Honeymoon in Belgium and Paris
Sep 19th, 2010, 05:10 PM
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Honeymoon in Belgium and Paris
As we got married at the end of August, my husband and I didn't want to chance our honeymoon being disrupted by a potential hurricane in the Caribbean. So we decided to look elsewhere and although we literally investigated half a dozen locations around the globe, we finally settled upon Belgium and Paris. My husband's first trip to Europe was last year when we visited Ireland and although I've been to many European countries, Belgium was not one of them. As he is a major beer connoisseur and I a huge chocoholic, we thought Belgium would be the perfect fit. We choose Paris because let's face it, Paris is Paris. So our itinerary was as follows:
-2 nights in Brussels
-2 nights in Bruges
-4 nights in Paris
Brussels
Day 1
Although Brussels seems to be given a bad rap by some guide books as in it only needs a couple hours at most to see all of its sights, both husband I loved it. My parents had visited there back in the 70s and always went on about how wonderful a city Brussels was.
We arrived at Brussels Airport after our direct flight from Chicago. We were both surprised that we had no immigration forms to fill out, only our passports were stamped. After getting our luggage we made our way to the train area. I had read that there was a train that took people from the airport to the Brussels downtown areas. Tickets I believe were 6 euros each? The train stops at Brussels' three main stations, Gare Midi, Gare Nord, and Gare Central. We got off at the Gare Central which is the station closet to the Grand Place.
Our hotel in Brussels was the Marriott. I know some people are against staying at American chains when traveling abroad but honestly it was perfect. It was located only a couple of blocks from the Grand Place and our room was ready upon check-in, at 10:30 in the morning, which is the best thing ever after flying overnight. Another major plus is that in Brussels over the weekends, all hotels slash their prices since the diplomats are gone and hotel occupancy rates are quite low. So we ended up only paying 130 euros a night for a gorgeous room with all the comforts plus an American style buffet breakfast each morning. Quite the steal for western Europe.
After exiting the train station we had to pass through the Grand Place to get to the hotel and nothing could prepare us for its immense beauty. Although we were both quite fatigued and dealing with our large luggage pieces, we just stopped in the middle of it and gazed awestruck at it. I have traveled to over 2 dozen countries and seen countless sights and wonders, but the Grand Place def. tops the list in terms of beautiful sights to behold.
Unlike when we were in Ireland last year, we ended up taking a nap for a couple of hours in order to feel better rested later in the day. After resting and showering, we set out to explore. The first thing on our to-do list was the Manneken Pis. For anyone not familiar with it, it is an extremely famous statue of a little boy urinating. The legend goes that during a fire in the city many centuries ago, this little boy relieved himself to help with fire efforts and in doing so, became a hero. He really is the city's most iconic symbol as he is everywhere-souvenirs, chocolate shops, etc. We were a bit disappointed because we had heard that he is often outfitted in costumes sent from people around the world, but when we were there, he was in the buff.
A requisite activity in Belgium we found was to eat a waffle (although preferably more than one). We got one from a little sidewalk shop near to the Manneken Pis and it was beyond delicious. We opted for a plain one (in French they're called "nature") and it only cost one euro. Although you do have the option to get ones topped with whipped cream, nutella, fruit, nuts, etc. To me, all of that other stuff seems like overkill. An important lesson we learned in Belgium though is to never order a waffle from a restaurant menu. They pale in comparison to the ones you can get for only a euro or two right on the street. The taste and quality is probably comparable to what you would get in your grocer's freezer aisle.
After walking back to the Grand Place area to explore the beautiful buildings and their architecture in greater detail, we then headed to a little cafe that had been recommended in one of our other guidebooks. Their specialty was crepes, both savory and sweet ones. It was an extremely inexpensive meal and they had many selections to choose from.
Following dinner, we stopped for beers at a famous bar, right off the Grand Place called Le Cirio. I believe it dates from the late 19th century. They're known for a drink that was concocted there, the half and half (half champagne, half white wine) although we both opted for just beers. We called it a night then as we were both feeling extremely tired by then.
Day 2
After somewhat of a leisurely wakeup and breakfast, we set out to the Belgian Comic Strip Center. We had learned that the Belgians are obsessed with comics and as such have a world class museum devoted to them. As is the case in all of the city, the exhibits were in French and Flemish (the country's two official languages) although upon purchasing our tickets, the museum official gave us a booklet in English to follow along with. All in all, it was a very neat museum and a nice change from the standard art museums. We did learn that the Smurfs are Belgian (they were originally a Belgian comic strip series) and of course seeing the famous Tin Tin's famous exploits was neat as well.
Upon leaving the Comic Strip Center, we headed to the city's Upper Town section and on our way passed by the city's cathedral, St. Michael's. It was extremely gorgeous and is where the Belgian royals get married. We stopped in for some photos and to look around.
We then proceeded to have a drink at another historic cafe, "A la morte Subite" which in English means sudden death. I opted for just a hot chocolate while my husband had a new beer to add to his repository.
After our break, we headed to the Bellvue Museum which is the city's history museum if you will. On our way we passed by a beautiful vantage point of the city as we had climbed some hilly streets. We also passed through a garden /park that was in memory of the country's Holocaust victims.
The Bellvue Museum was extremely fascinating and a great introduction into the country's history. They had brochures to follow along with as the exhibits and rooms are arranged chronologically (the museum begins when the country of Belgium and its monarchy was established, in 1830 I believe). Although I felt they scrimped a bit on the Great War, some of the photos and other items they had from the monarchy were quite interesting. It def. is worth a visit.
We then went to the Gare Central and took the metro to the suburbs to see the Atonium which is a monument that was built for the 1958 Brussels' World's Fair. Although it was somewhat on the pricey side, the top sphere (you take an elevator there) did provide gorgeous views over the city. You take escalators to get to the other spheres which house temporary exhibits and a cafe. If you make a trip out to the Atonium, it's right near Mini Europe which is basically a park that has life size models of Europe's most famous landmarks. We didn't go but you could get a combo ticket for the two attractions, saving you some $$.
Brussels' metro was nice and very easy to use. I believe there are six lines now. The only negative were the "packs" of teenagers that were constantly horsing around and being loud and obnoxious. It seemed at each new stop, new packs of them would get on.
After arriving back in the city, we decided to eat at an Indian restaurant for dinner that we had passed on our way to the Grand Place from our hotel. Prices were good although portion sizes were much smaller than what we were used to at the Indian restaurants we eat at here in the states. As it was our last night in the city, we then did some shopping. Husband bought a couple of beers from a store whose name was along the lines of "250 Beers." A nice thing about Belgium is that their big products (chocolate and beer) are quite inexpensive. He bought two Trappist beers. We then went to the Leonidas Chocolate store where we paid 5 euros for their smallest selection although we still ended up getting well over 2 dozen chocolates. Some say the Leoindas chocolates are not as good as other chocolate makers in the country, but we both loved the taste. Our sampler box lasted us our entire time in Europe.
We then made one final walk up to the Grand Place to take in its beauty at night before we called it a night.
The following day we were off to Bruges. I'll try to continue the trip report tomorrow. Happy reading!
-2 nights in Brussels
-2 nights in Bruges
-4 nights in Paris
Brussels
Day 1
Although Brussels seems to be given a bad rap by some guide books as in it only needs a couple hours at most to see all of its sights, both husband I loved it. My parents had visited there back in the 70s and always went on about how wonderful a city Brussels was.
We arrived at Brussels Airport after our direct flight from Chicago. We were both surprised that we had no immigration forms to fill out, only our passports were stamped. After getting our luggage we made our way to the train area. I had read that there was a train that took people from the airport to the Brussels downtown areas. Tickets I believe were 6 euros each? The train stops at Brussels' three main stations, Gare Midi, Gare Nord, and Gare Central. We got off at the Gare Central which is the station closet to the Grand Place.
Our hotel in Brussels was the Marriott. I know some people are against staying at American chains when traveling abroad but honestly it was perfect. It was located only a couple of blocks from the Grand Place and our room was ready upon check-in, at 10:30 in the morning, which is the best thing ever after flying overnight. Another major plus is that in Brussels over the weekends, all hotels slash their prices since the diplomats are gone and hotel occupancy rates are quite low. So we ended up only paying 130 euros a night for a gorgeous room with all the comforts plus an American style buffet breakfast each morning. Quite the steal for western Europe.
After exiting the train station we had to pass through the Grand Place to get to the hotel and nothing could prepare us for its immense beauty. Although we were both quite fatigued and dealing with our large luggage pieces, we just stopped in the middle of it and gazed awestruck at it. I have traveled to over 2 dozen countries and seen countless sights and wonders, but the Grand Place def. tops the list in terms of beautiful sights to behold.
Unlike when we were in Ireland last year, we ended up taking a nap for a couple of hours in order to feel better rested later in the day. After resting and showering, we set out to explore. The first thing on our to-do list was the Manneken Pis. For anyone not familiar with it, it is an extremely famous statue of a little boy urinating. The legend goes that during a fire in the city many centuries ago, this little boy relieved himself to help with fire efforts and in doing so, became a hero. He really is the city's most iconic symbol as he is everywhere-souvenirs, chocolate shops, etc. We were a bit disappointed because we had heard that he is often outfitted in costumes sent from people around the world, but when we were there, he was in the buff.
A requisite activity in Belgium we found was to eat a waffle (although preferably more than one). We got one from a little sidewalk shop near to the Manneken Pis and it was beyond delicious. We opted for a plain one (in French they're called "nature") and it only cost one euro. Although you do have the option to get ones topped with whipped cream, nutella, fruit, nuts, etc. To me, all of that other stuff seems like overkill. An important lesson we learned in Belgium though is to never order a waffle from a restaurant menu. They pale in comparison to the ones you can get for only a euro or two right on the street. The taste and quality is probably comparable to what you would get in your grocer's freezer aisle.
After walking back to the Grand Place area to explore the beautiful buildings and their architecture in greater detail, we then headed to a little cafe that had been recommended in one of our other guidebooks. Their specialty was crepes, both savory and sweet ones. It was an extremely inexpensive meal and they had many selections to choose from.
Following dinner, we stopped for beers at a famous bar, right off the Grand Place called Le Cirio. I believe it dates from the late 19th century. They're known for a drink that was concocted there, the half and half (half champagne, half white wine) although we both opted for just beers. We called it a night then as we were both feeling extremely tired by then.
Day 2
After somewhat of a leisurely wakeup and breakfast, we set out to the Belgian Comic Strip Center. We had learned that the Belgians are obsessed with comics and as such have a world class museum devoted to them. As is the case in all of the city, the exhibits were in French and Flemish (the country's two official languages) although upon purchasing our tickets, the museum official gave us a booklet in English to follow along with. All in all, it was a very neat museum and a nice change from the standard art museums. We did learn that the Smurfs are Belgian (they were originally a Belgian comic strip series) and of course seeing the famous Tin Tin's famous exploits was neat as well.
Upon leaving the Comic Strip Center, we headed to the city's Upper Town section and on our way passed by the city's cathedral, St. Michael's. It was extremely gorgeous and is where the Belgian royals get married. We stopped in for some photos and to look around.
We then proceeded to have a drink at another historic cafe, "A la morte Subite" which in English means sudden death. I opted for just a hot chocolate while my husband had a new beer to add to his repository.
After our break, we headed to the Bellvue Museum which is the city's history museum if you will. On our way we passed by a beautiful vantage point of the city as we had climbed some hilly streets. We also passed through a garden /park that was in memory of the country's Holocaust victims.
The Bellvue Museum was extremely fascinating and a great introduction into the country's history. They had brochures to follow along with as the exhibits and rooms are arranged chronologically (the museum begins when the country of Belgium and its monarchy was established, in 1830 I believe). Although I felt they scrimped a bit on the Great War, some of the photos and other items they had from the monarchy were quite interesting. It def. is worth a visit.
We then went to the Gare Central and took the metro to the suburbs to see the Atonium which is a monument that was built for the 1958 Brussels' World's Fair. Although it was somewhat on the pricey side, the top sphere (you take an elevator there) did provide gorgeous views over the city. You take escalators to get to the other spheres which house temporary exhibits and a cafe. If you make a trip out to the Atonium, it's right near Mini Europe which is basically a park that has life size models of Europe's most famous landmarks. We didn't go but you could get a combo ticket for the two attractions, saving you some $$.
Brussels' metro was nice and very easy to use. I believe there are six lines now. The only negative were the "packs" of teenagers that were constantly horsing around and being loud and obnoxious. It seemed at each new stop, new packs of them would get on.
After arriving back in the city, we decided to eat at an Indian restaurant for dinner that we had passed on our way to the Grand Place from our hotel. Prices were good although portion sizes were much smaller than what we were used to at the Indian restaurants we eat at here in the states. As it was our last night in the city, we then did some shopping. Husband bought a couple of beers from a store whose name was along the lines of "250 Beers." A nice thing about Belgium is that their big products (chocolate and beer) are quite inexpensive. He bought two Trappist beers. We then went to the Leonidas Chocolate store where we paid 5 euros for their smallest selection although we still ended up getting well over 2 dozen chocolates. Some say the Leoindas chocolates are not as good as other chocolate makers in the country, but we both loved the taste. Our sampler box lasted us our entire time in Europe.
We then made one final walk up to the Grand Place to take in its beauty at night before we called it a night.
The following day we were off to Bruges. I'll try to continue the trip report tomorrow. Happy reading!
Sep 20th, 2010, 04:28 AM
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We spent three nights in Brugge, then nine nights in Paris and then our last night was in Brussels. We also stayed at the Marriott in Brussels and thought it was perfect for our needs. The staff was very friendly and our room was large and well kept. Our windows overlooked the Bourse where there was a lot of activity, including a large protest against the Israelis for boarding the Turkish relief? ship in Israel's territorial waters. We have visited Brussels several times and would ertainly recommend it.
Sep 20th, 2010, 07:26 AM
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Continuation of yesterday's report.
Day 3
We caught the 11 AM train to Bruges which also departed from the Gare Central. Unlike in the states, you really don't need to get to the station early as the trains there constantly are whizzing in and out. When we bought our tickets the previous day we had never specified which class, but we were sold the cheapest one by the worker at the station which was fine with me. However, we didn't know this at the time we boarded the train. It was only when the conductor started to come around, punching people's tickets, did we find out (along with many other people), that we had been sitting in the first class train compartment. Although the Belgian trains were fast and efficient, there are no markings on the outside to denote which cars are which classes. So when you have multiple pieces of heavy luggage to have to hurriedly move to another car, it was a bit stressful.
The train to Bruges was approximately an hour, and made I believe two other quick stops. Most people on the train that got on in Brussels were headed to Bruges though. My first impressions of the city were "where's the medieval charm?" The train station was somewhat large and obviously on the newer side. There were multiple options on getting into the historic zone including bikes (there were a TON of bikes to rent), public buses, walking (I think I heard someone say that the walk from the train station to the city center takes about 20 minutes), and a cab. We opted for the cab although it came out to be 15 euros which seemed extremely pricey. Of course we literally got each light and the meter seemed to jump very quickly.
We stayed at the Hotel Patritius which was an easy and quick 5 minute walk from the Markt. It is a family run hotel (16 rooms total I believe) and rates include continental breakfast. Our room was quite lovely, had a nice view of the gardens in the back, we paid 112 euros a night. The hotel dates from 1830 and its historic qualities were noticeable everywhere including the winding staircase. Although there was a small elevator too.
Upon arriving at the hotel and checking in (our room was ready again, always a plus) we set out to explore. My husband was a huge fan of the film "In Bruges" with Collin Ferrel so he was repeating lines from it as soon as we spotted the famous belltower. We arrived on Bruges on a Saturday afternoon and the books are not embellishing when they say the city center is overrun with tourists during the day. The crowds in Brussels' Grand Place were nothing compared to this. We did go and get frites from a stand (there are actually two located right at the entrance of the belltower on either side). They offer three different sizes although with a variety of toppings. We enjoyed eating the delicious frites in the square then.
Afterward, we set out down the extremely narrow and crowded streets to the De Halve Maan Brewery. Along the way we passed by a beautiful view of the canal that featured a medieval building and at least for that moment, from that particular view, I could block out all of the mobs of people and noise behind me.
Tours at the De Halve Maan brewery are offered every hour, in four different languages (French, English, Dutch, and Flemish I believe). We arrived too late for the 3 PM so we ended up having a drink at one of the cafes immediately near the brewery. The tour itself was a neat experience although our guide's English was a bit difficult to understand at times (she was also extremely soft spoken). But I would say it is a must do in Bruges as it is the only remaining brewery left in the city, from a time when there used to be over 30. The tour lasted about an hour and at the end everyone received the requisite sample. I'm not a beer fan but my husband said it was quite good. You have the option of enjoying your drink in either the courtyard patio area or inside. There is also a cafe which offers light dishes. We didn't eat there but it sure smelled good.
By the time we were done with our, the crowds had somewhat died down in the Markt area. We did walk down to the Begijnhof which is the Benedictine nuns' courtyard. It was quite lovely and secluded (for Bruges). Right near to it is also the Minnewater which is a gorgeous park filled with swans. Makes for quite a lovely scene.
We ended up eating at one of the restaurants right in the square. Although some guidebooks call them tourist traps with mediocre food, our meal I found to be quite enjoyable and you certainly can't go wrong with the views and overall ambiance. The restaurant offered a variety of menu options (over in Europe the menu refers to a pre-fix meal as in appetizer, entree, and dessert). Service was good and courteous. We ended up just calling it a night after that.
Day 4
Breakfast at our hotel was served between 8:30 and 10:30 and included a variety of cereals, rolls and breads, yogurts, meats and cheeses, as well as the option of having an egg prepared. Following breakfast we returned to the markt and proceeded to buy tickets for the belltower. It is 366 steps to the top and nearing the very top, boy does the stairwell get NARROW! There were points where traffic would get botched up in one direction since there was only room for one direction to be moving. There were various points along the climb where you could get off on a level and relax (well somewhat). Once you make it to the top, you are rewarded with incredible views of the city. You can even see the North Sea which is quite nice. I had read that September has the nicest weather for Bruges and we def. saw that when we were there.
Following our climb back down in which our legs had turned to jelly, we then did a canal boat tour. There are numerous companies located all over and rates are all about the same, so do one that is the most convenient for you location wise. The ride lasted about 45 minutes or so. The commentary wasn't anything to write home about, namely because the boat captain had to provide narration in three different languages. But it was neat to imagine how at one time, how large a role the city's canals played in all facets of life.
We then walked back to the Markt area for a snack break. My husband had French onion soup and garlic toast, I had just a waffle (this was where I found that waffles ordered in a restaurant are a big thumbs down). Unlike the night before, I was most disappointed with this place as prices were high and the waiter had forgotten my husband's garlic toast.
Our afternoon activity was biking! I thought it would be very neat to do since in the whole Benelux region, biking is so huge. We rented bikes from a place off the Markt. I believe we paid 8 euros each to have them for four hours. Although my original plan was to have us bike to the village of Damme (a smaller version of Bruges), we changed our minds after seeing we would have to bike along with the cars on the highway. So for a plan b, we biked out of the city center and then along the canal path. We passed by the city's remaining windmills which made for great photo opportunities. All in all it was a neat and different activity from the standard touring.
For dinner we ate again in the Markt area although this time at an Italian restaurant. The food was good although it's always neat when you order pizza in a foreign country as my husband's contained blue and gruyere cheeses. Makes for something different.
We then did some shopping for souvenirs. Lace and tapestries are everywhere in Bruges although make sure you look around to see that they're handmade and not mass produced and imported from elsewhere. I bought some handmade handkerchiefs as gifts as they weren't terribly expensive and very light to transport. There are also numerous chocolate shops as well. Be sure to take time to check out some of the window displays at the chocolate shops as there were many elaborate ones. We saw one that contained a Mexican themed one-the Mayan pyramid Chichen Itza was constructed entirely out of chocolate!
Before we called it a night, we did head back to the Markt to see it lit up against the night sky. It was absolutely beautiful and relatively quiet. So different from the daytime when there are nothing but tour groups.
Although we didn't have time, someone on the brewery tour had recommended Daytours, a company that offers tours to the World War I Flanders Fields Battlefield. In Bruges, you're only about 40 or so minutes from this hugely important WWI area. The company offers two tours, one a full day, the other is only in the evening, but allows you to experience the Last Post which is the traditional salute to the fallen warrior which is played under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres everyday. Just an fyi for anyone that may have interest.
And there you have our conclusion of our time spent in Belgium. The next day we traveled to Paris.
Day 3
We caught the 11 AM train to Bruges which also departed from the Gare Central. Unlike in the states, you really don't need to get to the station early as the trains there constantly are whizzing in and out. When we bought our tickets the previous day we had never specified which class, but we were sold the cheapest one by the worker at the station which was fine with me. However, we didn't know this at the time we boarded the train. It was only when the conductor started to come around, punching people's tickets, did we find out (along with many other people), that we had been sitting in the first class train compartment. Although the Belgian trains were fast and efficient, there are no markings on the outside to denote which cars are which classes. So when you have multiple pieces of heavy luggage to have to hurriedly move to another car, it was a bit stressful.
The train to Bruges was approximately an hour, and made I believe two other quick stops. Most people on the train that got on in Brussels were headed to Bruges though. My first impressions of the city were "where's the medieval charm?" The train station was somewhat large and obviously on the newer side. There were multiple options on getting into the historic zone including bikes (there were a TON of bikes to rent), public buses, walking (I think I heard someone say that the walk from the train station to the city center takes about 20 minutes), and a cab. We opted for the cab although it came out to be 15 euros which seemed extremely pricey. Of course we literally got each light and the meter seemed to jump very quickly.
We stayed at the Hotel Patritius which was an easy and quick 5 minute walk from the Markt. It is a family run hotel (16 rooms total I believe) and rates include continental breakfast. Our room was quite lovely, had a nice view of the gardens in the back, we paid 112 euros a night. The hotel dates from 1830 and its historic qualities were noticeable everywhere including the winding staircase. Although there was a small elevator too.
Upon arriving at the hotel and checking in (our room was ready again, always a plus) we set out to explore. My husband was a huge fan of the film "In Bruges" with Collin Ferrel so he was repeating lines from it as soon as we spotted the famous belltower. We arrived on Bruges on a Saturday afternoon and the books are not embellishing when they say the city center is overrun with tourists during the day. The crowds in Brussels' Grand Place were nothing compared to this. We did go and get frites from a stand (there are actually two located right at the entrance of the belltower on either side). They offer three different sizes although with a variety of toppings. We enjoyed eating the delicious frites in the square then.
Afterward, we set out down the extremely narrow and crowded streets to the De Halve Maan Brewery. Along the way we passed by a beautiful view of the canal that featured a medieval building and at least for that moment, from that particular view, I could block out all of the mobs of people and noise behind me.
Tours at the De Halve Maan brewery are offered every hour, in four different languages (French, English, Dutch, and Flemish I believe). We arrived too late for the 3 PM so we ended up having a drink at one of the cafes immediately near the brewery. The tour itself was a neat experience although our guide's English was a bit difficult to understand at times (she was also extremely soft spoken). But I would say it is a must do in Bruges as it is the only remaining brewery left in the city, from a time when there used to be over 30. The tour lasted about an hour and at the end everyone received the requisite sample. I'm not a beer fan but my husband said it was quite good. You have the option of enjoying your drink in either the courtyard patio area or inside. There is also a cafe which offers light dishes. We didn't eat there but it sure smelled good.
By the time we were done with our, the crowds had somewhat died down in the Markt area. We did walk down to the Begijnhof which is the Benedictine nuns' courtyard. It was quite lovely and secluded (for Bruges). Right near to it is also the Minnewater which is a gorgeous park filled with swans. Makes for quite a lovely scene.
We ended up eating at one of the restaurants right in the square. Although some guidebooks call them tourist traps with mediocre food, our meal I found to be quite enjoyable and you certainly can't go wrong with the views and overall ambiance. The restaurant offered a variety of menu options (over in Europe the menu refers to a pre-fix meal as in appetizer, entree, and dessert). Service was good and courteous. We ended up just calling it a night after that.
Day 4
Breakfast at our hotel was served between 8:30 and 10:30 and included a variety of cereals, rolls and breads, yogurts, meats and cheeses, as well as the option of having an egg prepared. Following breakfast we returned to the markt and proceeded to buy tickets for the belltower. It is 366 steps to the top and nearing the very top, boy does the stairwell get NARROW! There were points where traffic would get botched up in one direction since there was only room for one direction to be moving. There were various points along the climb where you could get off on a level and relax (well somewhat). Once you make it to the top, you are rewarded with incredible views of the city. You can even see the North Sea which is quite nice. I had read that September has the nicest weather for Bruges and we def. saw that when we were there.
Following our climb back down in which our legs had turned to jelly, we then did a canal boat tour. There are numerous companies located all over and rates are all about the same, so do one that is the most convenient for you location wise. The ride lasted about 45 minutes or so. The commentary wasn't anything to write home about, namely because the boat captain had to provide narration in three different languages. But it was neat to imagine how at one time, how large a role the city's canals played in all facets of life.
We then walked back to the Markt area for a snack break. My husband had French onion soup and garlic toast, I had just a waffle (this was where I found that waffles ordered in a restaurant are a big thumbs down). Unlike the night before, I was most disappointed with this place as prices were high and the waiter had forgotten my husband's garlic toast.
Our afternoon activity was biking! I thought it would be very neat to do since in the whole Benelux region, biking is so huge. We rented bikes from a place off the Markt. I believe we paid 8 euros each to have them for four hours. Although my original plan was to have us bike to the village of Damme (a smaller version of Bruges), we changed our minds after seeing we would have to bike along with the cars on the highway. So for a plan b, we biked out of the city center and then along the canal path. We passed by the city's remaining windmills which made for great photo opportunities. All in all it was a neat and different activity from the standard touring.
For dinner we ate again in the Markt area although this time at an Italian restaurant. The food was good although it's always neat when you order pizza in a foreign country as my husband's contained blue and gruyere cheeses. Makes for something different.
We then did some shopping for souvenirs. Lace and tapestries are everywhere in Bruges although make sure you look around to see that they're handmade and not mass produced and imported from elsewhere. I bought some handmade handkerchiefs as gifts as they weren't terribly expensive and very light to transport. There are also numerous chocolate shops as well. Be sure to take time to check out some of the window displays at the chocolate shops as there were many elaborate ones. We saw one that contained a Mexican themed one-the Mayan pyramid Chichen Itza was constructed entirely out of chocolate!
Before we called it a night, we did head back to the Markt to see it lit up against the night sky. It was absolutely beautiful and relatively quiet. So different from the daytime when there are nothing but tour groups.
Although we didn't have time, someone on the brewery tour had recommended Daytours, a company that offers tours to the World War I Flanders Fields Battlefield. In Bruges, you're only about 40 or so minutes from this hugely important WWI area. The company offers two tours, one a full day, the other is only in the evening, but allows you to experience the Last Post which is the traditional salute to the fallen warrior which is played under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres everyday. Just an fyi for anyone that may have interest.
And there you have our conclusion of our time spent in Belgium. The next day we traveled to Paris.
Sep 21st, 2010, 04:25 PM
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Here is the second half of the trip report (the Paris portion). Hope it helps to anyone planning a future trip across the pond!
Day 5
On day 5 we traveled to Paris for the second half of our honeymoon. We took the 6:30 AM Thalys train from Bruges to Paris. The Thalys is the direct, high speed train between the two cities and only runs once a day at this time although you can take other trains, you’ll just need to connect in Brussels. The train was right on time; it made two stops between Bruges and Paris-in Ghent St. Peters and Brussels. We arrived at Paris’ Gare Nord Station at 9 AM (the whole trip on the high speed train only takes 2.5 hours which was very nice). The worst part though was waiting for a taxi. We had to stand in line for almost an hour.
In Paris we stayed at the Hotel du Cadran which is located in the Rue Cler area in the 7th arrondisoment (it’s also listed in the Fodors Paris guidebook). Although our Paris hotel was a bit more than our previous two hotels, I still thought we got a pretty good rate. We booked the hotel’s art and culture package (I think that’s the name) so for 190 euros a night we received breakfast each morning as well as a 2 day museum pass-I highly recommend this package. The museum pass allows you free entry/the chance to bypass lines as well (although not for the towers at Notre Dame). It is also valid at Versailles but not for the gardens. However, all in all it is definitely worth the cost.
As it was Paris and even our luck isn’t that good, our room wasn’t ready yet but we stored our luggage and set out for a bit of petit dejeuner at a nearby café. My husband had his first ever café crème (which he loved) and I a delicious French hot chocolate along with a crossiant and a tartine (baguette with butter and marmalade). As we were sipping our drinks and eating our breads, it truly felt like a Parisian moment.
We then hopped on the metro (the hotel is a five minute walk to the 8 line), transferred to the 1 line and got off at the Place de la Concorde stop. I had us get 2 carnets which is basically a pack of 10 metro tickets. It ends up being cheaper than buying 10 individual metro tickets and also saves you from having to stand in line to buy a ticket each time you ride. We took the requisite photos at the fountains and the obelisk and proceeded into the Jardines Tulieries which looked absolutely stunning. The last time I had been in Paris was a cold weekend in March in which obviously nothing was in bloom and there were hardly any people about, so seeing the gardens so full of people and life was lovely. We sat on some chairs near the fountain and rested for a bit.
We then proceeded to the Musee Orangerie. Although I had hoped for us to do a half day tour to Giverny to visit Monet’s house and gardens, I ended up cutting it from the itinerary due to time constraints and not wanting to pack too much in. So I thought the Orangerie would be a nice substitute. The museum is known for its 180 degree canvasses Monet water lily canvasses. Although I have seen countless paintings of his famous water lilies, the immense size and overwhelming beauty of these particular canvasses were spectacular. They take up two rooms and I had read that it took Monet 12 years to complete them. Quite the feat!
On the lower level, there was a collection of paintings that had belonged to . It featured some Renoirs, Picassos, and some lesser known artists (but equally good works). We spent about 45 minutes in the museum although depending on your love of art, you could probably spend longer.
Afterward we proceeded to walk through the Tulieries to the Lourve although we did have a mini lunch break. We got sandwiches from an extremely popular (and crowded) stand. My husband ended up with an all cheese one and I had a chicken curry one, very delicious and the perfect respite. The Lourve of course was mobbed as usual although having the museum passes did allow us to bypass the extremely long lines of people waiting to get tickets. As the Lourve was once a palace of the French monarchy, you could spend days there and still not see everything so we set out with our plan of attack which was to visit the paintings and other works of art that were of interest to us.
As it was my husband’s first time to Paris, he wanted to see the Mona Lisa. I myself am not a fan of the painting as I had already made the long and mobbed sojourn to it before two times on previous trips, but that is what a good wife does, oui? I swear each time I go though, the crowds around it get larger and she gets smaller. Near to the Mona Lisa though are two other paintings, one of the Last Supper and the other of Napoleon crowning his wife Josephine as empress. We also checked out Vermeer’s The Lacemaker and then went through the Egyptian antiquities section as my husband is extremely interested in that period of history. We spent three hours there although it feels like we hardly saw anything, but that is how immense it is.
We then took the metro back to the hotel where we could finally check in. While the room was nice, it was still your typically small Parisian hotel room. My husband as a Paris newbie could not get over how small it was. The bathroom was even smaller but for me as long as it is a private one, that doesn’t matter.
We had tickets that night for the Eiffel Tower so we went to an Asian (Thai & Chinese) place for what we thought would be a quick dinner. Little did we know that it was the preferred choice of Asian tour groups. While we were there (and waiting for our food for a long time), three different tour groups came in and were promptly served a large and very hectic meal. It was getting to the point where we thought we would have to leave before our food came as we did not want to have to eat our Eiffel Tower tickets, but thankfully we still had plenty of time to leisurely enjoy our meal.
Afterward we ambled up the Champ de Mars to la tour Eiffel, a sight that still wows me every time I see it. Our tickets were for a 7:30 PM entry so we just waited around enjoying the gorgeous view. The only negative were the street peddlers were as obnoxious and brash as ever, along with many of the Romas. You would politely say no thank you, and they would follow you.
Our tickets were for the very top of the tower, but we got off at the first level to take photos (I actually prefer that level more than the top one but I do feel that everyone once in their life should go up to the very top of the Eiffel Tower). We had a horrendously long wait to come back down but I would take that over being evacuated (the following night the tower was shut down and had to be completely evacuated due to a bomb threat that had been phoned in against it). Bienvenue a Paris…
Day 6
Although we had planned to wake up early on our first full day in Paris, that didn’t quite happen. We took the metro to the Hotel de Ville stop (on line 1) and got off there. As I had mentioned earlier, the museum pass allows you to bypass many of the long entry lines for numerous attractions, but sadly the towers at the Notre Dame cathedral are not one of them so since we arrived after they had already opened, we had to stand in line for close to an hour which was somewhat of a disappointment. For that I would highly recommend being there before they open which is at 10:30.
I had been to Notre Dame two other times before but I had never been to the top so it was something neat and new to experience with the hubby. We both loved the gargoyles, especially the pensive/sad looking one who my husband told me is the most photographed one. We also climbed a wooden staircase in the bell towers and while there I could imagine Hugo’s fictional character Quasimodo swinging back and forth to let out their beautiful ringing.
After we had climbed back down, we then went inside the cathedral and toured. There was a mass going on at that time so you could only walk around the perimeter of the sanctuary. Following our visit to Notre Dame we walked along the banks of the Seine to the Conciergerie. This building was made famous during the French Revolution as it housed many famous prisoners including Marie Antoinette herself. Admission was free with the museum pass but I don’t know if I would recommend visiting it without one. There isn’t much there. They did have a reconstructed cell of Marie Antoinette and showed what it looked like when she was imprisoned there.
Following our visit to the Conciegerie, we then proceeded back down to the Seine into the Marais neighborhood which at one time was the center of Jewish life in Paris but is now less so and more of an up and coming area (read “hip”), it’s also popular with the gay and lesbian communities. Our purpose in going was to check out the Holocaust Memorial. My last time in Paris I had visited the Deportation Memorial which is located on the tip of Il de la Cite. Admission to the Holocaust Memorial is free for anyone.
When you first enter (after being buzzed in and passing through metal detectors) there in front of you is granite columns filled with the names of all of the French Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust from top to bottom. The columns are arranged chronologically, beginning with 1942, the bulk being in 1944. You then proceed inside and go down a flight of steps where there is flame that’s lit and near it the ashes of Holocaust victims from numerous concentration camps. Down another flight of stairs is the more museum portion. A variety of exhibits are displayed centering on Jewish life in France and Europe, dating back to medieval times, and then the turn of events of the Holocaust itself. Similar to what you receive at the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. there are booklets which tell the story of a French Jew in each of the rooms. These were interesting to read as they were in English. Most of the exhibits were just in French. The saddest part of the museum was the room that contained nothing but photographs from floor to ceiling of the murdered French Jewish children. It was very similar to the room at the D.C. Holocaust Museum that houses nothing but photographs of the shtetel that was completely wiped out.
After leaving the Memorial, we crossed the Seine then into Il. St. Louis. We grabbed some lunch from a small café that was next door to the famous Berthillion ice cream stand (that would be our dessert). I had vegetable soup and a Gruyere cheese crepe and my husband had a ham and cheese omelet. Delicious and with 2 cokes the bill only came to 19 euros. We then got our ice cream, one boule (scoop) each-I had banana which hit the spot and my husband had the coffee flavor. People say it’s expensive, but I feel it’s worth it!
To keep with the theme of our jam packed day, we hopped on the metro once again and rode it to the Charles DeGalle Etoile stop on line 1. We exited to street level, I proceeded to point out to my husband that the Arc d’Triomphe was literally right in front of him, and then we went back below street level in order to access the Arc. The elevators weren’t working so we had to climb to the very top (by this time, we had climbed the 366 steps of the Bell tower in Bruges, 466 steps at Notre Dame, and now this. Although both of us are not by any means overweight or out of shape, it’s still a workout for your legs!
We then called it a day for the touring aspect of it at least. We headed back to the hotel and later on in the evening grabbed some dinner from a café that was literally adjacent to our hotel. For dessert, we treated ourselves to pastries from a patisserie also on Rue Cler-I had a lemon tart and my husband had a pistachio éclair. Now we were in Paris.
Day 7
On our second to last day, we took a day trip to Disneyland Paris (this was on a weekday). As we are both huge Disney aficionados it was a must do on our list. We took the RER Line A (the city’s suburban rail network) to the park as it lets you out literally right at the gates to the entrance. We ended up traveling at the height of the Paris rush hour so stations and the train itself was beyond packed. I’d advise to probably plan around this if you’re traveling on a weekday.
We got there about 10 minutes after the park had opened (the gates open at 10 AM each day). We had bought our tickets on Expedia which I’d advise doing as opposed to getting them at the park since you’ll be charged in US Dollars and not Euros, thus saving some money in the end. All we had to do then was take the vouchers Expedia had given us and exchange them at the ticket booth for park passes.
When my dad and brother had visited Disneyland Paris back in 2004 they had both said how deserted the park was. Although it was somewhat crowded around the Main Street area, once you passed through there, the crowds were nothing in comparison to what you would see at Disney World in Orlando. All in all the longest waits were for the Dumbo Ride and standing in line for a picture with Mickey, each around 20 minutes. Most we either walked right on or had to wait between five and ten minutes. Many of the rides there do the fast pass option although for many there is really no need.
We had bought a park hopper pass so after being in the main park for most of the day, we walked over to Walt Disney Studios as it is right next door (which is exactly like the one in Florida which used to be named MGM ).
We finished out the afternoon there before returning to the other park right before closing for shopping. There were a few disappointments as numerous rides were closed (including the Haunted Mansion which was very disappointing because it is supposed to be very different from the versions in California and Florida) but what can you do?
I believe July and August are the parks’ only summer hours. Even though we were there in mid-September the park closed at 6 PM which is somewhat early considering it doesn’t open until 10 and you of course want to see and do as much as possible.
We made it back to our hotel around 6:30 and then grabbed a late dinner at an Italian restaurant also on Rue Cler that was located right next door to the café we had eaten at the night before.
Day 8
On our last day in Paris we headed to Monmartre. It always amazes me that when looking at it (specifically Sacre Coeur as the vision marker) how far away it seems when atop the Eiffel Tower or Arc d’Triomphe, but the metro ride itself doesn’t seem to take very long. We got off at the Pigalle stop and proceeded to climb. When we got to the foot of the hill (where there is the carousel that was in the French film Amelie, there were many street hawkers there, this time much more rude and aggressive than the ones at the Eiffel Tower. They weren’t selling anything, only trying to attract people with a string, I suppose some trick. They were very aggressive with my husband and wouldn’t stop following him until I yelled at them in French to leave us alone. The Romas were also out in full force. We took the funicular up to Sacre Coeur (it is the cost of a metro ride) and I still don’t know how they even did it, but four Roma teenage girls snuck on from the other side, thus making people who had already paid for the ride to have to wait.
Once at the top we took many pictures and just sat on the steps enjoying the vista. We did go inside the church (I had never been in it before). For me, nothing compares to gazing at the outside of the church, admiring its white onion like domes.
As we had had our fill of step climbing and seen many views from Paris high up, we skipped climbing to the top of the church. We just walked more into Monmartre and did some shopping. If you walk a bit away from the very tacky souvenir shops, there are some nicer ones. We bought some nicer quality souvenirs from a little store which also sold some Provencale wares (dish towels, lavender sachets, soaps).
Our afternoon destination was St. Germain de Pres. I had always been immensely interested in the Lost Generation, specifically those that were in Paris after the Great War (Hemingway, Fitzgerald) so I wanted to check out the Les Deux Magots Café which was often frequented by those members. Although I knew it would be pricey, our meal itself was disappointing. My husband had a croque monsieur and I had a quiche Lorraine. It definitely is overrated, if not a tourist trap or perhaps better suited for just a drink.
My husband was a huge fan of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code so we then walked over to St. Sulpice. It is currently undergoing some major work on the outside but the interior was quite lovely and impressive including the organ. I had read that there are organ concerts there and I can only imagine how awesome it must be to hear one based on the immense size of the organ. I also always enjoy seeing the churches and cathedrals memorials to the fallen soldiers of the Great War. Even if you do not speak French, the image of the red poppy wreath will always be a way of telling you of the many men who died way too young.
Our final stop was the Jardin de Luxembourg. I had never been here before but the gardens and fountains by the palace were stunning. To me it felt like a miniature Versailles but right in the center of Paris. Some of my favorite photos from our trip were taken there.
Our final hurrah of our honeymoon was a dinner cruise on the Seine. We had made reservations before we left with Bateux Mouches. They do both lunch and dinner cruises as well as just a boat cruise as well. For the dinner cruise, they offer two different meal packages, we opted for the less expensive one which still came out to 95 euros a person. You board right at the Pont Alma area on the Right Bank. You could board between 7:30 and 8:15, the ship sailed at 8:30. Prior to boarding you were given a complimentary drink too. Every seat on board is by the window which is very nice for photo taking and just admiring the views. Every couple has a bottle of champagne waiting for them at their table and then a canapé is served as well with it. For the meal itself, there was a choice of an appetizer, then four different options for your entrée and the same for dessert (there was also the standard cheese plate between dinner and dessert as is the French custom). You could also choose between red and white wine with dinner.
While it was a very expensive experience, it was one of the most romantic and memorable evenings I have ever had and a perfect way to end our honeymoon. There was also a pianist and violinist that performed during the cruise and when the violinist played Edith Piaf’s famous song, “La Vie En Rose,” it was definitely one of the best parts of the trip.
All in all we had a wonderful trip and lots of wonderful memories we will always cherish.
Day 5
On day 5 we traveled to Paris for the second half of our honeymoon. We took the 6:30 AM Thalys train from Bruges to Paris. The Thalys is the direct, high speed train between the two cities and only runs once a day at this time although you can take other trains, you’ll just need to connect in Brussels. The train was right on time; it made two stops between Bruges and Paris-in Ghent St. Peters and Brussels. We arrived at Paris’ Gare Nord Station at 9 AM (the whole trip on the high speed train only takes 2.5 hours which was very nice). The worst part though was waiting for a taxi. We had to stand in line for almost an hour.
In Paris we stayed at the Hotel du Cadran which is located in the Rue Cler area in the 7th arrondisoment (it’s also listed in the Fodors Paris guidebook). Although our Paris hotel was a bit more than our previous two hotels, I still thought we got a pretty good rate. We booked the hotel’s art and culture package (I think that’s the name) so for 190 euros a night we received breakfast each morning as well as a 2 day museum pass-I highly recommend this package. The museum pass allows you free entry/the chance to bypass lines as well (although not for the towers at Notre Dame). It is also valid at Versailles but not for the gardens. However, all in all it is definitely worth the cost.
As it was Paris and even our luck isn’t that good, our room wasn’t ready yet but we stored our luggage and set out for a bit of petit dejeuner at a nearby café. My husband had his first ever café crème (which he loved) and I a delicious French hot chocolate along with a crossiant and a tartine (baguette with butter and marmalade). As we were sipping our drinks and eating our breads, it truly felt like a Parisian moment.
We then hopped on the metro (the hotel is a five minute walk to the 8 line), transferred to the 1 line and got off at the Place de la Concorde stop. I had us get 2 carnets which is basically a pack of 10 metro tickets. It ends up being cheaper than buying 10 individual metro tickets and also saves you from having to stand in line to buy a ticket each time you ride. We took the requisite photos at the fountains and the obelisk and proceeded into the Jardines Tulieries which looked absolutely stunning. The last time I had been in Paris was a cold weekend in March in which obviously nothing was in bloom and there were hardly any people about, so seeing the gardens so full of people and life was lovely. We sat on some chairs near the fountain and rested for a bit.
We then proceeded to the Musee Orangerie. Although I had hoped for us to do a half day tour to Giverny to visit Monet’s house and gardens, I ended up cutting it from the itinerary due to time constraints and not wanting to pack too much in. So I thought the Orangerie would be a nice substitute. The museum is known for its 180 degree canvasses Monet water lily canvasses. Although I have seen countless paintings of his famous water lilies, the immense size and overwhelming beauty of these particular canvasses were spectacular. They take up two rooms and I had read that it took Monet 12 years to complete them. Quite the feat!
On the lower level, there was a collection of paintings that had belonged to . It featured some Renoirs, Picassos, and some lesser known artists (but equally good works). We spent about 45 minutes in the museum although depending on your love of art, you could probably spend longer.
Afterward we proceeded to walk through the Tulieries to the Lourve although we did have a mini lunch break. We got sandwiches from an extremely popular (and crowded) stand. My husband ended up with an all cheese one and I had a chicken curry one, very delicious and the perfect respite. The Lourve of course was mobbed as usual although having the museum passes did allow us to bypass the extremely long lines of people waiting to get tickets. As the Lourve was once a palace of the French monarchy, you could spend days there and still not see everything so we set out with our plan of attack which was to visit the paintings and other works of art that were of interest to us.
As it was my husband’s first time to Paris, he wanted to see the Mona Lisa. I myself am not a fan of the painting as I had already made the long and mobbed sojourn to it before two times on previous trips, but that is what a good wife does, oui? I swear each time I go though, the crowds around it get larger and she gets smaller. Near to the Mona Lisa though are two other paintings, one of the Last Supper and the other of Napoleon crowning his wife Josephine as empress. We also checked out Vermeer’s The Lacemaker and then went through the Egyptian antiquities section as my husband is extremely interested in that period of history. We spent three hours there although it feels like we hardly saw anything, but that is how immense it is.
We then took the metro back to the hotel where we could finally check in. While the room was nice, it was still your typically small Parisian hotel room. My husband as a Paris newbie could not get over how small it was. The bathroom was even smaller but for me as long as it is a private one, that doesn’t matter.
We had tickets that night for the Eiffel Tower so we went to an Asian (Thai & Chinese) place for what we thought would be a quick dinner. Little did we know that it was the preferred choice of Asian tour groups. While we were there (and waiting for our food for a long time), three different tour groups came in and were promptly served a large and very hectic meal. It was getting to the point where we thought we would have to leave before our food came as we did not want to have to eat our Eiffel Tower tickets, but thankfully we still had plenty of time to leisurely enjoy our meal.
Afterward we ambled up the Champ de Mars to la tour Eiffel, a sight that still wows me every time I see it. Our tickets were for a 7:30 PM entry so we just waited around enjoying the gorgeous view. The only negative were the street peddlers were as obnoxious and brash as ever, along with many of the Romas. You would politely say no thank you, and they would follow you.
Our tickets were for the very top of the tower, but we got off at the first level to take photos (I actually prefer that level more than the top one but I do feel that everyone once in their life should go up to the very top of the Eiffel Tower). We had a horrendously long wait to come back down but I would take that over being evacuated (the following night the tower was shut down and had to be completely evacuated due to a bomb threat that had been phoned in against it). Bienvenue a Paris…
Day 6
Although we had planned to wake up early on our first full day in Paris, that didn’t quite happen. We took the metro to the Hotel de Ville stop (on line 1) and got off there. As I had mentioned earlier, the museum pass allows you to bypass many of the long entry lines for numerous attractions, but sadly the towers at the Notre Dame cathedral are not one of them so since we arrived after they had already opened, we had to stand in line for close to an hour which was somewhat of a disappointment. For that I would highly recommend being there before they open which is at 10:30.
I had been to Notre Dame two other times before but I had never been to the top so it was something neat and new to experience with the hubby. We both loved the gargoyles, especially the pensive/sad looking one who my husband told me is the most photographed one. We also climbed a wooden staircase in the bell towers and while there I could imagine Hugo’s fictional character Quasimodo swinging back and forth to let out their beautiful ringing.
After we had climbed back down, we then went inside the cathedral and toured. There was a mass going on at that time so you could only walk around the perimeter of the sanctuary. Following our visit to Notre Dame we walked along the banks of the Seine to the Conciergerie. This building was made famous during the French Revolution as it housed many famous prisoners including Marie Antoinette herself. Admission was free with the museum pass but I don’t know if I would recommend visiting it without one. There isn’t much there. They did have a reconstructed cell of Marie Antoinette and showed what it looked like when she was imprisoned there.
Following our visit to the Conciegerie, we then proceeded back down to the Seine into the Marais neighborhood which at one time was the center of Jewish life in Paris but is now less so and more of an up and coming area (read “hip”), it’s also popular with the gay and lesbian communities. Our purpose in going was to check out the Holocaust Memorial. My last time in Paris I had visited the Deportation Memorial which is located on the tip of Il de la Cite. Admission to the Holocaust Memorial is free for anyone.
When you first enter (after being buzzed in and passing through metal detectors) there in front of you is granite columns filled with the names of all of the French Jews that were murdered in the Holocaust from top to bottom. The columns are arranged chronologically, beginning with 1942, the bulk being in 1944. You then proceed inside and go down a flight of steps where there is flame that’s lit and near it the ashes of Holocaust victims from numerous concentration camps. Down another flight of stairs is the more museum portion. A variety of exhibits are displayed centering on Jewish life in France and Europe, dating back to medieval times, and then the turn of events of the Holocaust itself. Similar to what you receive at the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. there are booklets which tell the story of a French Jew in each of the rooms. These were interesting to read as they were in English. Most of the exhibits were just in French. The saddest part of the museum was the room that contained nothing but photographs from floor to ceiling of the murdered French Jewish children. It was very similar to the room at the D.C. Holocaust Museum that houses nothing but photographs of the shtetel that was completely wiped out.
After leaving the Memorial, we crossed the Seine then into Il. St. Louis. We grabbed some lunch from a small café that was next door to the famous Berthillion ice cream stand (that would be our dessert). I had vegetable soup and a Gruyere cheese crepe and my husband had a ham and cheese omelet. Delicious and with 2 cokes the bill only came to 19 euros. We then got our ice cream, one boule (scoop) each-I had banana which hit the spot and my husband had the coffee flavor. People say it’s expensive, but I feel it’s worth it!
To keep with the theme of our jam packed day, we hopped on the metro once again and rode it to the Charles DeGalle Etoile stop on line 1. We exited to street level, I proceeded to point out to my husband that the Arc d’Triomphe was literally right in front of him, and then we went back below street level in order to access the Arc. The elevators weren’t working so we had to climb to the very top (by this time, we had climbed the 366 steps of the Bell tower in Bruges, 466 steps at Notre Dame, and now this. Although both of us are not by any means overweight or out of shape, it’s still a workout for your legs!
We then called it a day for the touring aspect of it at least. We headed back to the hotel and later on in the evening grabbed some dinner from a café that was literally adjacent to our hotel. For dessert, we treated ourselves to pastries from a patisserie also on Rue Cler-I had a lemon tart and my husband had a pistachio éclair. Now we were in Paris.
Day 7
On our second to last day, we took a day trip to Disneyland Paris (this was on a weekday). As we are both huge Disney aficionados it was a must do on our list. We took the RER Line A (the city’s suburban rail network) to the park as it lets you out literally right at the gates to the entrance. We ended up traveling at the height of the Paris rush hour so stations and the train itself was beyond packed. I’d advise to probably plan around this if you’re traveling on a weekday.
We got there about 10 minutes after the park had opened (the gates open at 10 AM each day). We had bought our tickets on Expedia which I’d advise doing as opposed to getting them at the park since you’ll be charged in US Dollars and not Euros, thus saving some money in the end. All we had to do then was take the vouchers Expedia had given us and exchange them at the ticket booth for park passes.
When my dad and brother had visited Disneyland Paris back in 2004 they had both said how deserted the park was. Although it was somewhat crowded around the Main Street area, once you passed through there, the crowds were nothing in comparison to what you would see at Disney World in Orlando. All in all the longest waits were for the Dumbo Ride and standing in line for a picture with Mickey, each around 20 minutes. Most we either walked right on or had to wait between five and ten minutes. Many of the rides there do the fast pass option although for many there is really no need.
We had bought a park hopper pass so after being in the main park for most of the day, we walked over to Walt Disney Studios as it is right next door (which is exactly like the one in Florida which used to be named MGM ).
We finished out the afternoon there before returning to the other park right before closing for shopping. There were a few disappointments as numerous rides were closed (including the Haunted Mansion which was very disappointing because it is supposed to be very different from the versions in California and Florida) but what can you do?
I believe July and August are the parks’ only summer hours. Even though we were there in mid-September the park closed at 6 PM which is somewhat early considering it doesn’t open until 10 and you of course want to see and do as much as possible.
We made it back to our hotel around 6:30 and then grabbed a late dinner at an Italian restaurant also on Rue Cler that was located right next door to the café we had eaten at the night before.
Day 8
On our last day in Paris we headed to Monmartre. It always amazes me that when looking at it (specifically Sacre Coeur as the vision marker) how far away it seems when atop the Eiffel Tower or Arc d’Triomphe, but the metro ride itself doesn’t seem to take very long. We got off at the Pigalle stop and proceeded to climb. When we got to the foot of the hill (where there is the carousel that was in the French film Amelie, there were many street hawkers there, this time much more rude and aggressive than the ones at the Eiffel Tower. They weren’t selling anything, only trying to attract people with a string, I suppose some trick. They were very aggressive with my husband and wouldn’t stop following him until I yelled at them in French to leave us alone. The Romas were also out in full force. We took the funicular up to Sacre Coeur (it is the cost of a metro ride) and I still don’t know how they even did it, but four Roma teenage girls snuck on from the other side, thus making people who had already paid for the ride to have to wait.
Once at the top we took many pictures and just sat on the steps enjoying the vista. We did go inside the church (I had never been in it before). For me, nothing compares to gazing at the outside of the church, admiring its white onion like domes.
As we had had our fill of step climbing and seen many views from Paris high up, we skipped climbing to the top of the church. We just walked more into Monmartre and did some shopping. If you walk a bit away from the very tacky souvenir shops, there are some nicer ones. We bought some nicer quality souvenirs from a little store which also sold some Provencale wares (dish towels, lavender sachets, soaps).
Our afternoon destination was St. Germain de Pres. I had always been immensely interested in the Lost Generation, specifically those that were in Paris after the Great War (Hemingway, Fitzgerald) so I wanted to check out the Les Deux Magots Café which was often frequented by those members. Although I knew it would be pricey, our meal itself was disappointing. My husband had a croque monsieur and I had a quiche Lorraine. It definitely is overrated, if not a tourist trap or perhaps better suited for just a drink.
My husband was a huge fan of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code so we then walked over to St. Sulpice. It is currently undergoing some major work on the outside but the interior was quite lovely and impressive including the organ. I had read that there are organ concerts there and I can only imagine how awesome it must be to hear one based on the immense size of the organ. I also always enjoy seeing the churches and cathedrals memorials to the fallen soldiers of the Great War. Even if you do not speak French, the image of the red poppy wreath will always be a way of telling you of the many men who died way too young.
Our final stop was the Jardin de Luxembourg. I had never been here before but the gardens and fountains by the palace were stunning. To me it felt like a miniature Versailles but right in the center of Paris. Some of my favorite photos from our trip were taken there.
Our final hurrah of our honeymoon was a dinner cruise on the Seine. We had made reservations before we left with Bateux Mouches. They do both lunch and dinner cruises as well as just a boat cruise as well. For the dinner cruise, they offer two different meal packages, we opted for the less expensive one which still came out to 95 euros a person. You board right at the Pont Alma area on the Right Bank. You could board between 7:30 and 8:15, the ship sailed at 8:30. Prior to boarding you were given a complimentary drink too. Every seat on board is by the window which is very nice for photo taking and just admiring the views. Every couple has a bottle of champagne waiting for them at their table and then a canapé is served as well with it. For the meal itself, there was a choice of an appetizer, then four different options for your entrée and the same for dessert (there was also the standard cheese plate between dinner and dessert as is the French custom). You could also choose between red and white wine with dinner.
While it was a very expensive experience, it was one of the most romantic and memorable evenings I have ever had and a perfect way to end our honeymoon. There was also a pianist and violinist that performed during the cruise and when the violinist played Edith Piaf’s famous song, “La Vie En Rose,” it was definitely one of the best parts of the trip.
All in all we had a wonderful trip and lots of wonderful memories we will always cherish.
Sep 21st, 2010, 04:42 PM
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Thanks for sharing! We had the same experience on the Brussels metro. Lots of packs of teenagers yelling the entire time. When we got off, one of them was stuck in the doors from whatever they were doing so it was even louder.
