To PARIS with love

I should have blog about it the minute i arrived Malaysia but as u all know that procrastination has been my worst best friend, the delay seems to be too long to bear. Just like the freaking chilling effect to the bones of the air cond in my office, it constantly reminding myself that i've finally left my footprint on one of my dream destination wishlist, and its time for me to share the moment here. So to cut the story short, it has not been the best week of my life before i embark the journey to the land of love, Paris. Basically a lot of crazy unimaginable chaos ive been through, i just want some device to take me and drop me somewhere else but not HERE there and there. But reality check, I'm not in the Wars of the World movie so beat that.

It started from KL - Singapore by COACH. that 'almost 7 hours journey' really worn me out. Then i realized that pepperspray are not allowed in Singapore. oh geez, so i surrendered it and have to make a police report at the immigration office. that took me about like 30 minutes late. but not too worry, never really wanted to stop around Singapore and beside the next flight is only at night. My desire to visit Paris is already fading this morning. yeah i was exhausted, grumpy, not feeling well and certainly was not at my best that day. I guessed my alter ego was either sleeping or hibernating...ahaks...

Oh well. ..Changi Airport, Singapore..nothing is great except for their nasi ayam + kari ayam at one their food court

Free wireless...me likey too

Ahhh...i love this..KLIA..the best airport for me. why am i back to KL?

coz it was transit and i dont like waitingOrait boarding time..12midnite

In the flight, while i was staring at the window, i have my moment of thoughts and the tear drops in my heart just like the rain that night. Probably for the first time in my life that my anticipation has turned totally 360 degree altogether.My feeling has lead me down BIG time. How can i not be happy about visiting PARIS, i can only wonder and answered myself with the deep wound from the past. I never like to sit on a plane for long hours coz its uncomfortable and stuffy. Aaahh...suddenly i could hear a whisper at the back of my head. Wake up! I'm going to Paris with MAS Airlines for heaven sake..i should be HAPPY! ok for once suddenly all my energy started to rise up. Oh yeah..my alter ego is back! So what am i supposed to do now. I slept..and save all my energy so that by the time i arrived in Charles de gaulle (CDG) Airport, Paris ..i'll be fine. Unfortunately.it doesnt turn out quite well. who can really sleep in the plane?

Brekkie was nice..salmon yum yum

Thank you MAS for choosing my entry as the sole winner in FB contest

anyway after 13 hours, the plane finally landed safely at CDG, Paris. It was cold, but i have already prepared myself with jackets and shawls as hand carry luggage. After managed to collect my checked in luggage, I proceed to the immigration. The line was really long and i dont know how long more it going take coz everyone ahead of me seems to be taller and bigger than the usual. Fuh.., finally it was my turn, only 4 counters were opened. The officer checked my passport and before stamping, he asked where and how long i'll be staying in Paris. Shoot...normally i dont get all this questions. i got panicked for a while..ahaks..i took out my mini files where i kept all the important itinerary, copy of passport and the print out confirmation of flight/accomodation/train tickets. So i told him i'll be staying in Hipotel Paris. He just smiled and finally my passport was stamped. oo la laaa..First thing first..get myself out of here.

Information

Took the express train from airport to the main terminal of Paris, Gare du nord.The train look a bit dodgy but yeah it was early in the morning..everyone seems like still sleeping. Vandalism is too common in Europe. i will never forget this place! haha..It was massive, so many route, busy and most importantly so many types of people surrounding this place. Some are rushing to work, while some look lost and some just lazing around with a cup of coffee at cafe for people watching. I on the other hand, had a mission. I decided to take this opportunity to visit Amsterdam as well.

This was like from a movie scene in Narnia. kinda old looking time/chart board. The schedule keep changing like a jackpot machine every seconds and it buzz like a bullet sound..bizarre.

So after hard work of research and almost dropped my heart few months back, I finally managed to book bullet train tickets(Thalys) from Paris to Amsterdam using French language website...aaahhhhh...why french? coz i did my research and seems that users that make their tickets reservation via French language website will be getting cheaper rate. Dont worry if you dont understand a single French word, coz there are simple step by step guideline in this website. This man really is Great! thanks dude. Their train tickets works similiarly like our local flight tickets. YUp you got it right, the earlier you book, the lower the rates is. OR book during any ongoing promo, and you might just hit cheapest rate that certainly makes you feel like "Wow..im really that good! :P " well literally..hahaha...im a narcissist, so what? LOL

ok back to my Gare du Nord scenario. I was there looking high and low for the SNCF/Thalys counter. coz i need to exchange my print out copy to a real deal ticket before taking the train. I wanted to opt for ticketless but i think it was too risky as I am not a Parisian. So after asking around, finally i managed to find the counter. I was lining up when they are bunch of Indonesian was talking among each other. Being friendly i just started to talk to them. :) poor thing was they missed the earlier train to Amsterdam and now they had to re-purchase those tickets. They wonder how much would it be. i said im not too sure for purchase on the same day as i have booked earlier via online and it was during promotion so i managed to get pretty good price. Shared with them whateva ive learned during my research. But maybe next time as they really really wanted to visit Amsterdam today. So ended up they paid quite a hefty sums of money.

Aahh..finally it was my turn. I showed them those print out, she checked from the system. And ensure to bring the same credit card that you had purchased online and show them in the counter.then she started to talk in French to her colleague. Honestly i was little scared even though this is my 2nd europe trip but this time around, all the itinerary was done by me ALONE. so its pretty scary if things just go wrong..urgh..and some of them dont speak english...I'm definately going to freak out if they said my confirmation was not valid or whateva. After few minutes, she printout the tickets and handover to me.

YESSS!!!.i got my tickets..good deal eh? one way euro 34 only from PARIS to AMSTERDAM

but i couldnt get the same deal (during online), so it was euro 62.still it was worth it!

she told me which gate and what time i have to be there. And if im late, i'll end up like the INdonesian earlier. oh boy, certainly i dont want that to happen!

Next we kept our luggage at the locker room. We paid 16 euro coz wanna see PARIS before our visiting Amsterdam later in the evening and dont want to be carrying our luggage around. Sight seeing by foot is definately the best...the weather was pretty cold but the sun was shinning bright so it was perfect. Some maps collected at the counter. it was FOC. :)First head for lunch at the nearest cafe. Then took the bus and head to this futuristic kinda of building. Opposite of the building lies a colourful graffiti and art based decor decorating the front porch of a church. Then we kept walking and walking enjoying the cool air breeze, it was 7'celcius. beside i'll be coming back to explore the rest of few days in Paris upon returning from Amsterdam.

And now come let's take some pictures and paint the town red. Im in PARIS!!!! oh laa laaa..
This is the Famous main terminal..GARE DU NORDMap and his hTC garmin..blur ..at last i just asked the local..bleukkk
The shop housesThe clouds seems to be busy that day

Typical day in Paris

Ohh laa laaa...i am finally HERE

Can you see me? that tiny red jacket waving? hahaha (This is Pompidou Center)

Graffiti art.maybe trying to hint there are no toilet paper

I have no idea what they are trying to portray here.

nice church

End of winter, spring approaching but still very cold

Another favorite of mine, letterbox/carrier...hahaha

Cycling maybe, no?

My fetish on BIG DOORs...simply love to pose next to it...hehehee

Nice architecture .

I feel like it was 1860

Ride a long with me

Or skate with the local kids

Its like the old vampire movie scene

The garden was nice and quiet

Come let's have a cuppa and people watching

finally i could see the majestic Eiffel Tower from afar...Hrmmm...ok goin to skip that coz i have a train to catch later . hi everyone.welcome to my castle! hehehe at the River Seine

He aint heavy, he is the statue of determination..nyehh heh heh

In case, some wondering why didnt i extend my trip here and why i choose to Paris-Amsterdam and back to Paris instead of exploring Paris then to Amsterdam and back to KL. well..coz i won the return air ticket which was from Singapore to Paris, tried to appeal for return destination but was not granted..huhuh...anyway now u know why i was from KL-Singapore-transit at KL-then off to Paris...get it? hahahaa..what an adventure.

Oh ya..and this cool old rockafella spotted in a magazine

Bike lane

Will up date more soon..meantime stay tuned...