PARIS 2015

I took my mom to Paris in March for her 50t birthday (yes, I know, I should win the best daughter award of 2015). I’ve been there before, but only for a weekend, so I definitely made it an effort to see all the top attractions. We bought a museum pass because it gave us VIP entrance to all of the qualified museums and saved us both money and time, so I would recommend that if you are planning to absorb some culture and art.

The picture above is the view of the Eiffel Tower from Place Du Trocadero. I saw the sunset with my mom and it was absolutely beautiful. I love being a tourist in other countries. If I’m already visiting, I want to see all the most popular attractions. Some of my favorite sight include the Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versallies, Saint-Chapelle and the Louvre Museum.

Be sure to definitely visit those sites as they were jaw dropping. The Palace of Versailles is just a must. It’s pretty amazing to step foot into where the royals lived. I will say that after a while, the painting and rooms start to look the same, but it’s still a great experience because there’s so much history in the estate. The Saint-Chapelle wasn’t on my top things to do, but we were passing by it when we toured the city and it was included in the Museum pass, so we decided to check it out. I am so glad we did because the inside was stunning! The windows are all hand painted and they told a sacred story. No picture can truly do justice in capturing its beauty.

And now moving along to the Louvre museum. Be sure to spend at least half of your day exploring because that museum is HUGE. Also, this is where the museum came in handy the most. I was able to skip the whole line and waited less than five minutes to get entry. It was difficult to find the correct line because there are so many lines going on at once, but I would suggest to ask someone who works there, so you’re not waiting on the wrong line. Also, bring your patience. I had to learn this the hard way. I wanted to see all the top attractions on the map of each floor and I made it my mission to do so. However, it got frustrating because my mom and I got lost so many times, I couldn’t even keep track. Somehow, we would enter one room on the first floor and come out of another room on the third floor. It was so bizarre and the map isn’t very clear. From my experience, I would say definitely take a few minutes to digest the map and circle what you want to see. Then, strategically and calmly find the directions or ask someone who works at the museum. On a last note, seeing the Mona Lisa was pretty cool. Since I am small, I was able to wiggle my way to the front and snap a few close ups, but the line and crowd was madness. It’s difficult to take a selfie with her since she’s so popular, so I had to settle for her portrait instead.

Overall, Paris didn’t disappoint me! It was a nice bonding experience with my mom and it was a trip I would never forget.