf)

Train station in London

The next day, we head to Paris, France.
Oh, and I decided to post it separately.

The entire trip was planned by my jie and her friends, without the aid from any travel agency. So it's kinda like a "budget trip", and like a "backpack trip" also. Not exactly, but erm, just pretend it to be similar la. haha. But the trip is definitely was planned to be cost-saving.

So this entire trip as I mentioned in the title of the post includes:

Map of Europe

(Based on the colour of the circle)
Black - London, UK
Yellow - Paris, France
Red - Rome, Milan and Venice, Italy
Orange - Vatican City
Blue - Zurich, and Lucerne, Switzerland

Bus station in London

Hopefully by the end of the holidays, I can manage to write all the parts for the trip.

London Bridge