Albert Pernia's First Trip to Europe: June 14th to July 4th 2007
Countries Visited:
England |
France |
Belgium |
The Netherlands |
Germany
I think the places that I picked for this trip were great. This hotel is within walking distance of the Louvre in the Opera Quarter. The nearest Metro station is probably the cleanest and most modern one in Paris. The staff was very friendly and extremely helpful in assisting me, both in information and learning French. The room was really small by U.S. standards, but for myself, it was fine.
You know, I never really paid close attention to this before for some reason. I can't even remember seeing the one at Paris, Las Vegas. Maybe that's why I was so impressed by it. Not only is it bigger than I thought, but the sculptures on the structure are very detailed and the way its situated in the city, plus its importance in French history made it all the more appealing to me.
The symbol of France. I've seen so many pics of this and of course, the smaller one in Las Vegas. While I enjoyed seeing it for real, it didn't wow me so much in the day time. At night, however, it was beautiful to see it all lit up and sparkling at the beginning of every hour.
Recommended by a friend, I really liked this place. I'm not religious or anything, but man, the Europeans really love their churches and go all out. I sat down inside just to have a moment and think about the effort to build such things. Its really beautiful and after yet another long climb to the top, has a good view of the city. The cafes and shops next to it up top are also a nice area to hang out.
Who hasn't heard of the Louvre? Just like the British Museum, it has a huge collection of various antiquities. The biggest difference is in the paintings. Not just the Mona Lisa mind you. And not the number. I'm talking about the sizes! They're friggin huge ass paintings! I can't imagine what it cost to frame those puppies.
My friend suggested I go to this. I was not disappointed. Maybe its the morbid in me, but I got a kick out of seeing literally millions of human skulls and bones together deep underneath the city. If you're claustrophobic, this may not be for you. Whatever you do...don't touch anything!
Dayyuuuum...those French royalty were serious Ballers. Look carefully at the pics and hopefully you can get an idea of the sheer size of the grounds. Of course the palace itself is da bomb. So friggin ornate, its ridiculous really...that is, when you think about the poor souls in Paris starving at the time eating rats. LOL - I suppose in most cultures and generations, there's always the Haves and Have Nots. Its Good to be the King.
I wish the public transportation in LA was like it is in Europe. Maybe the traffic wouldn't be so bad. Taking the trains is really easy, and with my RailPass and reservations, I had no problem getting from London to Paris to Antwerp, etc. The high-speed trains are really of cool. And its also nice to be in 1st class = ).
This tour didn't live up to my expectations. It was actually part of a combo tour with an evening cruise down the River Seine. Both sucked in my opinion. The Illuminations tour isn't nearly as good as going out yourself and taking pics of the monuments at night. The bus drives by too quickly and never really slows down enough to take decent photos.
As mentioned earlier, I love World War II history. D-Day is one of those pivotal moments in history, and its success was vital to the Allied's defeat of Nazi Germany. So cool to set foot on the beaches of Normandy and to check out the German defenses. The tour also takes you to the US Cemetery, as well as a museum in Caen. It was an all day affair, with pick up from and drop off at my hotel.
Various pics of Paris. LOL - one observation: the people in London ignore crosswalk signs, while both French pedestrians AND drivers ignore them, so be careful when you walk around. Paris is definitely a beautiful city, and 5 days there is barely enough time to see things.
Countries Visited:
England |
France |
Belgium |
The Netherlands |
Germany