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| Gare du Nord in May 2012 |
By the time I arrived in Paris, my interest on the city has waned. Not that it has lost its charm but my feet were soaring. It had been a long journey...from London to Geneva - Interlaken, then to Luzern and then to Zagreb, rode to Ljubljana, hiked in Plitvice, rambled in Venice, roamed in Rome, explored Sorrento, Pompeii, Amalfi, Positano and shopped in Florence, Pisa and Paris was the last leg before we got back to London. All in all we have been traveling for 16 days.
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| A tour to Eiffel Tower is a must |
Surprisingly, some of us were still charmed by LV store in Galaries La Fayette and never gave up on the shopping spree in La Valee. Apart from the shopping, Paris has a reputation of being a romantic city of love and I think to appreciate it, you need to spend time and not rush it through. I felt lucky to have spent so much time in this vibrant city in the past...had taken ample time browsing through the museums and gardens. So at this point of time, my legs were the major concern!
I sat by the window of New Hotel, a very simple and basic hotel. For the last 12 years, New Hotel, just opposite Gare du Nord has been my favorite hotel...it is probably only a three star hotel but I just love the convenience of the location. Since Gare du Nord is the Eurostar terminal, that makes it real easy to take the train to London even in the early morning hours. But what is more interesting about this little hotel is the staff who are very chatty and never fail to extend help when needed.
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| Early morning at Gare du Nord in 2009 |
Many parts of Paris have changed over the last few years. Gare du Nord the main train station has had quiet an impressive 'face-lift' since my last visit in 2009. From the window of the hotel i looked out...and I still remember on the same spot, few years ago....on a cold Winter day, I used to watch the homeless folks rolling in their nap sack trying to catch some sleep. Life must have been hard for many in Paris....although this high fashion city continues to catch the attention of the rich, glamorous and famous. For tourists, Paris is a wonderful hub to begin your exploration in Europe. The comprehensive rail network with several cheap airlines flying in and out of Paris and the availability of many buses to all parts of Europe...all these make Paris a perfect place to begin with. I love Paris!
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| Sacre Coeur |
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| A view of Paris from the top of Sacre Coeur |
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| A view of Paris |
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| The view from Galaries Lafayette roof top |
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| Shopping stores beneath Louvre |
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