Paris was AMAZING!!!!!!
 

Paris was sooo beautiful. I loved it, I loved it, I LOVED IT!
I can't even put into words how much I loved it. There are no words in any language that I speak that accurately describe just how much I loved it. I have to go back, I will be going back. I want to live there! I want to wake up every day and be in Paris. I want to see it, breather it, feel it, taste it, listen to it, but I feel there aren't enough days left in a life time to do so thoroughly.

:)

All of you were so kind, and generous with all your advice and support. I mean, almost 600 posts! That's amazing!
I was just really nervous and wanted my trip to be perfect, so I was freaking out over every single detail. It was annoying for you, I'm sure, but I'm real, haha. Not a troll, I did go, and I'm going to be writing a blog. I posted my first entry today. More will be coming. I'm sorry I didn't post it earlier, but I mean, I kind of have a bit of a life. And it, along with a cold I caught in France, got in the way of me posting right away.

I cannot thank you all enough for all the advice I received. Hopefully, you all enjoy the blog. I've never written one before, so I could be doing it totally wrong, but tell me how I could make it better! Ask me all your questions here if you want, or on the blog, but yeah. I'm an open book.

Thanks so much for everything! Happy 2013 too! And thanks.

http://derriereunkleenex.wordpress.com/

Excellent - very pleased you enjoyed it so much.

I have to agree, Paris is amazing. We are about to go on our 6th trip in March. We had our first trip in 2006 and have been hooked ever since. Just start planning another trip, that's the only way to make coming home any better!!

So, I guess it wasn't too shabby then.

So not shabby. I'm jealous that you're there right now.

Irock5-Oh yes, I'm definitely going to start planning on going back! As soon as my wallet recovers from this.

I'm loving your report so far - it's making me want to return to Paris.

Since you've returned, have you learned that it's not necessary to get uptight about every little bit of your trip? I read that you were lost but found your way again - this is what happens. Not everything is perfect but but we never go totally astray. I love the wonderful moments when I'm lost and see something I never would have planned to see.

We keep needing to remodel our bathroom and bedroom ,but every year when my husband gets his bonus check, we are back off to Europe. Oh well, life is short, and the memories are fabulous!!

I wish your writeup was longer.
We plan on going to Paris in May.
Thanks for the report.
Rob

Adrienne- Yes, I have learned that! I was freaking out over nothing and to be honest, I forgot about all of the stuff I worried about before once I was there. Everything just fell into place. But, also it was my first real trip, so I'm allowed to be uptight, just this once :P

Irock5, I agree! Now, if I only full time students got bonus checks!

Rob-There is more to come! This was only the first day. I will be letting you all know here when I update!

Great blog, thanks!

Can't wait to read more. I have been reading trip reports for Paris and Rome(our other stop) for weeks. We are getting so excited. My sister asked me how we can afford to go on these trips and I told her it is about choice. I don't have a big fancy car and send all of my money to those car payments every month. We have gotten older and wiser and realize that those are just things.

I am so glad you liked Paris. It really is a magical place. I don't think I really thought it would be as beautiful as it is. I have been to Ireland and all over Italy and I think it is the most beautiful city I have seen. Just my opinion.

So glad you had a good time. BTW, it's normal for big city airports to have multiple terminals with transport between them - not unique to CDG.

=D>---I am enjoying your enthusiasm for the city.

Great photos from the top of the Montparnasse Tower. We definitely must go there on our next trip. After 9 visits to Paris, one of which we stayed right down the street from M. Tower, we've never been there. I'll be looking forward to more of your exciting days in my favorite city.

Irock5---I'm with you. We'll forgo a bigger house, a new bathroom which we also need, or a newer car any time to be able to travel. I recently read a quote in a book about aging well that said, "My wife has decided that a year shall not pass without going to Paris." I'm with her!!

These wonderful Paris trip reports keep the dream alive.

TPAYT--What a great quote. I am trying to practice that right now!! We spent last Christmas (2011) in Paris, just husband and myself. What a wonderful experience. Our children are all grown up and we had Christmas with them before we left and then off we went. I cannot recommend that experiece if you have not done it. Really want to do it again.

Ha! I think we had your same accordian player on line 6. They obviously have it down to a science, they start playing and then you're out of the tunnel and the Eiffel Tower is right there!

nice start, pfd; keep it coming.

Ah, TPAYT, that's why I like you so much!

So, PFD....now you know why you got so much help...tons of us who are in love with Paris! Great shots from Montparnasse...after 5 trips I haven't made it there-but I will! I will never be done with Paris....this is the first year in four that I haven't been to Paris. I miss it.

I totally know the feeling of the hearing the accordion music. I remember being in Chatelet on my first trip and hearing La Vie en Rose being played on the accordion. Kinda magic! I have heard some amazing music in the Paris metro stations.

I have made 20+ trips to Paris....only learned this year that the musicians in the metro stations (not those on the trains) have to audition and are paid to perform.

Enjoying your report pfd.

Judy, they didn't used to have to, and weren't paid. That's pretty recent.

Holy crap! Is that real? I think I may have just found my dream job! Where do I sign up?

Loved reading your first impressions of Paris. Keep writng and please include a picture of yourself and perhaps your cousin.
After following all your questions and qualms about the trip, I feel that I know you and would love to actually see you.
In any event I am so glad that your trip was so fabulous and that ypu have joined the rest of us who feel that one trip is never enough.
I will be making my annual trip this May, I have lost track of how many trips I have made to this great city.

Love your blog. Keep on going...waiting for more about my favorite city.

Yes, yes! More please :)

Loving it and so glad you are home safe, happy and in love with Paris!

Musicians on metro trains are illegal. Musicians in the corridors are sometimes authorized -- there are something like 50 or 80 official spots which are allocated by audition: http://www.ratp.fr/fr/ratp/c_18839/i...iens-du-metro/

However, the musicians are not paid, except by you.

Just a note, in our small city on Vancouver Island,( very touristy) we have musicans and street performers audition to get permits too, they are not paid, but they have to be pretty good as we don't give away hundreds of permits.

Its a way to keep the numbers down( can you imagine a different instrument playing a different song every 15 feet down the metro corridors,, plus it eliminates 'turf wars" or "who got here first "wars among the buskers..

The guys on the trains actually piss me off as I am trapped, the ones in the corridors can sound so lovely and echo-y


Love your blog so fun, keep writing! Love to hear about hotel and everything else,, I like details( but admit to be pretty bad at remembering them myself for my trip reports.

Also loved your photos taken from Montparnasse Tour.

The guys on the trains actually piss me off as I am trapped, the ones in the corridors can sound so lovely and echo-y>>

yes, and if you are alone in a carriage with a "musician" it can be quite difficult to say no.

Welcome to the I LOVE PARIS club! It gets in your blood, doesn't it? Glad you had such a fabulous trip.

Add me to the "hate musicians in trains" crowd. I'm tone deaf and find them very annoying. Ditto for a lot of the ones that show up in restaurants - I bring my own entertainment. I don't see why I should pay for something I didn't ask for, and usually don't.

I loved your blog. Please update us here with another link when you post another. My daughter and I are passing thru for about a day and a half and I plan on seeing as much as possible as my daughter is in love with Paris.

I have so many pictures from my trip, over a thousand, but unfortunately, none of them include me! I don't really photograph, cause I figure I already know what I look like. So I dont really have any pictures of myself to post.
I hope to post another entry either Sunday or Monday, and I will let you all know when I do!
Thank you all!

Add me to the "hate musicians in trains" crowd. I'm tone deaf and find them very annoying.>>

i can assure you that they are just as annoying if you aren't tone deaf, thursdays.

we're waiting for more, pfd!

>><i>I have so many pictures from my trip, over a thousand, but unfortunately, none of them include me! I don't really photograph, cause I figure I already know what I look like. So I dont really have any pictures of myself to post.</I>

You really expect us to believe you we're in Paris for the first time, (your dream trip!) and took <b>NO</b> photos of yourself there? I don't buy it. I understand if you want to remain anonymous here, but there's no need to be dishonest. Tsk tsk. [-X

Well, Doppio, I've been in Paris more than 100 times and never taken a picture of myself. It's not out of the question.

As for the accordion players, I want to run and hide the minute the métro doors open and they get on!

StCirq, That just seems really strange to me unless you suffer from some kind of self esteem or dysmorphia issue. The only person I know who did that was overweight and hated the way she looked. I thought she looked fine, but you can't change how people see themselves. :( Makes me sad, really. No pictures of you in those beautiful surroundings. If I was PFD's parents I'd be a bit disappointed not to have photos of my daughter on her dream trip.

Doppio - what nonsense. I very rarely take (or, more accurately, have someone else take) a photo of myself. I'm certainly not overweight, but I can't see how it improves a landscape or building to have me standing in front of it. I find it annoying that people who insist on having their photo taken in front of every significant sight think that that is more important than actually looking at the place.

<i>I don't really photograph, cause I figure I already know what I look like.</i>

Don't worry about that -- I am the same. I enjoy photographing people who want to be photographed, I do not hide like a vampire if someone insists on photographing me, but I absolutely do not require any pictures of myself.

I do get a certain pleasure if I wander over to Trocadéro alone, because I am certain to be asked 4 or 5 times to take pictures of people -- couples or solo travelers -- with the Eiffel Tower in the background. I understand the importance of it for people who will only get one chance in their life to be in such a place (or who think so even if it isn't true).

Dammit, PFD, I keep clicking on your blog link hoping to see the next entry and still nothing! Get to work, girl! :-(

People always ask me where the pictures of me are when I show them the photos I take on trips. I tell them I am in every picture; I am the one on the other side of the lens. It never occurs to me to take pictures of myself, and it would involve handing my camera to somebody else. If somebody else is taking pictures, I end up in them sometimes.

I'm really happy to read your blog, passionfruit, and to hear you had a great time after all your concerns.

Looking forward to following your week.