Paris, France has always been one of my "must-visit" places. Aside from the many sights I would see, it will also be an opportunity for me to practice French. So when James asked me to tag along with him when he goes there for business, I really got excited. Then came the visa application. As I recently resigned from my work at the Embassy, getting my Schengen pass was a challenge. I initially got refused but got a reconsideration a few hours before our departure on October 29, Monday. Whew! You could just imagine the anxiety I felt during the weekend while waiting for the office to open on Monday morning. Everything was so positive that morning. I even had a chat with Ms. Pilita Corales (yes, the Ms. Pilita Corales) at the waiting room of the French Embassy. I felt more than happy when I got my visa.
When I got into the plane, it finally sunk into me. My dream trip to Paris became a reality. Allow me to walk you through the 5 days I spent in Paris with James and his associates. These were as much as we can do during our stay as the boys got some work to do.
Day 1 October 30, 2007
6:10AM (local time): The group arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport via Cathay Pacific. It was a 12-hour flight from Hong Kong. We encountered slight delays with the random questioning from some French Immigration staff. The CDG airport was not that big and organized as the one in Hongkong.
We were picked-up by Antoine, our host company's representative. Antoine is a Vietnamese who migrated to France with his family several years ago. When the group got out of the airport, it became clearer to us that we were actually in Paris already. The temperature was at 6 degrees. We got into the van provided by the hotel and got a taste of French driving. Who said that Filipinos are not disciplined drivers? We were amazed as how our driver suddenly swerved from the 4th lane when he almost missed an exit.
After a 16-hour trip from Manila, we can't wait to freshen up. Unfortunately, we had to wait for another 4 hours before we could check-in. Some of us strolled along the neighborhood while waiting. It's interesting to see how the locals live their life. Working parents bring their children to school before going to work while we have school buses in the Philippines. They also walk in a faster pace appearing to be always in a rush to get so many things done in one day.
After the much-awaited shower and late lunch, we had our money changed to euros. The group decided to go to Pantheon. We took the metro going there. The French metro system appears complicated with the many loops and transfers, but once you get the hang of it, taking the metro is the easiest way to move around.
Pantheon: The crypt of Pantheon, which occupies the highest point on the Left Bank, houses the tombs of Louis Braill, Victor Hugo, Jean Jaures, Jea-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, ad Emile Zola. The building's other attraction is Foucault's Pendulum, which proves the rotation of the earth.
We had dinner at Chinatown then some of us proceeded to Eiffel Tower. It was amazing to see the Eiffel Tower with its many lights. It was a romantic sight to see. We got there at 915PM and the last trip going up is 9PM. I don't think we would want to go up still with the cold wind catching up on us.
Day 2 October 31
The boys went to do the plant visit and attend a series of meetings while the girls went to Cathedrale De Notre Dame De Paris. The 12th to 14th century cathedral is one of the world's most famous and beautiful examples of medieval architecture. The miniature version of the cathedral in wood carving placed inside a glass case in the cathedral is amazing. The cathedral grounds is also a sanctuary for pigeons. Amariz and I enjoyed feeding them with bread and kernels with the help of an old French guy who seems to be a regular of the cathedral grounds. We had some drinks at one of the cafes and went shopping for trinkets and hats at the shops surrounding the cathedral. Across the Cathedral grounds is a quaint street where more souvenir shops and cafes thrive. We had a 4.50 euro worth gyro from Maison de Gyros.
We then proceeded to Champs Elysees where most of the designer shops are located. The Arc De Triomphe at the end of the long street added a distinctive look for Champs Elysees distinguishing it from the others. Napoleon commissioned the Arc to honor his Grand Armee.
In the evening, we were treated by our host to a sumptuous dinner at the 54th floor of the La Fayette Tower where we had a good view of the Eiffel Tower.
Day 3 Nov 1
Like most countries in the world, November 1 is a holiday in France. There were a lot of tourist and locals in the city so we decided to go to Euro Disney. To go there, we had to take the metro and the RER to Marne-la-Valee-Cheesey. Total travel time to get there was almost an hour by train. We didn’t know that we should purchase a different ticket for the RER, so when we got there, we could not exit using our cards. Filipinos are known to be resourceful so we found a way to get out without the required tickets. Our three companions who followed were fined 24 euros each for not purchasing the right tickets.
It was my first trip to Disneyland and I hate to admit but it was by far one of the most enjoyable things I did in Paris. I have always wanted to go to Disneyland when I was a kid. When most of my classmates spoke about their trip to Disneyland at the start of classes after summer vacation in grade school, I settled to listening to their stories. Mickey Mouse and the rest of the gang were characters I only see on TV at that time.
It must be the child in me that made me teary eyed as I watched the “Once Upon a Dream” grand parade. The whole place exuded a happy and childlike aura. It seems to me that all my problems drifted away as I entered the park. Very superficial as it may appear, but that trip to Disneyland reminded me that dreams do come true and that it’s a small world after all.
Day 4 Nov 2
Our day started early and we were brought by our host to Versailles by bus. Louis XIV, the Sun King, built and held the court at Versailles’ extraordinary palace. The chateau embodies the extravagance of the Old Regime. The place is filled with grandeur. We took the mini train to see the vast palace garden but due to time constraints we were not able to explore the garden more. It was interesting to know that the petit trianon was given by King Louis VI to Marie Antoinette in these terms: “Since you love flowers I am offering you a bouquet”. I wonder if there are still men out there who could profess his love in that manner.
It was already past 3PM when we left Versailles. We dropped by Eiffel Tower for some photo ops and then headed to Louvre. We had our late lunch at a Japanese Restaurant in the area as most of the people in the group craved for rice. I didn’t realize that I had been eating bread since Day 1. Some opted to shop after diner, while some of us opted to go to Louvre, the Da Vinci Code’s setting. The museum houses many masterpieces and allotting a few hours is not enough. We entered through I.M. Pei’s stunning glass pyramid. There are four areas to explore but we headed straight to the Denon side where the Mona Lisa is housed. I have not seen so many paintings and sculptures in my life. All the pieces have a distinct beauty of its own. Judging from the number of people in the hall where Mona Lisa is located, I would say that it is really one of the famous paintings in the world. But I would also admit that I was disappointed to see that the famous Mona Lisa is only a 3 by 4 feet painting enclosed in a glass. People are not even allowed to see the painting closer. It must be the story behind the painting and the identity of the model used for the painting that made it one of the most viewed paintings in the world.
We got out of the Louvre at 830PM and Coy, Tess, James, and I headed to Champs Elysees to do some last minute shopping. When we got there, most of the shops were closed already. We settled for the shops that were open. After an hour, we decided to go back to the hotel. At the taxi stand, we saw this new Mercedes Benz taxi in queue. We thought that since we will be spending anyway, might as well spend it at a nice cab. The Benz was the fourth in line so we stayed at a bench near it. When it became available, a couple got there ahead of us. We proceeded the to another taxi stand and saw another Benz that was available. Since there were four of us, we were charged extra for the fourth person seated in front. Paris is really very expensive place to go to. Everything you do has a fee. Bottled water that costs 20 pesos in the Philippines would costs 120 pesos there. We planned to try the Parisian night life but was so exhausted to even lift a leg.
Day 5 Nov 3
I woke up early as James promised to spend early breakfast with me at a street café before we depart for the airport. That was our only time spent alone and it was also the first time we met a very friendly and accommodating French café staff. I enjoyed our petit dejeuner at Pasteur Café. We walked back to the hotel at 9AM and almost everyone was ready.
I was not able to explore Paris as much as I would want to. I know that Paris has a lot to offer to its visitors that are worth seeing but I had conditioned myself that this trip was not purely for pleasure and that I had to “work” as well. Aside from the sights I saw, it was the company of the people I was with that I enjoyed. I know that I will have another opportunity to visit Paris and other cities in Europe next time. When that time comes, I will make sure that I would have sufficient time and money to spend to explore what Europe has to offer. Like most of my travels, I learned a lot from this trip. But the most important thing I realized is that nothing is impossible if you work hard to make your dreams a reality.
A bien tot!
Ging Masinda
05 November 2007
(http://angelfish5877.multiply.com/photos/album/15/La_tour_de_Paris for more photos)
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